UNIT 4 TRIBES OF BIHAR AND WEST

BENGAL
Structure
4.0 Objectives
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Tribes of Bihar
4.3 Present Scenario of Tribes of Bihar
4.4 Tribes of West Bengal
4.5 Present Scenario of Tribes inWest Bengal
4.6 Let Us Sum Up
4.7 Further Readings and References

4.0 OBJECTIVES
After going through the Unit, you should be able to:
 Know about the different tribes inhabiting Bihar;
 The present conditions of the tribals in Bihar;
 Know about the different tribes inhabiting Bengal; and
 The present conditions of the tribals in Bengal.

4.1 INTRODUCTION
Across the belt of central India running from the border of Gujarat through Madhya
Pradesh, Bihar, Orissa and Bengal, there lies a vast tract of undulating upland interspersed
with hilly spurs and fertile valleys. The area is generally forested and the eastern part is
richly endowed with valuable mineral deposits. It is peopled, by and large, by tribal
communities. In the State of Bihar, this area is covered by the Chotanagpur division and
the Santhal Parganas district of the Bhagalpur division.

4.2 TRIBES OF BIHAR

Bihar is home to a multitude of tribes that constitute the major chunk of social and
culture map of Bihar. Before the year 2000, the number was even higher. But after the
segregation of Jharkhand state, most of the tribes have moved to the Jharkhand. Most
important and biggest of them all was the Santhal tribe.
a) Demographics of Tribals at Bihar: The Scheduled Tribe (ST) population in the
State of Bihar is 1,336,573 as per 2011 census, constituting 1.28 per cent of the
total population (104,099,452) of the State. The decadal growth of ST population
has been 76.25 per cent which is 58.83 per cent higher than the State’s decadal
growth rate. The State has a total of thirty two (32) Scheduled Tribes and all of
them have been enumerated at 2011 census.
49
Tribals of the The Scheduled Tribes are overpoweringly rural as 94.6 per cent of them dwell in
Central India
villages. If one goes by the district wise distribution of ST population then the
Katihar district has the highest proportion of STs (5.9 per cent) preceded by
Jamui (4.8 per cent), Banka (4.7 percent) and Purnia (4.4 per cent). Sheohar
district has the lowest proportion of the STs(0.01per cent), followed by Darbhanga
and Khagaria (0.03 per cent each).Out of twenty nine (29) STs, Santal is the most
populous tribe, having a headcount of 406,076, constituting 30.3 per cent of the
total ST population of the State. Oraon, Kharwar, Gond and Tharu are the other
largest tribes. Along with Santal, Oraon, Kharwar, Gond and Tharu constitute
8.67 per cent of the total tribal population. Eight tribes, Bedia, Ho, Mahali, Munda
upto Lohara having population in the range of 10,000 to 30,000 account for
another 10 per cent and the remaining sixteen tribes, along with the generic tribes
constitute the residual per cent of the total tribal population of the State. Thirteen
tribes have below 1,000 population. Of them, eight tribes are less than 500 in
number.
b) Cultural elements of Tribals of Bihar: Tribes of Bihar maintain their exclusitivity
by retaining their own identity and stature. Exuberance in the culture of these tribes
of Bihar state are portrayed in its various elements, including its house decoration,
art works, dance, festival, musical melodies etc.The tribes of Bihar have a number
of languages of their own. Most of the tribal languages fall into two categories, the
Austric and the Dravidian. Mundari, Ho,Santali, Kharia, Birhori etc.belong to the
Austric family while Kurikh, the language of the Oraon and Malto, the language of
the Maler of Santal Parganas belong to the Dravidian group. Mundari, Santali, Ho
and Oraon are well developed languages and have their own literatures also. For
a long time their folklore was communicated through the oral tradition but they
have now been written down and fresh works are also appearing either in the
Devnagri or in Roman script.
Most of the tribes of Bihar reside in mud houses with thatched roofs. The roofs
are marked with baked tiles. Often these houses have provision for kitchen gardens
that grows various items like vegetables, and a space for their cattle that they have
domesticated. Some of the tribes have sloppy dwellings; some of them live in the
leaf houses. Santal tribes are the best planned, along with the different apartments
for the old folks.
Cultural embellishment of these tribes of Bihar is also exhibited by the celebration
of Festivals. The most important festival for the tribes of Bihar is Sarhul, which
celebrates the blossoming of Sal trees. Each and every tribal communities of Bihar
celebrate this festival in the early days of spring time. Sal trees are worshipped in
the sacred orchard. Different tribes have different ways of celebrating this festival.
However, each one of these tribes of Bihar worships the ‘spirit‘ of the Sal tree to
try to find its blessings for a good harvesting.
Most of the tribe of Bihar practice cultivation, shifting cultivation in particular. The
most significant crop of these tribes of Bihar is paddy. On a daily basis, the meal of
these tribes comprises of boiled cereals and millets. Amongst the delicacies include
a curry of boiled vegetables or meat or any of the edible roots, and tubers adequately
seasoned with salt and chillies. One of the most noteworthy thing is that milk and
all the milk products are entirely absent from the menu of these tribes of Bihar
Amongst all the tribes of Bihar state, marriage is also an important institution.
50 Special rituals are celebrated. As soon as a child is born, the first thing that the
 child is given is a drop of milk of the goat before he is allowed to suck the mother‘s Tribes of Bihar
and West Bengal
milk. Taboo is that goat‘s milk is never savored afterwards, as they thought that it
is going to make the child quite argumentative.
Religious nature of these tribes of Bihar is best represented in the fact that there
are diverse Gods and Goddesses, varying both in number and strength. For
example, the Ho tribes have the tradition of appeasing only two village deities.
These are namely, Desauli and Jahira Buru. According to the eminent
anthropologists, some of these tribes of Bihar worship as many as 10 to 12 deities
through out the year. Invocation of spirits too is a popular phenomenon. However,
most of the tribes revere the Singh Bonga as the Supreme Being.
In fact all the houses of the tribes of Bihar have a sacred space completely devoted,
for the spirits, since the fear of infuriating dead ancestors haunts the tribal people.
Breaking of epidemics and diseases can also occur due to some encroachment of
several of the taboo. Some even believe that ‘hostile spirits‘, ‘the ghosts of the
dead‘, are also responsible. Appeasing ancestral spirits is very important to the
tribal people who also execute sacrifices, mainly of animals also, for propitiating
the ancestors. For the purpose of getting an indepth insight into the tribal life of
Bihar, we shall elaborate on the social and cultural lives of the main tribes at Bihar:
i) Santal
The third largest tribal community of India are distributed in the states of Bihar, West
Bengal, Orissa and Tripura.The Santal call themselves Hor, which means man. The
community is divided into two groups, namely Deswali Santal, and Kharwar. As per
the anthropologists‘ observations, these Santal tribes mostly reside in every possible
corner of the districts of Bhagalpur, Purnea, Sharsha and Munger in Bihar.
As far as the languages of these Santal tribes are duly concerned, they converse with
other in their own dialect, commonly known as Santali. This Santali language is believed
to be one of the ancient languages of Indian subcontinent. It falls in to the Munda group
of the Austro- Asiatic sub-family, which again embellishes the broad language family
namely, Austric family of languages. However, as a recent phenomenon, it has been
observed that several people of these Santal tribal community converse with each other
in Oriya language. At present most of them speak and understand Hindi, Bengali and
Oriya languages.
What is also significant about these Santal tribes of Bihar region is how these Tribal
communities are being segregated. It is quite well known that the whole of the Santal
society has division of 12 patrilineal exogamous clans. The respective members of the
group are again utilizing the names of these clans, from time to time as surnames.
Santal tribal culture is also being nicely reflected in the way they build their houses, in
their food habits etc. These Santal tribes reside in airy houses with verandah both at the
front and back sides. The houses are almost dirt free and the walls are usually adorned
with a variety of artistic paintings in diverse colors.
The food of the Santal tribes is too exotic. The Santal tribes have the habit of drinking
alcohol; especially at the time of festivals and during celebrations of joyous socio-
religious ceremonies. Beer, produced from rice, is their conventional drink. These Santal
tribes make this drink at their individual houses. Quite often these Santal tribes also buy
alcohol, from the local venders which are known as Mahua.
51
Tribals of the Fair and festivals are also a part and parcel of the culture of the Santal tribal community.
Central India
They celebrate festivals like Karama festival and Makar Sankranti on an elaborate
manner. Dancing, singing and drinking accompany several other socio-religious
ceremonies like birth, marriage and even death.
Just like most of the Santal tribes of Indian Territory, these Santal tribes work as
cultivators. Some of them even take up the occupation of agricultural labors in the
fields. With the end of every harvesting season also, some of these Santal tribes immigrate
to certain other places and take up the job of daily wagers though on a temporary
basis. However, till date, these Santal tribes are less proficient in the field of education
and learning.
For better controlling and administration, these Santal tribes have developed the concept
of village Panchayat system. All the heads of the family constitutes the members of
Santal tribes. The village leader is known as “Manjhi” who used to hold rent-free land
