Indian Tribal People or “Adivasi” is an umbrella term for the ethnic and tribal groups living in various states in India and Union Territories of the country. They are counted as a minor, but they occupy a larger part of the country as they are the original inhabitants in India.
According to Article 342 of the Constitution of India, there are 697 tribes in India as counted by the Central Government. These Indian tribal groups of people have been notified to occupy more than one State. More than half of the Indian tribal population is concentrated in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Jharkhand and Gujarat. Other Indian tribal societies are found in Rajasthan, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, West Bengal, Mizoram and other states in north eastern part of India.
History of Indian Tribal People
The “Adivasis” governed themselves outside the influence of the particular ruler. In Ramayana, the kingdom of the demonic king Ravana and Kishkinda, the homeland of the Vanaras were places situated south of Chitrakuta Hill and north of Narmada River in middle India. Accordingly, Ravana and his people was an aboriginal tribe in India, most probably the Gond, and the Vanaras, like Hanuman in the epic, belonged to the Savara and Korku tribes whose descendants still live in the forestry belt of Central India. Even today, the Gond holds Ravana, the villain of Ramayana, in high esteem as a chief.
Indian Puranic Tribe
In Mahabharata, it is referred that the demise of Lord Krishna at the hands of a Bhil Jaratha showed the existence of tribal people in India. In the ancient scriptures various terms are used depicting Adivasis as almost animals. The epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata, the Puranas and Samhitas refer to Adivasis as Rakshasa (demons), Vanara (monkeys), Jambuvan (boar men), Naga (serpents), Bhusundi Kaka (crow), Garuda (King of Eagles), etc. In medieval India, they were called derogatorily as Kolla, Villa, Kirata, Nishada, and those who were subjugated as slaves and the robbers.
North East Indian Tribes
In the north eastern part of India, there is a concentration of a number of tribes. The tribal people of Meghalaya are categorised in two major groups namely the Garo tribe and Hynniewtrep. Chakma tribeis one of the important tribes of Mizoram. The tribes of Manipur are Aimol, Anal, Angami, Chiru, Chothe, Gangte, Hmar, Kabui, Kacha Naga, Koirao, Koireng, Kom, Lamgang, Mao, Maram, Maring, Lushai tribes, Monsang, Moyon, Paite, Purum, Ralte, Sema, Simte, Sukte, Tangkhul, Thadou, Vaiphei and Zou. Bodo tribe and Mishing tribe constitute the largest population in Assam.
North Indian Tribes
North India also encompasses many tribes. Tribes of Jammu and Kashmir have strictly descended from the Indo-Aryan group of people. Tribes of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand comprise a colossal portion under the north Indian tribal section, with variety speaking out from every section and every sphere of daily life.
Tribes of Haryana basically are consisted of nomadic and semi-nomadic individuals, with a somewhat decaying condition of their social and economic condition. Tribes of Himachal Pradesh can be singled out for their looks, good conduct and religious behaviour towards every kind of situations and places.
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