The weekly haats held in villages around Rayagada are among the most fascinating cultural experiences in eastern India and the main reason most travellers come. The Dongria Kondh, Kutia Kondh, and other Adivasi communities walk down from the hills to sell turmeric, wild honey, rice beer, and produce, and to buy salt, kerosene and cloth. Women still wear traditional jewellery — nose rings, hair clips, beaded necklaces — and trade in the same languages their grandparents used.
Different markets run on different days of the week: Chatikona on Wednesday, Kuchipadar on Thursday, Bissamcuttack on Sunday, and several others. These are not tourist events — visit with a local guide who can explain the social codes, do not photograph anyone without asking, and buy something modest as a token of respect. Several reputable operators in Rayagada and nearby Koraput arrange respectful market visits.