Tribes, Nomads And Settled Communities

Tribes, Nomads And Settled Communities

Tribes, Nomads And Settled Communities

Introduction- In large parts of subcontinent, socity was already divided according to the rules of varna. These rules as prescribed by Brahamanas, were accepted by the rulers of large kingdoms. Difference between high and low, difference  between rich and poor increased.

Tribal Societies in Different Parts
-          ➤Many societies in the subcontinent did not follow the social rules and rituals prescribed by Brahamanas. Nor were they divided into numerous unequal classes
-           ➤ These societies are often called as tribes.
-          ➤Members were united by kinship bonds.
-          ➤Main occuption was agriculture.
-           ➤Usually lived in forest, hills, deserts and places difficult to reach.
-          ➤In Punjab, the Khokkar tribe was very influential during 13th- 14th century.
-          ➤Then Gakkar was made noble (mansabdar) by empiror Akbar.
-          ➤In Multan and Sind, the Langahs and Arghuns dominated before they were  subduced by Mughals.
-          ➤The Balochis were another arge and powerful tribe in the north-west.They were divided into smaller clans under different chief.
-        ➤ In western Himalaya lived the Shepherd tribe of Gaddis.
-          ➤The north-eastern part was dominated by the Nagas, Ahoms and many others.
-         ➤ In Bihar and Jharkhand, Chero chiefdoms emerged in 20th century which was attacked and defeated by Raja Man singh in 1591.
-          ➤The Mundas and Santals were other tribes that lived in Odissa and Bengal.
-           Maharashtra  and Karnatka were homes of Kolis, Berads and many others.
-          ➤Kolis also lived in Gujarat.
-          ➤  In South there were a large population of Koragas, Vetars, Meravars and many others.
-          ➤ A large tribe of Bhills was spread across western and central  India. In late 16th century, many of them had become settled agriculturists and even zamindars also.
-          ➤The Gonds were found in Chhatishgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh.
                                       
Living Styles og Tribes

Deliberation On Jatis

A 12th century inscription from Uyyakondan Udaiyar, in Tiruchirapalli taluka, described the deliberation in a sabha of Brahamans .
        They deliberated on the status of a group known as rathakaras (literally, chariot makers)
They laid down their occupation, which were to include architecture, building coaches and chariots, erecting gateways for temples with images in them, preparing wooden equipments, building mandapas, making jewelleries for kings.










Nomadic pastoralists moved over long distances with their animals. They lived on milk and other pastorals products . They also exchanged wool, ghee with the settled agriculturists for grain, cloths, utensils and other products. Banjaras were most important traders nomads. Their caravan was called as Tanda. Sultan Alauddin Khalji used banjaras to transport grains to the city markets.
Emerging of New Castes And Hierarchies
As the societies grew new castes in the the tribes emrged .Smaller castes, or jatis, emerged within varans. For example, new castes appeared amongst the Brahamans. Specialised artisans  - smiths, carpentes and masons – were also recognised as separate jatis by the Brahamans.

Banjara
  • The Banjaras were the most important trader-nomads. Their caravan was called tanda.
  • Alauddin Khalji used the Banjaras to transport grain to the city markets.
  • Emperor Jahangir wrote in his memoirs about Banjaras.

The Gonds
-          ➤The Gonds lived on a vast forest region called as Gondwana – or “country inhabited by Gonds”.
-         ➤  They practised shifting cultivation. They were divided in clans. Each clans have its own Raja or Rai.
-          ➤The Gond Kingdom of Garha Katanga had 70,000 villages.
-        ➤ The kingdom was divided into garh. Each garh was controlled by a particular Gond clans . This was further divided into 84 villages called as chaurasi. Chaurasi was further divided into barhots made up of 12villages.
-        ➤ Later the Gond came to know as rajputs. The Gond Raja Aman Das married  with princess Padmavati, daughter of Salbahan , tha chandel Rajput raja.

The Ahoms
-           ➤ The Ahoms migrated to the Brahmaputra valley from present – day Myanmar in 13th century.
-          ➤They emerged as Bhuiyans (landlords) .
-          ➤In 16th century, they  annexed the kingdom of the Chhutiyas (1523) and Koch – Hajo (1581).
-          ➤They faced many invasion from the south-west . In 1662, the Mughals under Mir Jumla attacked the Ahoms Kingdom.
-        ➤ The Ahoms were forced for labour , those who were forced for labour are called as paiks.
-       ➤  By the first half of 17th century Ahoms clans were broken up and administration became centralised.
-        ➤ Ahom society was divided into clans or khel. A khel controlled many villages. They worshiped their own tribal Gods.

Mongols
-          ➤Mongols were the best known pastoral and hunter- gatherer tribe.
-          ➤They are found in grassland (steppes) of Central Asia and the forested areas of North.
-         ➤ In 1206 Genghis Khan had united the Mongols and Turkish tribes into a powerful military forces.
-         ➤At different point of time, it included parts of Russia, Eastern Europe and also China and West Asia.
-        ➤ They have well organised military and administrative systems.
-         ➤They were based on different ethnic and religious groups.