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History | Culture | Religion | Art & Crafts | Shopping | Folk Music & Dance | Rajasthani Cuisine | Climate | Rajasthan Forts | Rajasthan Tribals | Desert Safari | Travelling Around Rajasthan The main tribal, or adivasi, groups of Rajasthan are the Bhils and the Minas, who were the original inhabitants of the area now called Rajasthan, but who were forced into the Aravalli Range by the Aryan invasion. Smaller groups of Adivasis include the Sahariyas, Damariyas, Garasias and the Gaduliya Lohars. Bhils : The Bhils traditionally inhabited the south - eastern corner of the state - the area around Udaipur, Chittorgarh and Dungarpur - although the largest concentrations of them are found in neighboring Madhya Pradesh. Legend has it that the Bhils were fine archers, hence their name, which can be traced to the Tamil wordvil, meaning bow. Bhil bowmen are mentioned in both the Mahabharta and the Ramayana. They were highly regarded as warriors, and the Rajput rulers relied heavily on them to thwart the invading Marathas and Mughals. In fact, some scholars suggest that the Rajputss owe their warrior propensities to their exposure to the Bhills, whom they emulated. The British formed a Mewar Bhil Corps in the 1820s in recognition of the Bhill's martial tradition. Although originally food gatherers, the Bhils these days have taken up small - scale agriculture, or have abandoned the land altogether and taken up city residence and employment. The literacy rate of the Bhils, particularly the women, used to be one of the lowest of any group in the country which made them prime targets for exploitation and bonded labour. This trend is now being reversed, and the fortunes of the Bhils are improving accordingly. Several Bhils have been entered state parliament, becoming MLAs, including, in one instance, a Bhil woman. Those Bhils who can afford it engage in polygamy. Marriages of love, as opposed to arranged marriages which are the norm in India, are condoned. The Baneshwar fair is a Bhil festival held near Dungarpur in January/ February each year, and large numbers of Bhils gather for several days of singing, dancing and workship. Holi is another important time for the Bhils. Witchcraft, magic and superstition are deeply rooted aspects of Bhil culture.
Minas : The Minas are the second largest adivasi group in the state after Bhils, and are the most widely spread. They live in the regions of Shekhawati and eastern Rajasthan. Scholars still disagree as to whether the Minas are indigenous, or whether they migrated to the region from Central Asia. The name Mina is derived frommeen, or fish, and the Minas claim descent from the fish incarnation of Vishnu. Originally they were a ruling tribe, but their downfall was a long, drawn-out affair. It began with the Rajputs and was completed when the British government declared them a criminal tribe in 1924, mainly to stop them trying to regain their territory from the Rajputs. In their skirmishes, with the Rajputs, the Minas resorted to various unorthodox means such as demanding 'protection money' from villagers to curtail their dacoit activities. Following Independence, their ignominious status as a 'criminal tribe' was lifted. However, their culture was by this time more or less totally destroyed, and they have been given protection as a Scheduled Tribe. With the withdrawl of the Criminal Tribes Act, the Minas took to agriculture. As is the case with the Bhils, the literacy rate among the Minas was very low, but is improving. Marriage is generally within the tribe. This is arranged by the parents and most marriages take place when the children are quite young. Gaduliya Lohars : The Gaduliya Lohars were originally martial Rajput adivasis, but these days are nomadic blacsmiths. Their traditional territory was Mewar (Udaipur) and they fought with the maharana against the Mughals. With the typical Rajput chivalry, they made a vow to the maharana that they would only enter his fort at Chittorgarh after he had overcome the Mughals. As he died without achieving this, the clan was forced to become nomadic. When Nehru was in power he led a group of Gaduliya Lohars into Chittorgarh, with the hope that they would then resettle in their former lands, but they preferred to remain nomadic.
Garasias : The Garasias are a small Rajput adivasi group found in the Abu Road area of southern Rajasthan. It is thought that they intermingled with the Bhils to some extent , which supported by the fact that bows and arrows are widely used. The marriage ceremony is curious in that the couple elope, and a sum of money is paid to the father of the bride. If the marriage fails, the bride returns home, with a small sum of money to give to the father. Widows are not entitled to a share of their husband's property, and so generally remarry. Sahariyas : The Sahariyas are thought to be of Bhil origin, and live in the areas of Kota, Dungarpur and Sawai Madhopur in the south-east of the state. They are one of the least educated of the adivasi groups in the country, with a literacy rate of only 5% and, as unskilled labourers, have been cruelly exploited. As all members of the clan are considered to be related, marriages are arranged beyond the tribe. Their food and worship traditions are closely related to Hindu customs. to be related, marriages are arranged beyond the tribe. Their food and worship traditions are closely related to Hindu customs.
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