CULTURAL HERITAGE, LIVELIHOOD, AND SOCIAL ORGANISATION AMONG THE KONDAREDDIES OF THE GODAVARI BASIN: A POLITICAL ECOLOGY AND CULTURAL RESILIENCE PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

The Kondareddies, recognized as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG) by the Government of India, represent one of the most ancient indigenous communities in Peninsular India. Residing in the forested highlands and river basins of the Godavari region, predominantly within Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the Kondareddies have maintained a cohesive cultural identity despite centuries of marginalisation, colonial disruption, and post-independence development pressures. Although there has been sustained scholarly interest in the tribal communities of peninsular India, the Kondareddies remain underrepresented in comprehensive anthropological literature, particularly concerning the interrelationship between their cultural heritage, livelihood strategies, and social dynamics. This study seeks to address this gap through a descriptive and analytical account grounded in field observations conducted in Kondareddies settlements in the Godavari Basin, alongside a critical synthesis of ethnographic monographs, government records, peer-reviewed scholarship and documentary journalism. This study examines podu cultivation as an ecologically calibrated livelihood system, the traditional panchayat governance structure, marriage customs and kinship organisation, nature-based ritual festivals, the distinctive bhunga-style circular architecture of Gillaram village, and the system of gendered taboos that structure community life. A dedicated discussion section interprets these findings through the theoretical lens of cultural resilience and political ecological theory. The study concludes with a critical assessment of the current developmental scenario and advocates for participatory and culturally sensitive policy approaches to the welfare of PVTGs.