Geographical Spread of Tribal Communities in India
The tribal population in India, accounting for about 8.6% of the total population (Census 2011), is heterogeneously spread across various ecological, cultural, and administrative zones. The geographical distribution is not uniform and reflects historical, environmental, and socio-political factors.
Macro-Level Geographical Zones (Classification)
Indian anthropologists and sociologists, particularly L.P. Vidyarthi and D.N. Majumdar, have classified Indian tribes into four broad geographical zones based on ecology and cultural traits:
(A) Himalayan Region
States Covered: Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh.
Major Tribes: Bhotia, Lepcha, Gaddi, Gujjar, Monpa, Apatani, Nishi.
Ecological Setting: Mountainous terrain; reliance on pastoralism, shifting cultivation, and horticulture.
Example: Lepchas of Sikkim preserve sacred groves and have strong animistic beliefs.
Thinker Integration: Christoph von FĂźrer-Haimendorf documented the unique tribal cosmology of the Naga and Apatani tribes in Arunachal Pradesh.
States Covered: Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh.
Major Tribes: Bhotia, Lepcha, Gaddi, Gujjar, Monpa, Apatani, Nishi.
Ecological Setting: Mountainous terrain; reliance on pastoralism, shifting cultivation, and horticulture.
Example: Lepchas of Sikkim preserve sacred groves and have strong animistic beliefs.
Thinker Integration: Christoph von FĂźrer-Haimendorf documented the unique tribal cosmology of the Naga and Apatani tribes in Arunachal Pradesh.
(B) Central India Tribal Belt (Most densely tribal-populated zone)
States Covered: Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra.
Major Tribes: Gonds, Oraon, Munda, Santhal, Bhil, Baiga, Ho.
Features: Dense forests, hill tracts, mineral-rich areas. Economy traditionally based on hunting, food gathering, agriculture.
Thinker Integration:
Verrier Elwin, in his book "The Baiga", described their intimate ecological knowledge and sacred groves.
D.N. Majumdar's fieldwork among the Ho tribe in "Culturally Backward Areas" emphasized the link between geography and tribal social structures.
Conflict Example: Displacement due to mining in Kalahandi (Odisha) and Dantewada (Chhattisgarh).
States Covered: Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra.
Major Tribes: Gonds, Oraon, Munda, Santhal, Bhil, Baiga, Ho.
Features: Dense forests, hill tracts, mineral-rich areas. Economy traditionally based on hunting, food gathering, agriculture.
Thinker Integration:
Verrier Elwin, in his book "The Baiga", described their intimate ecological knowledge and sacred groves.
D.N. Majumdar's fieldwork among the Ho tribe in "Culturally Backward Areas" emphasized the link between geography and tribal social structures.
Conflict Example: Displacement due to mining in Kalahandi (Odisha) and Dantewada (Chhattisgarh).
(C) Western India
States Covered: Rajasthan, Gujarat, parts of Maharashtra.
Major Tribes: Bhils, Garasia, Warli, Kathodi.
Features: Arid and semi-arid terrain; cultural syncretism with caste society more visible.
Example: Bhils of Rajasthan show gradual sanskritisation and exposure to urban markets.
Thinker: G.S. Ghurye regarded tribes like Bhils as "Backward Hindus", arguing their fusion into caste society was inevitable.
States Covered: Rajasthan, Gujarat, parts of Maharashtra.
Major Tribes: Bhils, Garasia, Warli, Kathodi.
Features: Arid and semi-arid terrain; cultural syncretism with caste society more visible.
Example: Bhils of Rajasthan show gradual sanskritisation and exposure to urban markets.
Thinker: G.S. Ghurye regarded tribes like Bhils as "Backward Hindus", arguing their fusion into caste society was inevitable.
(D) Southern India
States Covered: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala.
Major Tribes: Chenchu, Toda, Irula, Kurumba, Koya, Lambada.
Ecology: Hilly tracts like the Eastern and Western Ghats.