for his service. Their general rate of literacy is low, but there are some well qualified
Santal persons, who have excelled in their respective fields. Their active interest in the
political affairs is evident from their representation in the state legislature and statutory
village and regional councils, and political leadership has emerged from among them at
the regional and state level through participation in the Jharkhand movement.
ii) Oraon
Oraon is one of the tribal communities found in India, which mainly depends on agriculture
for earning their living. They also call themselves kurukh. According to Roy (1915),
they probably owe their name kurukh to their hero king karakh. These tribes are
mainly found in the states of Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and Orissa.
Oraons are considered to have the second largest population of tribes in Bihar and
Jharkhand. Efficient, particularly in tea garden works, Oraons are believed to have
settled in the Chotanagpur Plateau centuries ago.
Oraons speak Kurukh language which belongs to the northern subgroup of the Dravidian
family of languages. The Devanagari script is used by them.
Oraons are further divided into sub-castes like Kudas and Kisans, who follow patrilineal
family customs. There are a total of 14 clans in Oraon tribal community like, Gari,
Lakra, Kispotta, Runda, Tirky, Toppo, Linda, Ekka, Kuzur, Bek, Kerketta, Bandi,
Minz and Khalkho. This tribal community in India is also known world wide as they still
believe in following age old custom of human sacrifice. These sacrifices are carried out
during the famous Sarhul festival celebrated before cultivation of crops, as a mark of
respect to please the local deity.
Majority of the Oraon tribes are Hindus and are religious minded people. They worship
Gods and Goddesses but a great number of these tribes have adopted Christianity. In
the ancient days, this community used to follow Sarna religion. Festivals have been a
part of life for tribals since ancient time. Sarhul and Karma are the two main important
festivals of these tribals. They are also very fond of music and dance. Karma, Jadur,
Dassai and Kagha Parva are their most favorite dances. Traditional instruments like
Nagara, Kartal and Mandar are still used by these people.
Until a few years ago, they practiced child marriage. Spouses are generally acquired
through negotiation or with mutual consent. Bride price consisting of token cash and
some garments is paid by them. They are patrilocal people. Either the husband or wife
52
can seek divorce. They have nuclear or extended families. The marriage takes place at Tribes of Bihar
and West Bengal
the brides place and it is consummated at the Groom’s house. The dead are generally
buried and sometimes cremated. The Oraon women tattoo their bodies in intricate
symmetrical emblems, which they make according to their affiliation with certain totems.
To most of the Oraon, the economic importance of forests has considerably been reduced
due to its extensive destruction. Only who live near to forests have some degree of
dependence on it. They are mainly settled cultivators and also work as wage labourers
and industrial workers. A number of Oraons are engaged in salaried jobs in government
and private organizations.
The Oraons especially Christians are a well-educated group. This is due to the presence
of schools even in the remotest of areas. The modern system of medicine has not
completely replaced their traditional medicinal system. Their attitude towards family
planning is not favourable. Firewood and dry leaves are used as fuel. For the irrigation
of cultivable land they depend on rain. The cultivators use organic manure as well as
chemical fertilizers and insecticides. Essential commodities are available through fair
price shops.
iii) Kharwar
They are different from the revivalistic religious group bearing the same name among
the Santals.According to Prasad (1961), the Kharwar once resided in the Sone valley.
In Bihar, they are distributed among the the hilly and forest areas. Sadri, an Indo-Aryan
language is spoken at home and Hindi with others. They use the Devanagari script. The
kharwar have six endogamous groups and these groups are again divided into number
of exogamous totemic clans (kili). They use Singh and Kerketta as surnames.
Monogamy is the general form of marriage and the earlier practice of polygyny is
discouraged now. Adult marriage has replaced child marriage. They acquire spouse
through negotiation, exchange, courtship and intrusion. Customarily, they have to pay
bride price (dali paisa).Post marital; residence is patrilocal. Divorce is allowed with
social approval and compensation is paid to the aggrieved parties. Widow remarriage
is allowed. The Kharwar live both in nuclear and extended families. The women carryout
various domestic chores as well as other socio-economic pursuits and contribute towards
family income. They cremate or bury the dead and observe pollution for ten days.
Settled cultivation is the primary occupation of the Kharwar, being supplemented by
hunting, gathering, wage labour, business and service. Of them, 56.67 percent are
cultivators, 25.46 percent agriculturer labourers, 1.05 percent are engaged in livestock,
forestry, hunting etc and the remaining 16.82 percent in various other occupations.
The Kharwars have made moderate progress in the field of education. They use both
indigenous and modern systems of medicine. A few among them have been granted
loans by governmental agencies. Their children are served midday-meals at schools.
They are served by the public distribution system, but not very regularly. In times of
monetary crisis, they depend on local moneylenders.
iv) Gond
Numerically the most dominant tribe of India. Their homeland extends from the Satpura
range down to the Godawari, from Uttar Pradesh and Jharkhand to Andhra Pradesh,
and from Maharashtra to Orissa.
53
Tribals of the The mother tongue of Gonds at Bihar is Sadri. They are conversant with Hindu and
Central India
they use Devnagri script. There are three main divisions namely, the Raj Gond (ruling
class), the Dhur Gond (peasants) and Kemia among them.
A system of cross cousin marriage exists among Gonds of Bihar. The marriage of first
cousins is considered suitable. Bride price is also prevalent. Marriage is generally adult.
The most distinctive feature of a Gond marriage is that the procession starts from the
bride’s house and the wedding is held at that of the bridegroom, in contradiction to the
Hindu practice. The remarriage of widows is freely permitted. Divorce is freely allowed
on grounds of adultery, inability to bear children, quarrelsome, disposition or is suspected
to being a witch. Polygamy is freely allowed and the Gonds who can afford the expense
are fond of taking a number of wives. Wives are very useful for cultivation as they work
better than hired servants, and to have several wives is a sign of wealth and Dignity.
The Religious practices of the Gonds present much variety. The tribals are divided into
groups worshipping seven, six, five and four gods presiding over the village destinies,
the crops, and epidemic disease, the spirits of their forefathers and the weapons, and
creatures of the chase. The worship of ancestors is an integral part of their religion.
They observe festivals like Sarhul, Karma, Bhamba etc in Bihar.
Agriculture is the mainstay coupled with the hunting and food gathering. The Gonds are
mainly engaged in agriculture, and the great bulk of them are farm servants and labourers.
Total literacy rate among Gonds is 609%. Male educated are 72.8% and female educated
48.7%. This indicates the good progress in social education. The attitude towards
family planning is somewhat indifferent. The public distribution system for selling essential
items is sufficiently used. They seek the help of moneylenders. Some of them avail the
facilities under IRDP system.
v) Munda
The name Munda is of Sanskrit origin. It means headman of a village. They believe that
they are the descendents of Sing Bonga, the supreme God.
The Munda, an ancient people, also, lent their name to the language, called Austro-
Asiatic or Mundari or Kolarian, which is one of the four language families of India.
They use the Devanagari script.
The Munda of Bihar are divided into totemic clans (kili/gotar). Group endogamy and
kili exogamy constitute their marriage boundaries. They prefer adult marriage, but there
are also cases of childmarriage. Among them the common mode of acquiring a mate is
through negotiation. Other modes resorted to are mutual consent, elopement, service,
intrusion and exchange. Monogamy is the common form. Junior levirate and junior
sororate are allowed. The Munda are patrilocal. Divorce is permitted and either women
or men can initiate it. The Munda women have a role to play in the economic, social and
ritual activities. The marriage is solemnized at the bride’s house. They bury the dead
and observe the customary pollution upto nine days.
The Munda are mainly nature worshippers. They also worship their ancestors. They
also worship clan and village deities.
Cultivation is their traditional as well as their primary occupation, while hunting and
collection of forest produce are subsidiary occupations. Some of the Munda are service
holders in government and private sectors, while many of them work as labourers in
54 agricultural or non-agricultural sectors. They have scholars, artists, white collar job
holders, teachers, administrators, doctors, engineers and political leaders among them, Tribes of Bihar
and West Bengal
who keep the community linked to the outer world.
The literacy rate in Mundas is 22.16 per cent. They rely on both indigenous and modern
systems of medicine. For domestic fuel, they mostly use wood and kerosene oil. Some
of their land is irrigated by water drawn from wells, which have multiplied in number
through the efforts of various agencies. The Munda cultivators use both the organic and
chemical fertilizers and insecticides. Their schools are served midday-meals in the
government run nursery schools. They are supplied with some essential commodities
through fair-price shops.
vi) Bathudi
Bathudi Tribe is among the most important tribes left in Bihar. They are the most colorful
and artistic of all tribes in the state. There homes which are ordinary mud thatched
