Tribes, Nomads and Settled Communities - Long Answer Questions
People who did not follow the social rules and rituals prescribed by the Brahmanas and were not divided into unequal classes.
A tribe living in the vast forested region called Gondwana. They practised shifting cultivation.
A tribe that migrated to the Brahmaputra valley from present-day Myanmar in the 13th century. They created a new state by suppressing the older political system of the bhuiyans (landlords).
Trees and bushes in a forest area are cut and burnt. The crop is sown in the ashes. When the land loses fertility, another plot of land is cleared.
The most important trader-nomads. Their caravan was called 'Tanda'. Allauddin Khalji used them to transport grain to city markets.
The division of society into four groups: Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and Shudras. Tribes did not follow this.
As the economy grew, people with new skills were required. Smaller castes (jatis) emerged within varnas. Smiths, carpenters, and masons were recognized as separate Jatis.
The Ahom state depended on forced labour. Those forced to work for the state were called Paiks. Each village had to send a number of paiks by rotation.
The Gond queen of Garha Katanga. She ruled on behalf of her 5-year-old son Bir Narain. She fought bravely against the Mughals (Asaf Khan) and died fighting.
The large Gond kingdom was divided into 'Garhs'. Each Garh was controlled by a Gond clan. Garhs were divided into 84 villages (Chaurasi), which were further divided into Barhots (12 villages).
A large tribe spread across western and central India. By the late 16th century, many had become settled agriculturists and some even zamindars.
Ideally, they worshipped their own tribal gods. But under Brahman influence, Hinduism became the predominant religion. However, Ahom kings did not completely give up their traditional beliefs.
Historical works written by Ahoms, first in Ahom language and then in Assamese.
They exchanged milk, wool, ghee, etc., with settled agriculturists for grain, cloth, utensils, and other products.
They controlled important trade routes (like the specialized Banjaras). They provided forest produce (elephants, honey, wax) to the empires.
Garha Katanga was a rich state. The Mughals captured a huge booty of precious coins and elephants. They annexed part of the kingdom and granted the rest to Chandra Shah (uncle of Bir Narain).
Most tribes did not keep written records. They preserved rich customs and oral traditions.
Akbar's famous general who attacked and defeated the Cheros tribe in 1591.
Tribes living in the Maharastra highlands and Karnataka. Kolis also lived in Gujarat.
Nomads are wandering pastoralists. Itinerant groups are craftspersons/entertainers who travel from place to place practising their different occupations.
Tribes, Nomads and Settled Communities - Important Facts
Varna system was prescribed by Brahmanas.
Tribal societies were united by kinship bonds.
Punjab had powerful tribes like Khokhar and Gakkhar.
Kamal Khan Gakkhar was made a noble by Akbar.
Balochis were powerful in the north-west.
Gaddis were shepherd tribes of Himalayas.
Ahoms used firearms as early as 1530s.
Ahoms made high quality gunpowder.
Ahom society was divided into clans or Khels.
Poets and scholars were given land by Ahom kings.
Akbar Nama mentions the Gond kingdom.
Garha Katanga had 70,000 villages.
Shifting cultivation acts like a natural fertilizer.
Banjaras carried grain on bullocks.
Jahangir wrote about Banjaras in his memoirs.
Peter Mundy (English trader) described Banjaras.
Many tribes merged into the caste system.
Rajput clans became powerful examples for tribes.
Sufis and Bhakti saints influenced tribes.
Gonds practised shifting cultivation.
Ahom state was built on forced labour.
Census of the population was taken by Ahoms.
Sib Singh was a famous Ahom king (1714-1744).
Theatre was encouraged in Ahom society.
Tribes lived in forests, hills, deserts.
Mughals were interested in forest resources.
Elephants were a major export from Gondwana.
Tribes preserved their culture orally.
Anthropologists use oral traditions today.
Nagvanshi rulers were powerful in Jharkhand/Bihar.
Smiths and carpenters became Jatis.
Tribes often clashed with powerful caste-based societies.
Tribes retained their freedom and culture.
Nomadic pastoralists lived on milk products.
They sold wool and ghee.
Salt was transported by Banjaras.
Oxen were the main transport animals.
A Tanda could have thousands of cattle.
They traveled 6-7 miles a day.
They set up camps.
Itinerant groups included snake charmers.
Acrobats were also itinerant.
Mondays were market days in some areas.
Interdependence existed between tribes and villages.
Social change occurred due to interaction.
New castes appeared amongst Brahmanas.
Kshatriyas admitted new clans.
Islam was adopted by many Punjab/Sind tribes.
They rejected the caste system.
Tribes, Nomads and Settled Communities - Important Dates/Terms
Raja Man Singh attacks Cheros
Mughals attack Ahoms
Sib Singh's reign
Mughal forces attack Garha Katanga (Rani Durgawati)