Example:
Toda of Nilgirisâpastoral tribe studied by W.H.R. Riversâpractise polyandry and sacred dairy rituals.
Chenchus of Nallamala Hillsâstudied by Christoph von FĂźrer-Haimendorfâare resistant to assimilation.
Issue: Forest Rights Act implementation and displacement from Protected Areas (e.g., Nagarjuna Sagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve).
States Covered: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala.
Major Tribes: Chenchu, Toda, Irula, Kurumba, Koya, Lambada.
Ecology: Hilly tracts like the Eastern and Western Ghats.
Example:
Toda of Nilgirisâpastoral tribe studied by W.H.R. Riversâpractise polyandry and sacred dairy rituals.
Chenchus of Nallamala Hillsâstudied by Christoph von FĂźrer-Haimendorfâare resistant to assimilation.
Issue: Forest Rights Act implementation and displacement from Protected Areas (e.g., Nagarjuna Sagar Srisailam Tiger Reserve).
(E) North-East India (Excluding Himalayan)
States Covered: Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura, Assam.
Major Tribes: Khasi, Mizo, Ao, Angami, Bodo, Garo, Chakma.
Features: High tribal density; majority in many states; strong ethnic identity; clan-based social structures.
Thinker:
L.P. Vidyarthiâs concept of "Sacred Complex" is not easily applicable here due to Christianisation and clan-based structures.
T.B. Subba highlighted the dynamic nature of tribal identity in NE India post-conversion and migration.
Example: Khasi of Meghalaya practise matriliny, unlike most Indian tribes.
States Covered: Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura, Assam.
Major Tribes: Khasi, Mizo, Ao, Angami, Bodo, Garo, Chakma.
Features: High tribal density; majority in many states; strong ethnic identity; clan-based social structures.
Thinker:
L.P. Vidyarthiâs concept of "Sacred Complex" is not easily applicable here due to Christianisation and clan-based structures.
T.B. Subba highlighted the dynamic nature of tribal identity in NE India post-conversion and migration.
Example: Khasi of Meghalaya practise matriliny, unlike most Indian tribes.
Factors Influencing Geographical Spread
| Factor | Impact |
|---|---|
| Colonial policies | Forest Acts and Land Settlement Acts pushed tribes into remote and forested regions. |
| Ecology | Tribes concentrated in hills, plateaus, and forests due to traditional subsistence patterns. |
| Cultural Isolation | Many tribes maintained social distance from mainstream society due to linguistic and religious differences. |
| Political Resistance | Areas like Bastar and NE India had tribal kingdoms or autonomy which reduced Brahmanical penetration. |
Emerging Trends in Geographical Mobility
- Urban Migration: Tribes like Santal and Oraon are increasingly migrating to metros for wage labour.
- Loss of Ecological Base: Due to development projects (e.g., Polavaram dam in Andhra Pradesh), tribes like Koya are displaced from ancestral lands.
- Forest Policy Impact: PESA Act and FRA 2006 give legal recognition to land rights, but implementation varies across regions.
Thinker-Centric Comparative Lens
| Thinker | Relevant View | Application to Geography |
|---|---|---|
| G.S. Ghurye | Tribes are backward Hindus | More applicable to Western & Central India |
| Verrier Elwin | Advocated cultural isolation | More visible in NE India and Baiga tribes |
| A.R. Desai | Tribes as exploited classes | Evident in mining belts of Odisha, Chhattisgarh |
| Surajit Sinha | Tribe-to-caste continuum | Seen in Bhils, Gonds, Lambadas |
| T.B. Subba | Identity fluidity in NE | Cultural hybridisation among Khasis, Mizos |
The geographical spread of tribal communities in India is deeply linked to their ecological adaptation, historical interactions, and current development policies. Understanding this spatial distribution is crucial for region-specific policy formulation, especially in the light of tribal displacement, land alienation, and cultural transformation.
