There are 43 recognized Scheduled Tribes in Madhya Pradesh, India, three of which have been identified as "Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups" or "PTGs" (formerly known as "Special Primitive Tribal Groups"). The population of Scheduled Tribals (ST) is 21.1 per cent of the state population (15.31 million out of 72.62 million), according to the 2011 census. [1] Bounded by the Narmada River to the north and the Godavari River to the southeast, tribal peoples occupy the slopes of the region's mountains.
The term Scheduled Tribes refers to specific indigenous peoples whose status is acknowledged to by the Constitution of India. The term Adivasi also applies to indigenous peoples of this area.
The diversity in the tribes across the state comes from differences in heredity, lifestyle, cultural traditions, social structure, economic structure, religious beliefs and language and speech. Due to the different linguistic, cultural and geographical environments, the diverse tribal world of Madhya Pradesh has been largely cut off from the mainstream of development.
Madhya Pradesh holds first rank among all the States or Union Territories (UTs) in terms of Special Tribal population and twelfth rank in respect of the proportion of ST population to total population. [2]
According to the 2011 Census of India, Bhil is the most populous tribe with a total population of 4,618,068, constituting 37.7 per cent of the total ST population. Gond is the second largest tribe, with a population of 4,357,918 constituting 35.6 per cent. The next four populous tribes are: Kol, Korku, Sahariya and Baiga. These six tribes constitute 92.2 per cent of the total ST population of the State.
Pardhan, Saur and Bharia Bhumia have a population ranging from 105,692 to 2152,472; together, they form 3.2 per cent of state population. Four tribes, namely, Majhi, Khairwar, Mawasi and Panika have populations in the range of 47,806 to 81,335, and account for another 2.2 per cent of the ST population.
The remaining thirty three tribes (out of the total of 46 tribes) along with the generic tribes constitute the residual 2.5 per cent of total ST population. Tribes having below 1000 population are twelve in number. [2]
Bhils have the highest population in Jhabua district followed by Dhar, Barwani and Khargone districts.
Gonds have major concentrations in Dindori district, Chhindwara, Mandla, Betul, Seoni and Shahdol districts. Other four major groups Kol, Korku, Sahariya and Baiga have registered the highest population in Rewa, Khandwa, Shivpuri and Shahdol districts respectively. [2]
Madhya Pradesh is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal, and its largest city is Indore. Other major cities of the state are Jabalpur and Gwalior. Madhya Pradesh is the second largest Indian state by area and the fifth largest state by population with over 72 million residents. It borders the states of Uttar Pradesh to the northeast, Chhattisgarh to the east, Maharashtra to the south, Gujarat to the west, and Rajasthan to the northwest.
The Gondi (Gōṇḍī) or Gond people, who refer to themselves as "Kōītōr", are an ethnolinguistic group in India. Their native language, Gondi, belongs to the Dravidian family. They are spread over the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and Odisha. They are listed as a Scheduled Tribe for the purpose of India's system of reservation.
Harda is a city and a municipality in Harda district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Harda is the administrative headquarters of Harda.
Bhil or Bheel refer to the various indigenous groups inhabiting western India, including parts of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh and are also found in distant places such as Bengal and Tripura. They speak various dialects of regional Indo-Aryan languages, collectively referred to as the Bhil languages, while the indigenous non-Indo-Aryan language that the Bhil originally spoke is lost. Bhils are divided into a number of endogamous territorial divisions, which in turn have a number of clans and lineages.
Mahakoshal or Mahakaushal is a region of central India. Mahakoshal lies in the upper or eastern reaches of the Narmada River valley in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Jabalpur is the largest city in the region. Nimar region lies to the west, in the lower reaches of the Narmada valley.
The Korku are a Munda ethnic group predominantly found in the Khandwa, Burhanpur, Betul and Chhindwara districts of Madhya Pradesh and adjoining areas near the Melghat Tiger Reserve of Maharashtra. They speak the Korku language, which is a member of the Munda languages and is written using Devanagari. They are classified as a Scheduled Tribe by the Indian government.
Betul district is a district of Madhya Pradesh state in central India. The city of Betul serves as its administrative headquarters. The district is a part of Narmadapuram Division.
Shahdol District is a district of Madhya Pradesh state in east central India. Its old name was Matsya raj or Virat kingdom in the name of great king Maharaja Virata. With a total area of 6,205 km2 (2,396 sq mi) and a population of 10,66,063. Shahdol is an important district of Madhya Pradesh. The town of Shahdol is the district headquarters. The district formerly comprised Shahdol division.
Umaria district is a district of Madhya Pradesh. The town of Umaria is the district headquarters. The district is part of Shahdol Division.
Chhindwara district is one of the major districts of Madhya Pradesh state of India, and Chhindwara town is the district headquarters. Chhindwara was the largest district in Madhya Pradesh with an area of 10,293 square km before the bifurcation of Pandhurna district. The district is part of Jabalpur division.
Anuppur District is an administrative district in Shahdol Division of Madhya Pradesh state in central India.
Multai is a town and a Nagar Palika in Betul district in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Multai is one of the southern cities of Madhya Pradesh, occupying almost half of the Satpura plateau. Considering the small villages around, it occupies a large area in width of the Satpura range between the valley of the Narmada on the north and the barer plains on the south. Forests lie to the west of the city between the districts of East Nimar and Amaraoti. It lies on the Northern bank of the Tapti and the place is also known for being the origin of the Tapti river.
Madhya Pradesh, often called the "Heart of India", is a state in central India. Its capital is Bhopal. Madhya Pradesh was the largest state in India until 1 November 2000 when the state of Chhattisgarh was carved out. It borders the states of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan.
The Sahariya are a community found in the Bundelkhand region of North India, which is administered by the states of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. They are also known as Rawat, Banrawat, Banrakha and Soarain.
Gowari is an Indian caste of cattleman or herdsmen, predominantly residing in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.
The Tribal Museum of Bhopal or Madhya Pradesh Tribal Museum is located close to the State Museum, Bhopal, near the Museum of Man/ Museum of Mankind in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. This is a museum dedicated to the living aspects of tribal life, indigenous knowledge systems, and aesthetics.