27/12/2014

MrunalExamNote:IndianTribes,Locations,Characteristics4UPSC

Mrunalhttp://mrunal.org

[Culture]TribalsofIndia:Classification,GeographicalSpreadForGS
MainsPaperI(Culture+HumanGeography)
PostedByOn27/07/2012@4:46pmInGeography|23Comments

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.

ClassificationA:BasedonEthnicity
GroupI:Negritos
GroupII:TheMongoloid
GroupIII:Mediterranean(Dravidians)
ClassificationB:BasedonLocation
Zone1:NorthernandNorthEastern
HimachalPradesh
UttarPradesh
ZoneII:Central
Bihar
Rajasthan
GujaratandMaharashtra
MadhyaPradesh
WestBengal
Orissa
ZoneIII:SouthWestern
ZoneIV:ScatteredTribesofAndamanandNicobar

ThisarticleisimportantforGS(Mains)PaperI:Culture+HumanGeography
Thisarticlecontainstruckloadof2markers,althoughitisnotpossibletoprepareallof
thembutdoasmanyasyoucan.
Thisarticlewonthelpyou,unlessyoukeeplookingataMapofindiawhilereadingit.
ThisarticleiscreatedusingcontentfromIGNOUsTourismstudiescourse.Somedatais
outdatednewstateshavebeencreated.Keepthemapreadyandmakecorrections
accordingly.
FirstSeethisDiagram

http://mrunal.org/2012/07/culturetribalsp1.html/print/

1/6

27/12/2014

MrunalExamNote:IndianTribes,Locations,Characteristics4UPSC

ClassificationA:BasedonEthnicity

GroupI:Negritos
arebelievedtobetheearliestinhabitantsoftheIndianpeninsulawhowereunableto
defendthemselvesandweregraduallyforcedtorecedebeforetheinvadinghordesof
IndoAryans,Mongoloids,etc.comingfromtheNorthWestandNorthEast.
Thesetribeswerenotonlysuperiortotheminnumericalstrengthbutalsoinmechanical
equipment.
Thesetribalstookshelterinthemountainsandthickforestswhereaconsiderable
numberofthemarestillfoundandhavebeenestimatedtobeabouttenmillion.
Thosewhowereleftbehindintheplainsgraduallydisappearedeitherbyabsorptionorby
acculturation.
SometractsofthemarestillfoundamongthetribalsoftheAndamanandNicobarIslands
knownastheOnne,theGreatAndamanese,theSentineleseandtheJarwas
alsoinKeralaamongtheKadars,theIrularsandthePaniyans.

identifyingfeatures
aredarkskin,curlyhair,broadnoseandmediumheight.

GroupII:TheMongoloid
representedbythetribalpeopleofsubHimalayanregion.
Theymaybedividedintotwocategories
MongoloidSub
categories
1. Palaeo
Mongoloids

2. Tibeto

representedbythetribeslivingin
Assam,Meghalaya,Mizoram,NagalandandManipur.

SikkimandArunachalPradesh.
TheyarebelievedtohavemigratedfromTibet.

http://mrunal.org/2012/07/culturetribalsp1.html/print/

2/6

27/12/2014

MrunalExamNote:IndianTribes,Locations,Characteristics4UPSC

Mongoloids

Theyhavetypicaleyesandfacialfeatures.TheyspeakMonKhmer
andTibetoBurmesedialects.

GroupIII:Mediterranean(Dravidians)
TheyformbulkofthetribalpopulationandaregenerallyknownastheDravidians.
Dravidianis,however,thenameofthelanguagegroupspokenbythesepeopleandhas
noethnicsignificance.

Location
ThetribesbelievedtobebelongingtotheDravidianracearefoundintheChhotanagpur
Plateau,RajmahalHillsregion,Aravalliranges,CentralVindhyachal,DeccanPlateau
regionandNilgiriHills.
DravidianlanguagestillsurvivesnotonlyinSouthernIndiawhereTamil,Telugu,
MalayalamandKannadaareitsleadingrepresentatives,butalsoinCentralIndiawhere
itstracesarefoundinthedialectsspokenbytheOraons,Gonds,Mundas,Malers,
Khondsandothertribes.
TheDravidiansarepresumedtobeoftwostocks,
DravidTribes
DravidianSub
Categories

Characteristics

Kolarians

speakadialectcalledMundari
examples:Mundas,Santhals,Oraonsandothertribesinhabiting
ChhotanagpurPlateauregion

Dravidianproper

SpeakdailectsofTamil,Telugu,MalayalamandKannada
Gonds,Kondhs,andothertribesfoundinCentralVindhyachaland
theDeccanPlateauregions.