houses are made extraordinary with some exquisite multi colored flowery designs. The
Bathudi live primarily in the districts of Mayurbhanj, Kendujhargarh, and Balasore in
the state of Orissa, East India.
Most Bathudi are bilingual, speaking their native language, Bathudi, and Oriya. Bathudi
is an unclassified language that is perhaps unlike all other tribal languages. Like most
Indians, the Bathudi are primarily Hindu.
The ancestors of the Bathudi emigrated from Bakua in the Similipal hills, following the
course of the Godavari River. After bitter conflict and tribal warfare with the Gond, the
Bathudi were eventually defeated. Today, the Bathudi live among the Santal, the Gond,
the Munda, and the Ho people groups. The social organization of the Bathudi maintains
a hierarchy of “castes” (social classes) and sub-groups, some of which are the same as
those of the neighboring Hindu groups. Presently, the Bathudi are considered to be a
“clean” caste in the caste hierarchy of Hindu society. The Bathudi tribe is divided into
more than 56 sections, or khili. Marriage within the same section is prohibited. Weddings
are expensive for the poor Bathudi. Most marriages are arranged by the groom’s parents.
Before the parents seek a wife for their son, they consult an astrologer to see if his
marriage to a particular woman will be successful. Once the marriage is arranged, a
ceremony takes place in the bride’s village. In the past, marriages were celebrated with
dancing, but now the guests are entertained with a festive meal.
The Bathudi have given up drinking alcohol and eating beef or pork. Instead, they
enjoy eating termites and red ants. Rice is their staple food, accompanied by green
leaves or vegetables. They are mostly vegetarians, due to the non-availability of game
and their low incomes. For religious ceremonies, however, the Bathudi will eat fowl.
The Bathudi live in villages consisting of various tribes. However, within these villages,
the Bathudi have separate settlements. Their houses are arranged in two rows alongside
the main street. Their mud-walled huts generally have two rooms. The inner room is
used for sleeping and cooking, while the goats and poultry roam freely in the outer
room. The Bathudi usually paint the walls of their homes red or white. They sleep on
palm leaf mats, and wooden furniture is rarely found.
The Bathudi are mostly Hindu, and their beliefs and practices are the same as those of
the neighboring Hindu tribes. The village priest, who serves as a mediator between the
villagers and the gods, worships the village gods. The Bathudi have not yet completely
lost their belief in magic and witchcraft. The Bathudi were traditionally fishermen. Today,
however, they depend primarily on farming or wage-earning jobs. They live in the plains
55
Tribals of the areas in the midst of different castes and tribes. The amount of land they own is insufficient
Central India
for meeting their basic needs, and hunting and fishing are no longer practiced as an
added income. Therefore, many are dependent on income from petty businesses, such
as buying rice and selling it for a higher price.
vii) Binjhia
The Binjhwari, also known as the Binjhal, live in several Indian states: Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Bihar, and West Bengal.
It is unsure as to whether their native language, called Binjhwari, is of Dravidian or
Indo-Aryan origin. Many of the Binjhwari are bilingual, speaking both Binjhwari and
Chhattisgarhi.
Risley has mentioned two subgroups, the Pahariya Binjhias and the Dand Binjhias,
among them. The Binjhias have a number of exogamous totemic clans. They have titles
like Naik, Pradhan, Raut and Majhi.Child marriage is now being replaced by adult
marriage. The common mode of selecting a spouse is negotiation, mutual consent and
exchange. They normally follow monogamy but polygyny is also at times followed.
Junior levirate (Devar biya) and junior sororate (Sali biya) is permitted. Vermillon and
glass bangles are the marriage symbols for women. Bride price is paid in cash and in
kind. Post-marital residence is patrilocal. Divorce is allowed with social approval.
Remarriage is allowed for both the sexes and in such a marriage alliance, bride price is
not paid. Most of the families are nuclear though extended families are not uncommon.
The parental property is divided equally among the sons. The women attend to all the
household chores and participate in various socio-economic activities. Post-natal pollution
is observed for twelve or twenty-one days, and ends after the barhi ritual is observed.
On that day a Brahman names the child and tonsure (mundan) is also performed. The
first feeding of rice (mujhutti) is held either in the fifth or the sixth month. The dead are
either buried or cremated. They observe death pollution (chhut) for ten days and on the
twelfth day (akhri) the lineage members are treated to a feast.
Food is accepted from and exchanged with the Ghasi, Turi, Domra, Ahir, Lohra,
Brahman, etc. Lohra women serve as midwives during childbirth and the Brahman
presides over marriage rituals. They share all the public places except the burial ground
with their neighbours.
The binjhia are a community of both landowning and landless people. Their traditional
vocation, agriculture, is supplemented by wage labour in mines and quarries. They
observe the festivals of Holi, Diwali, Ramnavami, Karam, Jitia and Sarhul.Their rituals
are conducted by a priest (pahan). The community has oral traditions and uses percussion
instruments while singing folk songs. Both men and women participate in their traditional
dances.
The literacy rate among the Binjhia is 46.2 percent (2011 census).The children often
discontinue their studies due to various socio-economic reasons. They prefer to use
traditional herbal medicines except in critical cases. Their attitude towards family planning
is not favourable. They fetch drinking water from streams and wells. Some of them
have procured loans for purchasing draught animals through employment generation
schemes. Some of them have electricity in their homes. They use firewood and cowdung
cakes as fuel. They use organic manure to raise the fertility of cultivable land. The
facilities of the PDS are availed of, though not regularly, and they are dependent on
private moneylenders.
56
viii) Birjia Tribes of Bihar
and West Bengal
Birjia is one of the largest tribes in Bihar today. Often spelt as Brijjia, the word Birjia
means fish of the jungle. Earlier they were mainly resident of hilly areas but because of
difficulties in agriculture, they moved down to plains. There are two groups among
them, namely Telia or Telha and Sinduria.
Their mother tongue, Birjia, belongs to the Austro-Asiatic family of languages. But they
also converse in Sadri and Hindi and use the Devnagari script.
The Birjia groups are divided into exogamous totemic clans (sirtha). Both child and
adult marriages are prevalent. Marriage through negotiation, exchange (golat) or by
intrusion (dhuku) are the ways of acquiring spouses. Monogamy is the usual form, but
polygyny is also practised. Bride price (Dali) is paid in cash and kind. After marriage
residence is patrilocal. Divorce (chutta chutti), remarriage (sagai), junior levirate and
junior sororate are permissible. Both nuclear and extended types of families are reported.
The Birjia women are involved in economic, social, and ritual affairs. After the birth of
a child, a ritual (chhatti) is performed on the sixth or the ninth day, unless it is delayed for
economic reasons. The naming and tonsure (mundan) ceremonies are observed on the
same day.
Most of the Birjia people are farmers and only few of them indulged in occupations like
gathering, hunting, fishing, basketry, and working as daily labors. The collection of
forest produce and hunting are their subsidiary economic activities.
Most of the Birjia tribe people practice Hinduism and worship Hindu Gods and
Goddesses. Birjia folks also worship ancestral spirits for peace and prosperity. The
Birjia worship their ancestors who are believed to have divine attributes. They observe
festivals like Sarhul, Karma, Fagua along with Ramnavami and Dussehra.
The birjia have a literacy rate of 39.6 per cent. Many of them have benefited from rural
employment generation schemes and old age pension schemes. They use wood and
kerosene as domestic fuel and use organic manure to raise the fertility of cultivable land.
They depend on private moneylenders to procure loans.
ix) Chik Baraik
Chik Baraik tribe is mainly found in the rural parts of Bihar. Also known as Baraik, they
believe that they originated from a scarecrow brought to life by Lord Siva. They are
considered very friendly and share space with other tribes.
The chik Baraik are divided into seven groups like the Sut Bansi, Paihka, Das, Gara
Baraik and so on. The languages spoken by Chik Baraik people include Mundari,
Sadani and Hindi. Nowadays they prefer adult marriage to the customary practice of
child marriage. Marriage by negotiation is common and is otherwise finalized by intrusion,
exchange, service and courtship. The Divorce and remarriage (sagai) of a widow,
widower or divorcee are permissible. Junior sororate and junior levirate are prevalent.
Women observe birth pollution for six days. The chik baraik may either cremate or
bury the dead, and the pollution period is observed for five to ten days.
Chik Baraik is famous as a tribe of artists. The Chik Baraik is traditionally a community
of weavers but now most of them have given up this occupation to become cultivators.
However, some families practice weaving as a subsidiary occupation. They also work
as weavers, bird trappers, farmers and daily labors. The collection of forest products
and hunting supplement their earning. The Chik Baraik profess their traditional religion, 57
Tribals of the and Devimai, Surjahi and Barpahari are their deities. They also worship the moon,
Central India
earth, air, their ancestors (kili or sirtha), and other deities.
In recent years, a number of them have begun to get into teaching and government
profession. The members of the community are interested in educating their children;
this is evident from their literacy rate which is 44.1 percent. In case of illness, they
