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Abstract
The state of Orissa has an area of 155.7 thousand square kms with a total population of 41, 974,218 lakhs according to 2011 census. There are 62 tribes in Orissa constituting 22.85% of the state’s tribal population (95, 90, 756 and 9.7% of the nation’s total tribal population. More than one third of its area namely 59, 963 square kms is covered with hills and dense forests where the aboriginals have taken shelter. The Kandhas constitute one of the major tribes of Orissa with a population of 16, 27, 486, out of that women and men are 7,90,559 and 8,36,927 respectively. The literacy rate of the Kandh tribe is 46.95 and they are famous in history for their Meriah (human) sacrifice.