The Researchers'

01-15

Authors: Mukteswar Das

Mayurbhanj and Medinipur are the districts of two neighbouring states Orissa and West Bengal in India. Mayurbhanj, a tribal-dominated district, bounded on the north by Singbhum District of Bihar and Medinipur District of West Bengal, on the south by the state of Keonjhar and Balasore District of Odisha, on the east by the districts of Medinipur and Balasore and on the west by Singbhoom and Keonjhar, has an area of 10,418 square kilometres.1 Medinipur, a caste dominated district, bounded in the north by Bankura district, on the east by Hughi and Howrah districts, on the south by Bay of Bengal, on the south-west by Balasore district, on the west by Singbhum and Mayurbhanj districts and on the north west by Purulia district has an area of14,081sq.km.2 People of both the districts have a close cultural contact since time immemorial. A number of people of each district live one another’s area and make family relationships in spite of their difference in official language and lifestyle. Therefore the objective of this paper is, to find out such differences and similarities as well as nature of assimilation in the culture of the people of both the districts through proper comparison.