prefer to consult a village medicine man and visit the hospital only if his treatment fails.
They have responded positively towards family planning programmes and a couple
prefers to have three children. Many of them have received government assistance to
revive the craft of weaving. They avail of the facilities of mass media and communication.
Wood and kerosene oil is used as fuel. Their lands are rain fed and they use organic
manure. They have benefited from welfare schemes for children and depend on private
moneylenders during an economic crisis.
x) Khond
Khond tribes of Bihar are basically of Proto-australoid race and are considered as one
of the scheduled tribes. Jharkhand, Singbhum, Hazaribagh are the abode of this tribal
community. As per the history, the Khond tribe migrated from Orissa and is one of the
major tribes of India. This tribal community linguistically belongs to Astro-Asiatic family.
Their language is known as ‘Kuvi‘ and is a type of Dravidian language.
There is no strict endogamy within the Khond tribe. It has two main divisions: the Kutia
khonds who are hill men and retain their primitive tribal customs, and the plain dwelling
khonds who have acquired the customs of Hinduism. They know the use of medicinal
plants and treat diseases with the plants. The Khonds are a group of people who are
tall and have some features of Aryan. They are considered as mixed Dravidian race.
Khonds are divided in clans like Hansa, Beck, Hembram, Bedia, etc.
The Khonds follow animistic religion and they worship almost eighty-three gods, of
whom Dharni Deota, the earth God, is the chief. Some are also followers of Hinduism
and Christianity. The name of their main deity is Sing Bonga. Their local deities are
Thakur Dei, Thakur Deo, Burha Dei, Burha Deo, Borang Buru, Bhagbonga, and Tila
bonga. These Khond tribes are also very pious as reflected in their practices and rituals
that they used to revere with enthusiasm. In the ancient times, in commemoration of
their ‘Earth Goddess‘, ‘Tara pennu‘, they carried old practice of giving human lives.
The way the whole ceremony of sacrifice was done was also very significant. First, the
sacrificial victim Khond Tribe used was bought or captured. He was then ‘anointed‘
with oil and turmeric and then connected to the crosspiece of the pillar, which constituted
an elephant. This crosspiece was then spanned and then taken round the erected post.
Males and females danced and sang around the victim who was then drugged and thus
‘intoxicated‘. He was then beaten up to death and chopped into pieces.
Every Khond tribes used to take these pieces and buried it in his field in order to ensure
beneficial crops and debar evil. Ultimately this gruesome practice was prohibited in the
year 1845. Today, these Khond tribes go for giving goats and buffaloes as offerings.
The Khond tribes also have plethora of traditional objects. These include broad range
of brass images of animals and also human figures, which are revered and also taken
during any of the marriage processions.
The tribe has three principal festivals, known as the Semi Jatra, the Mahua Jatra and
the Chawal Dhuba Jatra.The Semi Jatra is held on the tenth day of the waning moon of
Aghan (November) when the new semi or country beans are roasted, a goat or fowl is
58 sacrificed, and some milk or water is offered to the earth god. The principal festival is
the Dasahra or Chawal Dhuba (boiled rice) on the tenth day of the waning moon of Tribes of Bihar
and West Bengal
kunwar (September), which, in the case of the khonds, marks the rice harvest.
The khond traditionally despises all occupations except those of husbandry, hunting
and war. In some villages individual ownership is unknown, and the land is cultivated on
a system of temporary occupation subject to periodical redistribution under the orders
of the headman or malik. The khonds will admit in the community a male orphan child
of any superior caste, including those of the Binjhwars and Gonds.
In the present times, they have got awareness and exposure, which has led to reduction
of superstitions like human sacrifice. Kondh children now attend schools and colleges.
Though many dropout, because of economic hardships. Both modern and indigenous
methods of medicine are used. They have also benefited from macro-projects initiated
by tribal welfare department for self-employment in agriculture and employment in animal
husbandry. ICDS schemes benefited the mother and children. The tribals utilize service
of banks and post offices, though dependence on moneylenders and shopkeepers still
continues.
xi) Savar
The practice of worshipping the deities namely Dharmesh and Mother Earth is central
to the culture of Savar tribes of Bihar. Amongst the various tribal communities that
throng several districts and provinces of Bihar, Savar has truly gained a place of
prominence amongst the anthropologists till date. Although much is not known about
the origin of these Savar tribes of Bihar, the popular understanding is that these Savar
tribes have settled down here after migrating from some other place within the
subcontinent of India. Apart from Bihar, the Savar tribes are concentrated in other
parts of India namely Ranchi, Singbhum and Hazaribag.
As far as the language of the Savar tribes is concerned, most of these Savar tribes
converse with other using a language that has a belonging to Mundari group. Hindi or
Oriya vernacular is currently in use nowadays.
The Savar tribes are classified in four sub tribes among which three are Basoo, Jaytapati
and Jhara. The Jhara tribes reside in some parts of Dhalbhum. The Savar people earn
their livelihood by doing various occupations. Some are engaged as labourers, herbs
and fruit collectors and wine makers. Some of the people are occupied in agriculture.
The Savar society is Panchayat based. In order to keep the whole of the tribal society
in better control, the Village Panchayat choose the village head man as the ‘Manjhi‘
who used to hold rent -free land for his various services.
For settlement, these Savar tribes have built their villages at the foot hills and that too
near the water bodies of the state. Moreover, the houses of these Savar villages are set
using various materials like bamboo, wood etc. These are built in a linear style, with the
walls inside the house made from mud. Similar to any other tribal community, this Savar
family too is patriarchal following the nuclear family structure. Marriage is also an
important institution, which these Savar tribes celebrate in accompaniment of several
rituals and customs. In the society of the Savar community monogamy is practiced and
widow marriage is also permitted. Divorce is permitted on the husband’s initiative for
adultery or serious disagreement. If the wife wishes for a divorce she simply runs away
from her husband. The Laria Savars must give a marti-jiti-ka bhat or death feast on
the occasion of a divorce.
59
Tribals of the The Savars worship Bhawani under various names and also Dulha Deo, the young
Central India
bridegroom who was killed by a tiger. He is located in the kitchen of every house in
some localities, and this has given rise to the proverb, ‘Jai chulha, tai Dulha’.The Savars
are considered to be great sorcerers. Their charms, called Sabari mantras, are especially
intended to appease the spirits of persons who have died a violent death. They observe
all local Hindu festivals. They visit the sacred centres of Mai ha and Jatashanker during
the Navdurga and Shivratri festivals.
Their occupation is centred on collection of jungle produce and cultivation. They are
very clever in taking honeycombs. Their economy is mainly based on cultivation and
wage labour these days. Most of them work in agricultural fields of their neighbours.Some
even go outside the village for livelihood; they procure loans from their landlords and
repay them by serving as agricultural labourers.
Savars visit government hospital is emergencies or otherwise depend on local traditional
medication. They have shown favourable response towards family planning
programmes.Savars feel that communication and irrigation facilities in the area are
insufficient. Wood, cowdung cakes and sometimes kerosene oil are used as fuel. The
public distribution system is fully utilised by them for procuring essential commodities.
xii) Gorait
Gorait tribes are a part of the proto-australoid group and are of Austric racial group.
These Gorait prefer to settle down in hilly areas densely covered with forests and
greenery. Gorait tribes reside in the hilly areas of Bihar region. This tribal community is
settled in some parts of Palamu, Sathal Pargana, Singhbhum, Dhanbad, Ranchi, and
Hazaribagh.
Gorait speak in Indo-Aryan language, Sadri within, themselves. Hindi is used as a link
language. They use Devnagri script.
Gorait tribes have a heritage of rich culture and tradition as reflected in various aspects
like marriages, attires etc. This tribe interacts with the other tribes and communities that
have enriched their culture. The style of making houses differs from district to district.
However, all these Gorait tribes follow a common pattern. In general, these Gorait
tribes raise one roomed house with kitchen, bed and storage. Rightly adjacent to the
house is a verandah, which these Gorait tribes utilize mainly as a cattle shed. This cattle
shed is sheltered by wooden and bamboo pillars.
According to the anthropological evidences, most of these Gorait tribes have taken up
the occupation of farming and irrigation. Various tools like Khamti, khurapi, axes, sickles
etc. are used to carry on these works. Some of them also work as drum players, village
messengers and watchman. Apart from these, some of them even involve in works of
weaving, beautiful items namely, baskets, mats, brooms, winnow tray etc are made by
these Gorait tribes so that they can carry grains and goods to various places and also
for restoring goods and commodities. It is only natural that the economy of this Gorait
society too is agrarian.
The Gorait tribes are also involved in hunting and making various kinds of weaponry.
These weapons include bow-arrow, Lathi, Ber, Barchha. Besides they are also known
to make musical instruments, like, Dhol, Manar, nagara, flute and others. For both
