Khond, Kandh.1--A Dravidian tribe found in the Uriya-speaking tract of
the Sambalpur District and the adjoining Feudatory States of Patna and
Kalahandi, which up to 1905 were included in the Central Provinces,
but now belong to Bihar and Orissa. The Province formerly contained
168,000 Khonds, but the number has been reduced to about 10,000,
residing mainly in the Khariar zamindari to the south-east of the
Raipur District and the Sarangarh State. The tract inhabited by the
Khonds was known generally as the Kondhan. The tribe call themselves
Kuiloka, or Kuienju, which may possibly be derived from ko or ku,
a Telugu word for a mountain. [510] Their own traditions as to
their origin are of little historical value, but they were almost
certainly at one time the rulers of the country in which they now
reside. It was the custom until recently for the Raja of Kalahandi
to sit on the lap of a Khond on his accession while he received the
oaths of fealty. The man who held the Raja was the eldest member of
a particular family, residing in the village of Gugsai Patna, and
had the title of Patnaji. The coronation of a new Raja took place in
this village, to which all the chiefs repaired. The Patnaji would be
seated on a large rock, richly dressed, with a cloth over his knees
on which the Raja sat. The Diwan or minister then tied the turban of
state on the Raja's head, while all the other chiefs present held the
ends of the cloth. The ceremony fell into abeyance when Raghu Kesari
Deo was made Raja on the deposition of his predecessor for misconduct,
as the Patnaji refused to install a second Raja, while one previously
consecrated by him was still living. The Raja was also accustomed
to marry a Khond girl as one of his wives, though latterly he did
not allow her to live in the palace. These customs have lately been
abandoned; they may probably be interpreted as a recognition that the
Rajas of Kalahandi derived their rights from the Khonds. Many of the
zamindari estates of Kalahandi and Sonpur are still held by members
of the tribe.