Dorla (Dorli)

Ancestors from Warangal, strong affinity with cows, worship deity Bheema Dev, colorful attire and jewelry made of beads and metals

Found in the

Bhopalpatnam area of Bijapur.

Language

Dorli (influenced by Telugu language)

Unique Characteristics

  • Art and Entertainment: Main sources of entertainment include folk songs (Leja, Dadariya, Sua), folk dances (Karma, Reena, Gedi), folk plays, and cockfighting.
  • Marriage Customs: The practice of Bride Price (involving rice, pulses, jaggery, and livestock) is prevalent. Other forms include Lamsena (service marriage) and Urtoo/Pota marriage (widow or deserted woman marriage).
  • Craftsmanship: They create artistic items from clay, bamboo, wood (Gharva art), and metal.

Rituals

Worship Bheema Dev, pay respect to cows, nature worship, village deity worship, sacrifices of roosters/goats/pigs. Festivals amongst the tribe are celebrated almost all throughout the year with Faith and joy.

However, the tribes are becoming economically weak due to deforestation as lot many of them are dependent on trees. With the extinction of natural forest it is becoming very difficult for them gradually.

Gallery

  • Two women in Ethiopia wearing traditional bead necklaces, expressing cultural beauty and heritage.
  • Portrait of an indigenous man with traditional face paint, wearing a vibrant headband.
  • A man in traditional tribal attire from Nagaland, India, sits in a rustic interior setting.