Jasma Devi - Odra or Ode Caste

Odra or Ode Caste

During the medieval times, the state corresponding roughly with now-a-days Orissa passed under the various names such as: Utkala, Kalinga, and Odra (Udra) Desa. The state boundaries varied from time to time and were sometimes much larger. These land names are associated with peoples. The Okkala or Utkala, the Kalinga, and the Odra or Oddaka were mentioned in literature as tribes. Ancient Greeks knew the latter two as Kalingai and Oretes. Eventually the names got identified with the territories. The land was inhabited by semi-Hinduized tribes (shabaras) in the hinterland, a group of farming Brahmins (halua brahmuna) who practised invincible Tantra method near Jajpur area (the place of Goddess Biraja), and people of other castes and trades as well. For centuries before and after the birth of Christ, Kalinga was a formidable political power, extending from the Ganges river to the Godavari river. Approximately between the 11th and 16th centuries the name was twisted; the name Odra Desa was gradually transformed into Uddisa, Udisa, or Odisa, which in English became Orissa. The language of Orissa came to be known as Oriya. Ode tribe migrated to Gujarat around 12th century for construction of temples in which they are more specialized. People who supplied stone and lime for construction work of temples. People from these region were called as Oddars, Vadderas and Waddars in Andhra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. The important Deity of Odes is 'Jasma devi'. Ode : The word Vodde or Odde is said to be a corruption of the Sanskrit Odhra, the name for the country now called Orissa, and the people are ordinarily supposed to have emigrated from the Uriya country. Besides Telugu, they are said to speak a peculiar dialect among themselves.They are a strong and hard-working class.

About Ode settlement in south the following brief accounts are given in the Nellore, Coimbatore, and Madura in Manuals : —

Nellore — Odes are called as 'Vaddera' are the tank-diggers, quarry owners and contractors. few are engaged in the trade.

Coimbatore — Odes are thickly populated, migrated for great demand in irrigation wells, ghat roads of Niligiri Hills and construction of houses. Today they are found to be contractors and traders.

Salem — Odes (Odder) are moderately populated in the areas Meyyanoor, Mettupatti, Attur, Kallakurichi, Durgam, Sankarapuram etc. Today they are found to be contractors and coolies.

Madurai — Odes are generally tank-diggers and earth-workers. They are Telugus, and are supposed to have come southward in the time of the Nayyakkans. Possibly Tirumala sent for them to dig out his great Teppakulam, and assist in raising gopurams of Meenakshi Temple.

Karnataka - Migrated for great demand in construction of Dams, Hydro electric projects, Reservoirs, Check dams, Roads and Office buildings. Especially in construction of Krishnaraja sagar, Vani Vilas sagar, Bhadravathi, Hemavathi, Lakkavali, Chikhole, Shivanasamudra, Jog Falls, Almatti and Vidhana Soudha. People settled in the same places after completion of projects.

With the time, the people of this region grouped together and it became a caste. The caste is called as Vaddera, Oddars, Waddars, Vadda or also as 'Bhovi', based on the location area in Andhra, Tamil Nadu, Pune, Karnataka, Gujarat.