INTRODUCTION :
The Kissans are one of the habitants among the other tribes of Orissa. They concentrate mostly in the districts of Sundargarh, Sambalpur & Dhenkanal of Orissa . The Kissans are living in above districts where oriya is the predominant language. Hence they are by necessity bi-lingual and use their own the “kun” language which is a branch of the “Oraon” family. In past their ancestors concentrated in northen Orissa .Since a long who are from Chhotnagpur area. Now a days most of Kissans are talking the oriya language cause of living among with oriya inhabitants in above districts .
VILLAGE & LIFE STYLE :
The kissans have not any proper village but they are living among Hindu society become a community in such village. There are a few numbers of villages like – Tumulia, Bamanda etc. The Kissans are mainly cultivator “Gountia” & “Kale” both are the chief of their community. Every community have a “Gramsiri” or the “Goddess” situated at the end of the village for their protection.
Kissans are very laborious. They do different types of work for earning money and most of people are cutivate their own tiny lands. Some of men plucking kendu leaves and collect the forest being items and sale at local market.
The Kissans are pleased to their “Gramasiri” Goddess of village through worshipping when they need their wants . “Dehuri (who do the worship) is lived among them. He cure patients after control to ghost & spirits.
The Kissans are worshipped to their Goddess during the time of paddy seeding & harvesting which is called “Dhanpuja”. The all villagers are gathered at the worship place with paddy corp and at last after worshipping they back their own corps.
According to the social existence they are divided in to sixteen parties . To obey their own social rights they do not arrange the matrimonial settlement between the same flock . If one is done any such mistake is forbidded by the society and he can stay again when the chief who is called panigiri decided to stay among with them.
The villagers are celebrated “Gangastami Festival” in the month of Kartik & Margasir (November).
AWARENESS OF ART :
Kissans wall painting is mostly related to agricultural festives. The main painters are women in their family like Hindus deities they are also worshipped to Durga , Kali, Laxmi, Saraswati and observe the festivals like Akshya trutiya , Rajaparva, Gahma
purnima and other ritual fests in tye year which are related to growth to their agricultural properties .
In the time of above festivals they drawn icons on the mud-wall. The art of knowledge is being known through their wall painting. Especially most of people are influenced by the Hinduism symbols and they are observed the equal festivals in some occasion . So most of wall paintings are seen like similar styles as Hindu icons.
THEMES OF PAINTING :
Before start the wall painting they are prayed to the main deity and hermits (Risi). to forgive their done sins.Therefore first they draw seven numbers of long white lines which are concepted as seven harmits.The figure of risis are not drawn. These seven lines are identifies as seven hermits and they believe the rishis will blessed to all family members and protect the accidents. Like the above seven lines they drawn the almighty deities like Brahma, Vishnu & Maheswar only three lines again.
In neighbour district Sambalpur the famous Goddess entitled “Maa Samalei” which dignity reflected in their society . So the mothers & the unmarried girls are observe fasting and celebrate “Dasahara” festival. When they are worshipped they draw seven numbers of zeros which means are concepted as seven Goddesses as the figures of Mahalaxmi.
There is a numoural story behind about the seven zeros . There was a cultivator who had seven daughters they cursed by a rishi and changed in to seven paddy plants. So according to their memory they have been drawing seven zeros during the festival and worshipped to Mahalaxmi. Since from last an olden age.
They believe as Durga to Samalei Goddess during the dasahara festival . The Kissans women painters are also drawn the foot prints and horns of a cow on the wall.Their painting works are symbolism which are related to agriculture designs . They believe the mother cow is evidential goddess of Mahalaxmi . When they are paryed to laxmi they draw criss-cross lines and worship with oblasion for development of cultivation .
The house walls are decorated with such types of icons on the cleaned and smeared wall. It helps to maintain their family-members to happy living.
Kissans wall paintings generally are some to be identified as a meaningless theme but these drawings are very mysterious thing which meanings are not manifestated . It seems their society with hereditarily art is still remained in their living tradition .