Gorait males and females, unique dresses are prevalent. Men wear a shirt and dhoti.
Women wear saree and blouse. Also the women folks are very much fond of ornaments,
60
chiefly made up of steel, thread, glass and silver etc.
The societal structure of these Gorait tribes comprises elements of any other patriarchal Tribes of Bihar
and West Bengal
system. The smallest segment is family, that too the nuclear one, comprising of parents
and unmarried siblings. There is also unique feature that can be found out in this Gorait
society. Although the authoritative power lies in the hand of the father or any other male,
as the head of the family, but he takes into consideration the opinions of both of his wife
and children especially while making decision, those related to selling and purchase of
commodities, marriage, invitation, dresses, worship, social relation, feast, cow, goat,
chicks, ducks etc.
The society of this tribal community is administered by the Panchayat. The Panchayat
Pradhan who is the Panchayat head, create and implement laws for the tribal society.
The members of the Panchayat are closely associated with each other to maintain the
administration properly. Moreover, the lineage and succession among the Gorait tribes
is patrilineal. The families belonging to one lineage stay together and assist each other at
times of trouble, miseries and the performance of ceremonies. The property of the
father is inherited by all his sons equally. However, the daughters of these Gorait tribes
receive only maintenance and bride price. The rule of ‘primogeniture‘ and ‘ultimogeniture‘
is absent in the Gorait tribal society. Husband‘s brother‘s sons inherit the property of
barren couple and also have to look after the old couple through out their life. He also
inherits the property of the widow.
There are numerous clans within the Gorait tribes based on ‘totemism‘. Few significant
‘totemic‘ Gorait clans are Indnar, Tudu, Khalkho, Toppo etc. Marriage within the same
clan is rigorously forbidden. Thus they follow the rules of tribal endogamy and clan
exogamy. The Gorait maintains prohibitory rule in case of cousins and relatives up to
three generations from the sides of both of the parents. Quite often widow remarriage
is also widespread in the Gorait tribal society. Divorce is also permissible.
Religion too is quite enriched. In fact the religious practices are a blend of manaism,
animism, animalism, naturalism, Bongaism, witchcraft and Sharananism. Also these Gorait
tribes ardently believe in the concept of rebirth of man. They believe in different Gods,
Goddesses and spirits. They also believe in ancestral spirits, who according to them,
dwells in Saranagrove. Jalalbonga, Dubal Bonga, Katal Bonga, maral Bonga etc deserve
to be mentioned. They celebrate festivals like Karma, Sarhul, Jitia, Sohrai, Nawakhani,
Maghi and Phagu.
The establishment of several schools and colleges in their vicinity has generated a new
taste for education. Their literacy rate is continuously on increase. Locally, they depend
upon money-lenders. Some of them have been provided government loans to boost
their economy. Radio is popular especially among the youth.
xiii) Paharia Korwa
Korwa tribe occupies a major part of Bihar. The people of Pahari Korwa tribes practice
cultivation, thereby, producing various crops. According to researches, these tribes
belong to the Austro-Asiatic family group.
If one divides the whole of the Pahari Korwa tribal community, one can find that there
are two sub tribes, popularly known as Pahari Korwa and Dihari Korwa. The society
of the Paharia Korwa tribes is further segregated into 5 ‘totamistic clans‘, namely,
Hansadwar, Samar, Edigwar, Ginnur and Renla. It has a rich heritage of culture and
tradition, as depicted in their fairs, festivals, music and dancing forms. The villages that
these Paharia Korwa tribes built are usually selected on the top of the hill. Sometimes
61
Tribals of the they are being constructed in the fringes of the forest areas. Most of the families of
Central India
Paharia Korwa follow the nuclear family structure.
Another remarkable characteristic of these Paharia Korwa tribes is that magic and
invocation of the spirits are being practiced in the whole of the society. In fact most of
the Paharia Korwa tribes are really scared of executing any type of magical fetes or
shows. However, these tribes have had tremendous faith on various deities. The significant
gods of Paharia Korwa tribes are Sigri Dev, Gauria Dev, Mahadev or Lord Shiva and
Parvati. Khudia Rani is the supreme god of this Paharia Korwa tribal community. The
reasons behind revering these deities are many. They want to get recovered from
sickness, have better crops, and also to get protection from several natural disasters.
Due to their huge accessibility to the forest provinces, it is only natural that these Paharia
Korwa are going to take up the occupation of hunting and gathering. Maximum of these
Paharia Korwa tribes collect several items from the forests including Sal, mahua, gum,
tendu leaves, amla, harra, bahera etc. During the monsoon times, these Paharia tribes
involve themselves in collecting some of the forest roots, leaves and vegetables. The
Pahari Korwas are concentrated in many villages of Bihar and are living together in
peace. However, in order to keep themselves at par with the modern trends and practices,
in the contemporary times, they adapt to the farming and irrigation and too with the aid
of the ancient tools and techniques only. Fishing too is exercised as occupation by some
of the Paharia Korwa tribal communities. At times when they are free from the burden
of undertaking agricultural works, these Paharia Korwa tribes work in the fields as
laborers.
They have developed the habit of taking several food grains. Also at the time of the odd
season, they fulfill their hunger on leaves, fruits, tubers namely Gainth, Pitharu, Nakwa,
katharu, kulthi, konge, charhat, bilar etc. During the months of October and March,
they get the supply of better food which includes makai maize, kutki, arhar (pigeon
pea), and other pulses etc.
Moreover, in the culture and the tradition of the Paharia Korwa tribes they celebrate
different religious and cultural festivals and other such occasions with their tribal music.
They worship sun, Dharti Mai (Mother earth), Mahadev, the river, forests and birds
etc.
Unlike many of the other Scheduled Tribes discussed of to far, Korwas donot have
favourable attitude forwards formal education. Some of them have procured loan for
self employment under Integrated Rural Development Programme but still, they depend
a lot on local moneylenders.
xiv) Sauria Paharia
Sauria Paharia tribes reside in the mountainous and wooden pathways of several districts
of Bihar. These include Rajmahal, Pakur, and Godda. Being one of the nine primitive
tribal communities of Bihar, Sauria Paharia is a part of Paharia tribes. The Sauria Paharia
tribes are scattered in different parts like Godda and Sahebganj of Santhal Pargana
Plateau.
Most of these Sauria Paharia tribes converse with each other in the language of ‘Malatri‘
or ‘Malto‘ which has got a close resemblance with the language of the Oran tribes.
Malto language is of Dravidian language group. There are quite a few Sauria Paharia
tribes who also converse in quite a few of the indigenous local languages. In their local
62
dialect the Sauria Paharia tribes are known as ‘Maler‘.
Following the tradition of most of the tribal communities of the whole of Indian Tribes of Bihar
and West Bengal
subcontinent, these Sauria Paharia too takes up the occupation of cultivation. Shifting
cultivation is the most popular one. In order to facilitate the process of the shifting
cultivation, all these Sauria Paharia tribes create their settlements on the hilltops and
these too inside the jungle areas. They grow millets namely Bajra, maize, pulses,
vegetables etc. Apart from cultivation, they are also engaged in fishing during the summer
season. Some are also engaged as labourers and in government services.
It becomes obvious that since all these Sauria Paharia tribes are farmers, their festivals
and several of their social rituals too revolve around the harvesting and its related activities
For the sake of good harvest, they worship the spirits in order to appease them so that
they would not bring about any destruction, further. The work of starting the harvesting
follows immediate afterwards.
The Sauria Paharia tribes are followers of animism and some follow Hinduism as the
main religion. They arduously follow several Hindu traditions like reverence of one
God, vegetarian food etc. They believe in witch craft and evil spirits. They sacrifice
fowls and animals to appease spirits. Several sacred centres are situated in and around
their residing states. They celebrate different festivals like Ghaghra Puja, Bandana etc.
All the members of the community celebrate these festivals with great pleasure and clad
in beautiful clothes, they enjoy the tribal songs and dances in the community.
There are several villages of these Sauria Paharia tribes that are scattered here and
there and not cloistered in one place. In every village the chief leader is chosen who is
popularly known as the ‘Mukhia‘ who gathers the revenue of the land from the villagers.
However, it is also to be noted that there is no permanent religious head amongst the
Sauria Paharia tribes. The Sauria Paharia tribes have ardent faith in clan system, better
known as ‘Gotra‘.
The Sauria Paharia tribes have plethora of songs, dances, religious rituals and social
customs etc. As far as the functions of marriage etc they follow an elaborate and
traditional format. As per the tradition of the Sauria Paharia tribes, the eldest son of the
family naturally becomes the legal heir of the property of his father after his demise. In
the marriage, divorce is permissible and also re-marriages are predominant amongst
majority of this Sauria Paharia tribal community.
The Sauria Pahariya sends their children to school. They depend on indigenous medicines,
though an awareness of the modern system of medicine is developing among them.
Wood is their principal fuel. They get drinking water from streams and dug-wells. They
also take the benefit of the Public Distribution System..

