The Kora (also known as Kuda, Kura, Kaora, Dhangar and Dhanger),[2] are an ethnic group found in the Indian states of West Bengal, Odisha, Jharkhand, and the Bangladeshi division of Rajshahi.
[1] The tribe's name Kora and its alternate spellings are possibly originated from Mundari word for earthworks "Koda" .
The Kora are noted for their traditional skills and primary occupation in various earth works such as cutting soil and digging tanks.
[4][2] They are further sub-divided into a number of exogamous septs called gotras such as Kaich, Mankad, Khapur, Dhan, Nun, Adower, Nag, Maghi, Prodhan, Bagha, Bahera, etc.
[4] The Kora mainly speak Bengali in West Bengal and Jharkhand and Odia in Odisha.
Only a small number still speak their original Koda language, which belongs to the Munda family.
At the turn of the 20th century, most Koras in West Bengal practiced infant marriage and had strong taboos around premarital sex, while those of Chota Nagpur practiced adult marriage and had less stringent taboos.