Beyond mining in Niyamgiri Hills

Tribals in 12 villages across Niyamgiri hills have rejected Vedanta Aluminium Limited's bauxite mining project. Arunima Mishra and Shekhar Ghosh travel to Khambesi village across Niyamgiri hill range, Orissa, where the 11th gram sabha took place and capture the lifestyle of Dongria Kondh tribals besides the mining project.

Niyamgiri is a hill range, about 250 sq km in area. There are two tribal groups - Dongria Kondh and Kutia Kondh - notied by Government of India as Primitive Tribal Groups (PTG) and thus eligible for special protection.

While the Kutia Kondh inhabit in the foothills, the Dongaria Kondh live in the upper reaches of the Niyamgiri hills. Seen here: Dongria Kondh women are buying dry fish at the local market in Kalyansinghpur block, Rayagada.

The Dongria Kondh call themselves Jharnia meaning those who live by the Jharana (streams) conned to Niyamgiri hill tracts covering the blocks of Kalyansighpur, Bissamcuttack and Muniguda in Rayagada district. Seen here: Colourful tribal girls walk down the Niyamgiri hill along with their parents to buy essentials from the local market.

Three nose rings wear every Dongria Kondh woman along with a number of ear piercings.

Kundika Domdiki of Sana Dinglil village, Kalyansinghpur block, Rayagada, Orissa doesn't stop going to the donger (forest) come what may.

A tribal woman feeds her baby while trekking up the hills towards her house across it.

Villagers pile on an auto rickshaw that takes them where the road ends at the foothills for Rs 10.

Villagers carry heavy weights and walk miles to make their ends meet.

Tribals take the forest produce like leaves, timber, oranges, banana, zinger, jackfruit, pineapple and turmeric to the weekly market down the hills.

Dongria Kondh men too wear multi-coloured hair pins and a heavy stick for protection.

As the Dongria women frequent the forest almost everyday they accessorize the smallest weapon tucked to their hair.

Tribal girls don't miss to wear a watch piece that they get from the local market for Rs 200, and surprisingly, they also know how to watch a watch.

The only entertainment of tribal men is a mobile handset that has no SIM; but they play music in it and do video recording.

Tribals make use of medicinal plants from Niyamgiri hills for ailments.

Anganwadi workers attend their monthly meeting at the block office at Kalyansinghpur, Rayagada.

Dusunda, an old woman, knits a shika (a container that hangs from the roof of a shack) from used plastic strings that she sells at the local market for Rs 50. It takes her two days to make one shika.

Sinhari Kadraka of Parsali village is headstrong about her rights and shares whatever she eats with her daughter-in-law.

Drinking water being a perennial issue in the hilly terrains, tribal women take stock of the water on a daily basis.

Villagers rest on a timber log during the gram sabha in Khambesi village.

Lakhe Pusika, a Dongria kondh girl from Khambesi village, goes to the nearest railway station at Muniguda block that is at a 28-km distance to sell forest produce.

Dongria Kondh men also like doing nose and ear piercing and are equally colourful as Dongria Kondh women.

Khambesi is one of the 112 villages that has 23 households, with a population of 105 of which 72 are voters (23: male and 49: female)

Tribals guard the Niyamgiri hills against all outside forces.

A Dongria Kondh man makes a video of the gram sabha proceedings.

A security personnel jumps across a stream en route Khambesi village, atop Niyamgiri hills, where the 11th gram sabha was held according to the Supreme Court's directive.

Special Armed Police (Orissa) on duty to keep an eye on the dense forest.

Rayagada district judge, Sarat Chandra Mishra, watches his feet as he crosses one of the several streams to reach Khambesi village to conduct the 11th gram sabha.

Central paramilitary forces join the special armed police of Orissa for a peaceful gram sabha, a village council meeting.

Central paramilitary forces, dressed as civilians, keep a close eye on the surroundings as proceeds the gram sabha in Khambesi village.

A security personnel is on high alert with a loaded INSAS (Indian Small Arms System) and marches with his troupe across the Niyamgiri hills.

Inhabitants of neighbouring villages also take part as the historic gram sabha takes place according to the SC directive.

Security personnel cross a stream en route Niyamgiri hills.

Rayagada district judge Sarat Chandra Mishra puts his shoes on to continue the trek with his attendant.

Research scholars, documentary filmmakers along with government officials take the tough path to observe the historic gram sabha.

Niyamgiri hills on both the sides, security personnel held their heads high, taking care of the civilians as they accompany them.

Tribals cast their vote against Vedanta's mining project in Niyamgiri hills.