ClassificationB:BasedonLocation
TribalpopulationofIndiaisspreadalloverthecountry.However,inHaryana,Punjab,
Chandigarh,Delhi,GoaandPondicherrythereexistverylittletribalpopulation.
Therestofthestatesandunionterritoriespossessfairlygoodnumberoftribalpopulation
MadhyaPradeshregistersthelargestnumberoftribes(73)followedbyArunachal
Pradesh(62),Orissa(56),Maharashtra(52),AndhraPradesh(43).
InIndiathereisalmostacontinuousbeltofhightribalconcentrationstartingfromthe
WesterncoastfromThanedistrictinMaharashtrapassingthroughSuratandDang
districtsinGujarattoMayurbhanjinOrissaontheEasterncoastandBihar.
ThechiefconcentrationisinDhuliainMaharashtraWestNimar,Betul,Chhindwara,
Seeni,Mandla,ShandolandSargujainMadhyaPradeshandRanchi,Santhal
Parganas_andSinghbhumdistrictinBihar.
AnotherlongrangeoftribalbeltisfoundintheNorthEastspreadingoverArunachal
Pradesh,Nagaland,Meghalaya,MizoHills,UnitedMikirandNorthCacharHillsofAssam
andhillyregionsofManipurandTripura.
ThesebeltsarealsolinkedupbyachainofpocketsoftribalconcentrationatTalukor
subdivisionallevels.
TribalconcentrationsarealsofoundinBastardistrictofMadhyaPradesh,Korapur,
BauchKhandenals,andAgencytractsofOrissaandAndhraPradeshwhicharelinked
upwiththeCentralbeltbyachainofsmallpocketsoftribalconcentration.
Thescheduledtribesliveinexclusivepocketsoftheterritory,uponwhichtheyhave
traditionalownershiprights.

Zone1:NorthernandNorthEastern
http://mrunal.org/2012/07/culturetribalsp1.html/print/

3/6

27/12/2014

MrunalExamNote:IndianTribes,Locations,Characteristics4UPSC

InthemountainvalleysandotherareasofNorthEast,Indiantribeslargelybelongto
Mongoliansocialstock.ThetribalpeoplearedistributedalloverthesubHimalayanregionand
themountainvalleysintheNorthEastfromSimlaintheWesttotheLushaihillsandthe
MishmitrackintheEastwhichmergeimperceptiblywiththoseofBurmaintheSouthEast.It
coversAssam,ArunachalPradesh,Meghalaya,Nagaland,Tripura,ManipurandMizoram,
EasternJammuandKashmir,HimachalPradesh,TaraiareasofUttarPradeshandthe
mountaineousWestBengal.

NorthEasttribe
paroBarokachariisnumericallythestrongesttribeinAssamthencomesMiriandMizo.
Thehilldistricts,i.e.,MikirHillsandNorthCacharHillsarepredominantlyinhabitedby
scheduledtribes.
IntheplainsGoalpara,Lakhimpur,DarrangandKamrupdistrictspossessfairlylarge
numberofscheduledtribes.
InManipur,thehighestdistributionofscheduledtribesisfoundinManipurwestdistricts
followedbyManipureastdistricts.ThethirdhighestpositiongoestoManipursouth
districts.NorthManipurcontainsthelowestnumberofscheduledtribepopulation..
ThemajortribesinhabitingtheregionareAnal,Kabui,Gangte,Zarao,MoyanMansang,
etc.InMeghalayathemostimportanttribesaretheKhasis,GarosandJaintias.Mizos,
Pawis_andLakhersareofimportanceinMizoram.
Nagaland:Atribalstate,inhabitedbyNagas

HimachalPradesh
Followingtribesareimportant
1. Gaddi

resideexclusivelyonthesnowyrangewhichdividesChambafromKangra

2. Kinner

settledinthefrontierdistrictofKinnaurinHimachalPradesh.

3. Pangwal thePangiregionoftheChambadistrictinHimachalPradesh
4. Lahuli

LahulSpitiregionofHimachalPradesh

UttarPradesh
declaredscheduledareasarehills,TaraiBhabar,andSouthernU.P.Thehillzoneis
representedbytheJaunsari,Bhotia,andRajitribes.
Bhotiasarealateintroductioninthescheduledtribesfollowingthesetbacktheysuffered
afterIndoChinawar.
TheeasternandnorthernpartsofTaraiBhabartractareinhabitedbyTharuandBuxa
tribes.

