TRIBE OF INDIA : THE GONDS

A social group consisting of families being carried forward from generation to generation, sharing a common ancestry or language is termed as a tribe. India being the mother land of various cultures and traditions, is also a home to a huge number of tribes found in every nook and corner of the countryside. From the Bakarwal tribe of Jammu and Kashmir to the Kanikar of Tamil Nadu, innumerable and oh so varied, the Indians have witnessed them all. 

One of the most famous tribes of India is that of the Gonds, found in the Chhindwara district of Madhya Pradesh, parts of Odisha, Maharastra and Andhra Pradesh. They are the second biggest tribe of India after Bhils of Rajasthan. Under the Indian reservation system, they are termed as “scheduled tribes”. Despite the fact that most gonds speak regional languages, their tribal language is known as Gondi, which is closely related to Telugu. Gonds are further sub-divided into four tribes: Raj Gonds, Madia Gonds, Dhruve Gonds and Khatulwar Gonds. Gonds firmly believe that Earth, Water and Air are all rules by Gods.

Kodo and Kutki are the major two types of staple food consumed by the Gonds, rice is eaten during festivals. Majorly, gonds follow the worship of nature, but influenced by the Indian culture, plenty of them follow the path of Hinduism. A very small percentage of Gonds are also Muslims and Christians. They also have their own separate religion known as  Koyapunem. Some of the main festivals celebrated by Gonds are : Dassera, Phag and Phola.

According to legend, the first gonds were abandoned and allowed to die when they were rescued by the Hindu goddess Parvati, but they were imprisoned in a cave until Lingal, the Gond god, freed them all and established the Gond familial lineage.

 Many astronomical notions were attributed to the Gonds, including galaxies,

star movements, planet alignments, and the use of these ideas in keeping calendars and time, among other things. The Gondi language is steadily losing out, with just about a fifth of the population speaking it, while others have switched to regional languages based on their topography. Some Gonds perform the Sua dance to honour Shiva and Parvati. They also follow the Gondi Ramayana, which begins after the 14-year exile finishes and has Lord Lakshmana as the protagonist.

Gonds are also famous for breaking the typical Indian stereotypes. Girls have a far better reputation among Gonds than in Hindu caste society. Women have an important role in Gond countries' domestic economies; they are frequently able to travel freely and have the right to choose or at least have a significant say in their marriage partners (it is always, at the very least, a close circle of family affair). Divorce is possible and far easier to obtain in tribal societies than in Hindu societies, and tribal widows, unlike their Hindu sisters, have little trouble remarrying. However, those are generalisations, and there are indigenous tribes where toddler weddings and forced marriages are widespread. The payment of a bride fee is a feature of many tribal societies' wedding arrangements.

In the ode of becoming modern and being busy, we lack studying the rich culture, tradition and history of India. But after studying these tribes, we should realise that there is so much to learn from our roots itself. So much to inhibit from these not so renowned tribals of our country. After all, upliftment of all such social groups and tribes of the country is what will make the future of India bright and distinguish itself from the other developed countries.