4.3 PRESENT SCENARIO OF TRIBES OF BIHAR

As per the Census report of 2011, the Demographic profile of the tribes at Bihar shows
a sex ratio of the ST population in Bihar is 958 females per 1000 males, which is
considerably lower than the national average of 990 for the total ST population. At the
individual level, all the five major tribes have registered the sex ratio lower than the
national average. While Santal, Oraon and Gond have sex ratio above 900, Bathudi,
Birjia, Bedia, Savar and Khond have the sex ratio below 900. The sex ratio among STs
in the age group 0-6 years (969) is marginally higher than that of the STs at the national
level (957). Among the major tribes, Kharwar, Oraon and Santal have the child sex
ratio higher than the national average whereas Munda and Gond have child sex ratio
lower than the national average. 63
Tribals of the The literacy rate among the STs has increased from 28.2 per cent registered at 2001
Central India
census to 51.1 per cent at 2011 census. Despite this increase, the literacy rate among
the tribal population is lower, if compared with that of all STs at the national level (59.0
per cent). Male and female literacy rates among the tribal (61.0 per cent and 40.4 per
cent) are also low in comparison to those at the national level (68.5 per cent & 49.4 per
cent). Among the numerically larger tribes, Gond and Kharwar have returned over all
literacy rate (60.9 and 59.4 per cent), which is close to the national average. Oraon,
Munda and Santal have the over all literacy rates almost half of the national average for
all STs.
Among ST literates, 37 per cent are either without any educational level or have attained
education below primary level. The proportion of literates who have attained education
up to primary and middle levels are 28.2 per cent & 14.4 per cent respectively. Persons
educated up to matric/secondary/higher secondary constitute16.3 percent. This implies
that every 6th tribal literate is a matriculate. Graduates and above are 3.8 per cent.
Work Participation Rate ‘Agricultural Labourers’ constitute the highest proportion
(79.20 per cent) among the total tribal workers, which is considerably higher than that
of the national average (59.70 per cent). ‘Cultivators’ account for 4.73 per cent, which
is less than half of that recorded for all STs at the national level (44.7 per cent).
‘Agricultural Labourers’ and ‘Cultivators’ together constitute 83.9 per cent of the total
workers. ‘Other Workers’ form 9.93 per cent which is comparable with the national
average of 14.7 per cent in respect of all STs whereas workers engaged in Household
Industry (HHI) constitutes 10.51 per cent, which is lower than of the national average
(23.07 per cent). Among the major tribes, Santal and Oraon have more than 60 per
cent workers as ‘Agricultural Labourers’ followed by Munda, Gond and Kharwar.
Kharwar and Santal have every 4th worker; a ‘Cultivator’ and among Munda have
every 3rd worker belong to this category of ‘Other Workers’.
Marital Status The data on marital status show that ‘never married’ persons (52.32
per cent) exceed the ‘married’ persons (43.8 per cent) in total ST population. ‘Widowed’
persons form 3.65 per cent while a negligible 0.15 percent has been in the category of
‘divorced and separated’.
Religion Hinduism is the predominant religion of the tribes of the State as 95.60 per
cent STs are Hindus. The tribes professing ‘Other Religions and Persuasions’ account
for 0.81 per cent. Christian tribes are 2.43 per cent and less than half per cent (0.8 per
cent) are Muslims.
Check Your Progress I
Note: a) Use the space provided for your answer.
1) List the various tribes of Bihar.
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64
 Tribes of Bihar
4.4 TRIBES OF WEST BENGAL and West Bengal

Numerous tribes who reside in the rural parts of the state occupy West Bengal state.
These tribes comprises of less than one-tenth of the total population of the state. As per
the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, the following were listed as scheduled
tribes in West Bengal: 1. Asur, 2. Baiga, 3. Badia, Bediya, 4. Bhumji, 5. Bhutia, Sherpa,
Toto, Dukpa, Kagatay, Tibetan, Yolmo, 6. Birhor, 7. Birjia, 8. Chakma, 9. Chero,
10. Chik Baraik, 11. Garo, 12. Gond, 13. Gorait, 14. Hajang, 15. Ho, 16. Karmali,
17. Kharwar, 18. Khond, 19. Kisan, 20. Kora, 21. Korwa, 22. Lepcha, 23. Lodha,
Kheria, Kharia, 24. Lohara, Lohra, 25. Magh, 26. Mahali, 27. Mahli, 28. Mal Pahariya,
29. Mech, 30. Mru, 31. Munda, 32. Nagesia, 33. Oraon, 34. Parhaiya, 35. Rabha,
36. Santal, 37. Sauria Paharia, 38. Savar, 39. Limbu (Subba) and 40. Tamang.
a) Demographics of Tribes at Bengal: As per 2011 census scheduled tribes
numbering 52,96,953 persons constituted 5.80 per cent of the total population of
the state. Santals constitute around half (47.42 per cent) of the total ST population
of the state. Oraons (12.14 per cent), Mundas (6.91 per cent), Bhumij (7.10 per
cent) and Kora (3.0 per cent) are the other major STs having sizeable population.
Along with Santal, they constitute nearly 76.8 per cent of the state’s total ST
population. The Lodhas, Mahalis, Bhutias, Bedias, and Savars are the remaining
STs, and having population of one per cent or more. The rest of the STs are very
small in population size.
b) Cultural elements of Tribals of Bengal: Many of these tribes of West Bengal
have adapted to diverse religious practices. Among them, Hinduism, with its
subdivision of various castes and native tribes, has filled three fourths of the total
tribal populace of the West Bengal state. Apart from Hinduism, there are also
followers of Islam. Most of the people of the tribal groups of West Bengal speak
in Bengali. In fact these tribes are quite proud of their enriched culture and language.
Variant dialects are also equally popular amongst these tribes of West Bengal.
They are, in general, confined to the rural belt of the state. However, a small
portion of this population has now moved to the urban belt, in search for employment
and a better lifestyle.
Most of the people of the tribal groups have adopted the religious culture of Bengal.
The tribal groups of this region worship some of the gods and goddesses. Durga Puja
is one of the most major festivals of Hindus of West Bengal. The tribal groups also
celebrate this festival with much cheerfulness. Some other festivals like Makar Sankranti,
Kali Puja, etc are feted in the whole of tribal society. They have their own tribal occasions
and festivals too.
The tribes of West Bengal are mostly farmers but many of them are engaged in some
other occupations like carpentry, weaving, hunting, fishing etc. Rice is the staple food of
the tribal people of Bengal and sometimes they include fish, meat, chicken and fowls in
their diet. Some of the tribes are adept in art and craft and their created items give
evidence to the exclusive tribal arts. Tribes of West Bengal are famous all over the
world for its proficiency in art and crafts. They are truly skilled in creating splendors to
its outstanding works on carpentry, terracotta, drawings, and textile. Earthenware, brass
and copper ware, needle works, wall-hanging, hand looms, fine muslin and silk clothes,
wood statues, cane works etc. are a couple of examples of handcrafts which have
developed from the villages households of these tribes of West Bengal. Maximum of
these craft products embellish the cottage industry of the state and have been spine of
the economy of the rural provinces of the West Bengal state. 65
Tribals of the Population and proportion of ten major STs in West Bengal, as per 2001 census, are
Central India
given below:

Percentage of
Sl No Scheduled Tribe Population the total
ST population
1 Santal 2,512,331 47.42
2 Oraon 643,510 12.14
3 Bhumij 376,296 7.10
4 Munda 366,386 6.19
5 Kora 159,404 3.0
6 Tamay 146,203 2.76
7 Lodha 108,707 2.0
8 Bedia 88,772 1.67
9 Mahali 81,594 1.54
10 Bhutia 66,627 1.25
11 Sabar 40,374 .76

The Scheduled Castes (West Bengal): Census of India 2011, Government of India.

