Tribes, Nomads & Settled Communities

• Who are tribes and nomads; how they differ from "settled" agricultural societies.
• Major tribal communities in medieval India — Gonds, Ahoms, Bhils.
• How tribal kingdoms functioned.
• How the spread of settled agriculture and state power affected tribal communities.
• Nomadic pastoralists: seasonal movement, why they matter.

Who are tribes?

Tribes = communities that live outside the main caste-based agrarian society. They typically:

• Have their own customs, languages, clan systems.
• Live by hunting, gathering, shifting cultivation, or herding.
• Have their own chiefs (not kings in the classical sense); decisions by clan councils.
• Were not ranked in the varna (caste) system.

Caste-based texts often called them "forest people" or used pejorative terms — but tribal communities had rich cultures and political organisations.

Major tribal groups in medieval India

Gonds (central India — MP, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, AP)

• Among the largest tribal groups in India.
• By medieval period, some Gond chiefs had become kings — founded powerful kingdoms.
• Garha-Katanga (MP): Gond kingdom; Rani Durgavati — famous Gond queen who fought the Mughals (1564); died in battle rather than surrender.
• Gondwana region named after them.
• Gond society: clan-based; chiefs controlled forest land; collected tribute from peasants.
• As Mughal and Maratha power expanded, Gond kingdoms were gradually absorbed.

Ahoms (Assam)

• Originally from Myanmar (Burma); migrated into Brahmaputra valley in 13th century.
• Created a powerful kingdom in Assam lasting ~600 years (1228–1826).
• Did not belong to any Indian caste/tribe initially; assimilated local communities.
• Paik system: every male had to give labour (paik) to the state — for military, construction, agriculture.
• Maintained detailed administrative records (buranjis) in Ahom language.
• Defeated the Mughals 17 times — Battle of Saraighat (1671) under general Lachit Borphukan is famous.
• Finally defeated by Burmese (1816) and then became part of British India (1826).

Bhils (Rajasthan, Gujarat, MP, Maharashtra)

• Major tribe of western India; controlled many forests and mountain passes.
• Bhil chiefs demanded tolls from traders passing through their territory.
• Bhil armies were important for Rajput kings — as forest-fighters and scouts.
• As Mughal and later British power expanded, Bhils lost control of forest resources.
• Bhil Revolt (1818–1831): resistance to British takeover of Rajasthan.

Nomadic pastoralists

Nomadic pastoralists move seasonally with their animals — following pasture and water.

• Banjaras were major traders — carried grain, salt, cloth across long distances on bullock-back; important for medieval armies (supplied grain).
• Akbar used Banjaras extensively to supply his armies.

How settled societies viewed tribes

• Brahmanic texts: tribes outside the varna system were "low" or "impure."
• Practical reality: tribal chiefs were often powerful; neighbouring kingdoms allied with them, paid tribute, or feared them.
• Over time, some tribal chiefs were accepted as Rajputs or Kshatriyas by Brahmins — in exchange for gifts and political allegiance. This process = Rajputisation or Sanskritisation.
• Many Gond and other tribal kings performed Vedic rituals to legitimise their rule.

Transformation of tribal societies

• What is the difference between a tribe and a caste-based community?
• Who was Rani Durgavati? Why is she significant?
• What was the Ahom kingdom? What was the paik system?
• Who were the Banjaras? What role did they play in medieval India?
• How did the spread of settled agriculture affect tribal communities?

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