Sorang Sompeng script

The Sora language is also written in the Latin, Odia, and Telugu scripts.

Origin

Little was known about the history of Sorang Sompeng. Mahapatra (1978-1979) writes, "[...] some self-conscious tribal leaders, instead of choosing a side [with which] to merge themselves, endeavoured to maintain their identity by inventing a new script for themselves." Malia Gomango, an influential leader of the non-Christian Sora, led the movement for a separate script, and "inspired his son-in-law, Mangei Gomango" to devise a proper script for Sora. Mangei, "an educated person...conversant in Oriya, Telugu and English" (and presumably familiar with the Christian Sora script) resigned from his job as a compounder at a pharmacy, and "observed a kind of penance in the hills for several days. Finally, at midnight on June 18, 1936," he received the script "as a divine gift." Mangei said that "the Sora people then... were sacrificing cocks, goats, buffaloes and human beings too at their rituals... They worship, pay obeisance, and then pour blood and liquor on the deity [deities'] head. However, after many days, at the end of the Age of Kali, the Lord came back and said: Now I have come to you not as Daru [alcoholic liquor] Brahma, but as Akshara Brahma (akşara ‘written syllabary character'; the term also has philosophic implications). You worship me in this form. I will be visible on the Məttar Bənom Vijnan hills. The Savara then went and saw. The twenty-four letters appeared in his vision. Then a shrine was built at that site, and the worship of Akshara Brahma commenced from that day." Mangei then set up a new religious order called Məttar Bənom Dəmri, "the religion that opens the eyes and makes people good and wise."[...]