More than half of the total ST population of the state is concentrated in Medinipur,
Jalpaiguri, Purulia, and Bardhaman districts. Of the remaining districts, Bankura, Malda,
Uttar Dinajpur, and Dakshin Dinajpur have sizable ST population. We shall discuss few
of the major tribes in details:
i) Santals
The third largest tribal community of India are distributed in the states of Bihar, West
Bengal,Orissa and Tripura.The Santal call themselves Hor, which means man. The
community is divided into two groups, namely Deswali Santal, and Kharwar.
As far as the languages of these Santal tribes are duly concerned, they converse with
other in their own dialect, commonly known as Santali. This Santali language is believed
to be one of the ancient languages of Indian subcontinent. It falls in to the Munda group
of the Austro- Asiatic sub-family, which has no script.Recently there has been an attempt
to create a script called Ol-chiki, which has been recognized by the West Bengal
government. Many santhals are bi-lingual, and speak either Bengali or Hindi.
The members of this community have distinct ways of wearing clothes. Their women
wear either a sari, or two pieces of cloth, one as a long skirt and other for the upper
part of the body. The men wear a loin cloth while at work, and a longer dhoti when
visiting others. Both men and women are fond of wearing a piece of cloth as a shawl.
The santal women decorate their hair flowers and silver hairpins and adorn themselves
with tattoo marks on the arms, neck and chest. The santhals are non-vegetarians and
eat fish and meat including pork. Their traditional liquor is rice beer (handi), which they
brew at home.
Fair and festivals also are part and parcel of the culture of this Santal tribal community.
The celebration of festivals like Karama and Makar Sankranti is done in an elaborate
manner. Dancing, singing and drinking commemorate several other socio-religious
66
ceremonies like birth, marriage and also death.
The traditional occupation of the santal community was hunting and gathering. Now, Tribes of Bihar
and West Bengal
their primary occupations are settled cultivation and wage labour.
ii) Oraon
Oraon is one of the tribal communities found in India, which mainly depends on agriculture
for earning their living. They also call themselves kurukh. According to Roy (1915),
they probably owe their name kurukh to their hero king karakh. These tribes are mainly
found in the states of Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal and Orissa.
Oraons are considered to have the second largest population of tribes in Bihar and
Jharkhand. Efficient, particularly in tea garden works, Oraons are believed to have
settled in the Chotanagpur Plateau centuries ago. Oraons speak Kurukh language which
belongs to the northern subgroup of the Dravidian family of languages. They use the
Devanagari script.
Majority of the Oraon tribes are Hindus and are religious minded people. They worship
Gods and Goddesses but a great number of these tribes have adopted Christianity. In
the ancient days, this community used to follow Sarna religion. Festivals have been a
part of life for tribals since ancient time. Sarhul and Karma are the two main important
festivals of these tribals. They are also very fond of music and dance. Karma, Jadur,
Dassai and Kagha Parva are their most favorite dances. Traditional instruments like
Nagara, Kartal and Mandar are still used by these people.
Oraons are further divided into sub-castes like Kudas and Kisans, who follow patrilineal
family customs. There are a total of 14 clans in Oraon tribal community like, Gari,
Lakra, Kispotta, Runda, Tirky, Toppo, Linda, Ekka, Kuzur, Bek, Kerketta, Bandi,
Minz and Khalkho. This tribal community in India is also known world wide as they still
believe in following age old custom of human sacrifice. These sacrifices are carried out
during the famous Sarhul festival celebrated before cultivation of crops, as a mark of
respect to please the local deity. Until a few years ago, they practiced child marriage.
Spouses are generally acquired through negotiation or with mutual consent. They pay
bride price consisting of token cash and some garments.
They are patrilocal people. Either the husband or wife can seek divorce. They have
nuclear or extended families. The marriage takes place at the brides place and it is
consummated at the Groom’s house. The dead are generally buried and sometimes
cremated. The Oraon women tattoo their bodies in intricate symmetrical emblems,
which they make according to their affiliation with certain totems.
Festivals have been a part of life for tribals since ancient time. Sarhul and Karma are the
two main important festivals of these tribals. They are also very fond of music and
dance. Karma, Jadur, Dassai and Kagha Parva are their most favorite dances. Traditional
instruments like Nagara, Kartal and Mandar are still used by these people.
To most of the Oraon, the economic importance of forests has considerably been reduced
due to its extensive destruction. Only who live near to forests have some degree of
dependence on it. They are mainly settled cultivators and also work as wage labourers
and industrial workers. A number of Oraons are engaged in salaried jobs in government
and private organizations.
The Oraons especially Christians are a well-educated group. This is due to the presence
of schools even in the remotest of areas. The modern system of medicine has not
completely replaced their traditional medicinal system. Their attitude towards family
planning is not favourable. Firewood and dry leaves are used as fuel. For the irrigation 67
Tribals of the of cultivable land they depend on rain. The cultivators use organic manure as well as
Central India
chemical fertilizers and insecticides. Essential commodities are available through fair
price shops.
iii) Munda
The name Munda is of Sanskrit origin. It means headman of a village. They believe that
they are the descendents of Sing Bonga, the supreme God. The Munda, an ancient
people, also lent their name to the language, called Austro-Asiatic or Mundari or
Kolarian, which is one of the four language families of India. The Devanagari and Bengali
scripts are used by them.
The Munda of West Bengal are also known as Manki, have several groups. They are
distributed in the districts of Midnapur, Purulia, West Dinajpur, Malda, Darjeeling,
Jalpaiguri and some adjacent districts. They prefer adult marriage, but there are also
cases of child marriage. Among them the common mode of acquiring a mate is through
negotiation. Other modes resorted to are mutual consent, elopement, service, intrusion
and exchange. Monogamy is the common form. Junior levirate and junior sororate are
allowed. The Munda are patrilocal. Divorce is permitted and either women or men can
initiate it. The Munda women have a role to play in the economic, social and ritual
activities. The marriage is solemnized at the bride’s house. They bury the dead and
observe the customary pollution upto nine days.
Cultivation is their traditional as well as their primary occupation, while hunting and
collection of forest produce are subsidiary occupations. At present, a few of them are
settled agriculturists and agricultural labourers and also work in government and in
private firms of the organized sector. Basket -making and weaving are their crafts.
The literacy rate in Mundas is 11.84 per cent. Nowadays, they are aware of the relevance
of formal education and send their children to schools.
iv) Bhumij
In the western districts of West Bengal, there are prominent groups of Bhumijes, although
numerically they are considerably behind the Santals and Bauris. They live in the territory
between the Kasai and Subarnarekha rivers. In olden days they probably had settlements
north of the Kasai, possibly right up to Panchakot, but were pushed back by the Aryans,
represented by the Kurmis. Their present area of settlement is spread across Dhalbhum,
Barabhum, Patkum and Baghmundi. While those living nearer to Chota Nagpur Plateau
still retain linguistic links with Mundari, those living deeper east have adopted Bengali
as their language. In the Dhalbhum region they are completely hinduized. During British
rule, or sometimes even earlier, many of the Bhumijes became zamindars and some
even secured the title of Raja. Others were called Sardars. However, all of them, having
climbed the social ladder, proclaimed themselves to be Kshatriyas, in keeping with the
trends in the region, ignorant of their rich contribution to the traditions and culture of the
region.
v) Kora
West Bengal state houses Kora tribes who are found in every hook and nook of the
region. As per the recent survey conducted in the region, these Kora tribes constitutes
of three percent of the total population of tribes of India. Although these Kora tribes are
quite small in numbers, these Kora tribes have got cultural and traditional heritage.
Most of the kora tribes converse in the Kora language, which falls under the category
68 of the Mundari language family group. In this State the Kora tribes have rightly adopted
all the religious customs and practices of Hinduism .Due to their adaptation of Hindu Tribes of Bihar
and West Bengal
culture, some of their original practices have been lost.
The word Kora has got a significant meaning. It signifies earth digging. So it become
quite obvious that the profession that these Kora is related to cultivation. To cope up
with the increasing demands of the modern society, these Kora tribes took up jobs like
‘share cropping‘, woodcarving and also various construction works.
vi) Lohara
Apart from West Bengal, the Lohara tribes are scattered in some districts of Jharkhand
namely Singhbhum, Santhal Pargana, Ranchi, Hazaribag, and Palamu. Being the artisan
tribal community, the Lohara people are adept in iron-craft-making.
The Lohara tribal communities earn their livelihood by getting employed in different
occupations. Some of them are shepherds; many of them rear cattle and have developed
the expertise of weaving exquisite baskets. Iron smelters also are found in Lohara
society. With the touch of their skillful hands, beautiful iron products can be carved out
from the raw and hot iron bars. These Lohara artisans special tools for carving. The
houses where these Lohara tribes live in too bear the reflection of their artistic acumen.
Some of them, however, practice the typical occupation of any other Indian tribe, namely,
cultivation.
The Lohara tribes of West Bengal have a plethora of festivals. Some of the festivals are
either feted at individual homes or they are feted as community fetes. All the religious
festivals are commemoration of worship of various folk deities. The reason for
worshipping these deities is to appease them and seek their blessings. Rituals and social
ceremonies are also no less in numbers. Rituals of Lohara tribes mainly center on
conservation of nature and also booties, which actually support their livelihood. Festive
mood gets heightened with incorporation of beautiful dance forms and joyful songs.
Both males and females of Lohara tribes perform dance forms wearing their conventional
attires. Singing songs in accompaniment of wonderful musical instruments add stupor to
the whole of merrymaking. Art works done using conventional ‘handloom weaving‘
tools and also beautiful wall painting are also exhibited at the time of festivals. Their
tongue is similar to that of all the other tribes of region. The costumes of this tribal
community are similar to the other tribal communities of this region as the male folks of
this community wear ganji, kurta, dhoti and the females of this community wear saree,
blouse and Salwar-Kameez-Dupatta.
Lohara tribes of West Bengal are one of the notable tribes that have occupied a major
position in this state. The culture and social tradition of Lohara is such that they have got
huge similarities with that of all the other tribes with whom they live in close proximity.
Festivals, dance, languages, rituals, music, handiworks thus becomes a style mark of
the tribes‘ unique heritage and cultural tradition.
vii) Bhutia
Bhutia tribes, one of the prominent tribes residing in West Bengal, are mostly found in
hilly districts of West Bengal, including Darjeeling and Kalimpong. These Bhutia tribes
have crossed various passes of Himalaya region. These tribal groups are also known as
Lachenpas or Lachungpas, which connotes the meaning dwellers of Lachen or Lachung
respectively. Moreover, the Bhutias residing in Sikkim are known as Denzongpa, meaning
the inhabitants of Denzong, which is the Tibetan name for Sikkim. The aristocrats of the
Bhutia tribes were called Kazis and they were an essential part of Chogyal monarchy. 69
Tribals of the The Bhutia tribes generally speak in Sikkimese language. This language has got similarity
Central India
with some of the foreign languages. Moreover, Nepali language is widely spoken by
quite a number of Bhutia tribes. Apart from these, these tribes also speak in Hindi,
Bhutia, Lepcha, and English.
The Bhutia tribes are mostly farmers, producing several vegetables and fruits. Some of
them also have developed expertise in weaving. Woolens, shawls are popular in various
markets of West Bengal as well as its nearby provinces. Another occupation of the
Bhutias is breeding yaks and sheep.
They are followers of tantric Buddhism. In fact they follow all the rituals and rites related
to this sect with great reverence and enthusiasm. Festivals and fairs are an integral part
enriching the culture and tradition of the whole of the Bhutia tribal society. The majority
of these Bhutia festivals or any of their joyful functions hold religious Buddhist signification.
Amongst the main festivals of Bhutia tribes, the Losar and Losoong festivals are worth
mentioning.
The Bhutia cuisine comprises of rice, which is their staple food. In fact they are amongst
the conventional rice eaters. Other dishes include fried vegetables, animal meat including
pork, and beef. On special occasions, however, these Bhutia tribes consume mutton or
chicken. Amongst the specialties of Bhutia tribes are momo, steamed meat ‘dumplings‘
and also Thukpa noodles ‘in broth’. The Bhutias prefer to consume a special drink
called Chhaang or Chyang which has ingredients like fermented millets or barley and is
consumed in a bamboo container known as Tongba. In social or religious occasions,
they prefer to have milk tea with sugar or butter tea.
Amongst Bhutia tribes of West Bengal, marriage is held in high esteem. Usually
intermarriage within their clans is prevalent. The Bhutia tribes also follow a very hierarchal
structure of selecting both bride and groom. What is significant to note is that
discrimination amongst clan is widespread and marriage outside the community of Bhutia
tribes is not at all entertained.
The costumes of the Bhutia tribes are a traditional cloak type dress called ‘Bakhu’. A
cotton or silk belt is tied o the waist. Moreover, the male group of this tribe wears
Bakhu teamed with a loose trouser and the women wear Bakhu with Honju that is a full
sleeve blouse. They also wear a multicolored woolen cloth called Pangden in the front
part. This garment is designed with colourful geometric designs. This is generally worn
by the wedded women. The women folk put on different jewelleries of gold, mainly
gold trinkets. The Bhutias built their house in a particular manner. Their houses are
known by the name of Khim, which are of rectangular shape.
viii) Mahli
Mahli is the name of a tribe of India. It is a scheduled tribe of the state of West Bengal
and Jharkhand (earlier these areas were part of Bihar). They mostly reside in Santhal
Parganas and certain other regions of Jharkhand, and in the adjoining areas of West
Bengal. Their population is dwindling. Mahli people traditionally earned their livelihood
by selling articles made of Bamboo. Some typical articles made by them are: Machi (a
small bench), umbrellas, soop (used in kitchen, to remove dust from cereals), sop and
chatai (for lying down and sleeping), raincap (special cap covering head, and upper
back for protection from rains during work).
Mahli people typically have a tattoo of their name on their hand.