ZoneII:Central
IntheChhotanagpurPlateau,alongthedividinglinebetweenpeninsularIndiaandIndo
Gangeticbasin,livemanytribalcommunitiesliketheBhumij,Gond,Ho,Oraon,Munda,
Santhal,Bhil,etc.
TheybelongtoProtoAustraloidgroup.
ThisgroupoccupythemountainbeltbetweenNarbadaandtheGodavarithecentral
barrierthatdividesthenorthfromthePeninsularIndiahasprovidedashelterforthese
tribesfromveryancienttimes.
ItincludesWestBengal,SouthernUttarPradesh,MadhyaPradesh,Orissaand
Maharashtra.ThisregionfurtherextendstotheSanthalPargana(Bihar)intheeast,
HyderabadintheSouthandRajasthanandGujaratwithastrongBhilpopulationinthe
West.
http://mrunal.org/2012/07/culturetribalsp1.html/print/

4/6

27/12/2014

MrunalExamNote:IndianTribes,Locations,Characteristics4UPSC

Bihar
Oraon,Munda,Chero,Parchaiya,Santhal_andAsurasareverydominant.
Rajasthan
Banjaras,MoghiasandSathiyasareimportanttribesofRajasthan.
TheymostlyinhabittheThardesert.
GujaratandMaharashtra
BhilisthemostimportanttribeinGujarat.
Anal,Chiru_andKonkanas_areimportanttribesinhabitingMaharashtra.
MadhyaPradesh
1. Muria

ThewordMuriaisusedinBastarforatribesman.MuriasresideintheMuriaHill
andAbujhmarmountains.

2. Dorla

atribeofsouthBastarinMadhyaPradesh.ThewordDorla,appearstohave
beenderivedfromtheTeluguwordDorameaningLord.

3. Bhil

WestBengalandOrissa
WestBengal:MalaandSavaratribes.NowspeakingofOdisha:
outofthe62Scheduledtribes,Bhuiya,Baiga,Dharua,Gaaro,Ho,Koli,Lodha,etc.are
morepopulous.TheBaigaappearstobeabranchofthegreatBhuiyatribeofMadhya
Pradesh.
Baigameansasorcererormedicineman.
ThenameBaigaalsoappliestoanyonewhoservesasavillagepriestintheCentral
Provinces.

ZoneIII:SouthWestern
InthehillsandconverginglineoftheWesternGhatslivetheChenchus,Irulas,Kadars,
Ketas,Kurumbas,Jedas,etc.havingNegrito,Caucasoid,andprotoAustraloidfeatures.
ThisgroupischieflyconcentratedinthesouthernmostpartsoftheWesternGhats
stretchingfromVindhyastoCapeComorin.
Fromthefactthattheyoccupythemarginalareasandalsofromtherecordsintheoldest
TamilliteratureoftheSangamperiod,theyappeartobeoneofthemostancientand
primitiveinhabitantsofpresentdayIndia.
AndhraPradesh,Karnataka,Kerala,andTamilnadufallwithinthiszone.
SouthWesternTribes
State
Importanttribes
AP
Chenchus_andLambadi
Karnataka Koragas,Kuruba
Kerala
Koragas

ZoneIV:ScatteredTribesofAndamanandNicobar
TherearevariousscatteredtribalgroupsliketheAndamaneseandsuchothertribesof
AndamanandNicobarIslands,andotherUnionterritories.
TheaboriginesoftheAndamanIslandsmaybedescribedasaracebythemselves,andcan
bedividedintotwogroups,i.e.,
Subgroups
http://mrunal.org/2012/07/culturetribalsp1.html/print/

5/6

27/12/2014

MrunalExamNote:IndianTribes,Locations,Characteristics4UPSC

Negrito

Andamanese,theOngesandtheSentinelese.
ThisgroupisfoundintheAndamangroupofIslands.
hasanaffinitywiththeSemangosandSakaisofMalaya,theVedasofSri
LankaandotherNegritogroupsofSouthEastAsia
Itisbelievedthattheseaboriginesmigratedfromthelowerregionsof
Burma.Ontheirarrivalattheseislands,theymovedtodifferentpartofthe
islandsandverylikelyonaccountofthedifferenttypesofphysical
environmenttheydevelopeddifferenttraits.

Mongoloid inhabitantsofNicobargroupofislands,i.e.,theShornPensandtheNicobarese.

TribalsofAndamanNicobar
confinedtothewesternpartofthesouth,middleandnorthAndamans.The
Andamanese,whoareextremelylimitedinnumber,livealongthecoastal
areas.
Onge
inhabitthelittleAndamanandRutlandisland
Sentinelese arefoundintheSentinelisland.
confinedalongtheeasternandsoutheasterncoastofGreatNicobarisland.
ShornPens TheyarealsoreportedfromthebanksofDagmar,AlexandraandGalathoa
riversrespectively.
Nicobarese inhabitingthesesmallislandsarehighlyunevenlydistributedandonlyinthetwo
(Holchu)
islands,theCarNicobarandChowra.
Jarawa

FormorearticlesonGeography,visitMrunal.org/Geography

ArticleprintedfromMrunal:http://mrunal.org
URLtoarticle:http://mrunal.org/2012/07/culturetribalsp1.html

Copyright2014Mrunal.Allrightsreserved.

http://mrunal.org/2012/07/culturetribalsp1.html/print/

6/6