Paper short abstract

The paper looks at the evolving princely state bureaucracy in the former kingdom of Bonai (Orissa) and at the repercussions on the Adivasi population in early 20th century – a troubled relationship centred around land and its settlements, police powers and a monopoly of force and forest rights.

Paper long abstract

Relying on archival sources as well as interviews and operating on the interface between anthropology and history the paper looks firstly at the evolving princely state bureaucracy in the former kingdom of Bonai (Orissa). Secondly, the repercussions on the Adivasi population in early 20th century are discussed -a troubled relationship centred around land and its settlements, police powers and a monopoly of force and forest rights. Taking into account the role of the Adivasi "aristocracy" - Gond and Bhuiyan chiefs styled as zamindar in the process - the paper proposes a nuanced view on Adivasi-State relationship and argues for a long-duree perspective on the tribe-(transforming) state-nexus.