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 Tribes of Bihar
4.5 PRESENT SCENARIO OF TRIBES IN WEST and West Bengal

BENGAL
As per 2011 Census, the demographic profile of the tribes in Bengal shows that the
sex ratio of total ST population in the state is 999, which is higher than the national
average for STs (990). The state also has recorded a higher child sex ratio (0-6 age
group) of 990 as compared to the aggregated national figure (957) for the STs.The sex
ratio among Bhutia (1014) is the highest among the major STs. But the child sex ratio
(964) is low among them. Bedia has recorded the lowest sex ratio of 973.The situation
is just the reverse among Bedia.
Among all STs of Bengal, the literacy rate of 57.9 per cent of the population has been
recorded as literate, which is lower than the national average (59.1 per cent). The male
literacy rate of 68.2 per cent and female of 47.7 per cent, show a gender disparity in
literacy. Of the ten major STs, Bhutia with 81.1 per cent overall literacy, 86.7 per cent
male and 75.5 per cent female literacy respectively, is well ahead of others. Savar are
at the other extreme having 40.6 per cent overall literacy and 31.5 per cent female
literacy rate. Total of 51.7 per cent of the STs in the age group 5-14 years have been
attending some kind of educational institutions. Of the ten major STs, Bhutia has recorded
the highest 77 per cent and Savar the lowest 35.5 per cent of their respective population
attending educational institutions. In West Bengal, merely 8.4 per cent of total literates
among STs are having educational level above matriculation. The Bhutia with 26.1 per
cent are well ahead among the major STs in this regard.
Work Participation Rate: In 2011 Census, 47.4 per cent of the ST population has
been recorded as workers, which is close to the aggregated national average for STs
(53.9 per cent). Of the total workers 57.9 per cent has been returned as main workers
and 42.1 per cent as marginal workers. WPR at 43.7 per cent among females is slightly
lower than males (53.8 per cent). Gender disparity, however, is paramount in the category
of main workers; 78.3 per cent males and 49.9 per cent females have been returned as
main workers. The percentage of female marginal workers is more than twice than that
of male. Industrial category wise, of the total ST main workers, 23.7 percent have been
recorded as cultivators and 45.1 per cent as agricultural laborers. The Mahali are
ordinarily involved in non-agricultural activities with only 5.3 per cent of their main
workers in cultivation and 19.6 per cent as agricultural labourers.
Marital status: The distribution of ST population by marital status shows that 46.89
per cent is never married, 46.29 per cent currently married, 6.04 per cent widowed,
and 0.54 per cent divorced /separated. The Santal has recorded the highest .56 per
cent of their total population as divorced/ separated, while it is the lowest among Oraon
(0.5 per cent), For all STs, 2.6 per cent of the female population below 18 years – the
minimum legal age for marriage – is ever married.
Religion: Of the total of 5,296,953 ST population Hindus are 73.9 per cent, followed
by 6.49 per cent Christians, 4.17 per cent Buddhists, and merely 0.5 per cent muslims.
Check Your Progress II
Note: Use the space provided for your answer.
1) Give a list of the tribes of West Bengal.
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Tribals of the
Central India ......................................................................................................................
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4.6 LET US SUM UP

We then discussed the tribes of Bihar and Bengal in an elaborate manner. It is now
important to sum up what we have discussed so far. This will help us to get a better
understanding of the subject matter of this unit, and also help us to review our own
understanding of the subject matter.
We started the unit with an introductory note on the Tribes of Bihar and Bengal. Next,
we discussed the demographic profile and cultural elements in the tribal life of Bihar and
Bengal. Alongside, we tried to have an insight into the major tribes of Bihar and Bengal.
Eventually the discussion ended with a brief on the present scenario of the tribes in the
context of Census of India.

4.7 FURTHER READINGS AND REFERENCES

1. Chaudhuri, Buddhadeb (ed). (1983), Tribal Development in India: Problems
and Prospects, Inter-India Publications, New Delhi.
2. Menz. Diwakar, Hansda (2010), Encyclopaedia of Scheduled Tribes in
Jharkhand, Kalpaz Publications, Delhi.
3. Prasad, N. (1961), Land and People of Tribal Bihar, Tribal Research Institute,
Ranchi.
4. Risley, H.H., (1981), The Tribes and Castes of Bengal, Firma Mukhopadhyay,
Calcutta.
5. Singh, Suresh.K (1986), Tribal situation in India, Indian Institute of Advanced
Study, Shimla.
6. The Scheduled Tribes (West Bengal): Census of India 2011, Government of
India. Retrieved from www.censusindia.gov.in

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