Most backward or undeveloped places in India are inhabited by tribal populations.They are the indigenous isolated from civilization as we know it. Tribal people lived all over India. In jungles which start from the periphery of farmlands. Where urban dwellings end, tribal lands begin. They depend on forest produce, like honey, fruits, fish and wild creatures. Technology they know is very simple; they have simple bows and arrows, knives, spears etc. Tribal religion is rudimentary; they have folktales or simple fairy tales which they teach their children. They speak in different dialects and written language is rarely used. Unlike settled farmers, they do not "own" land as they do not have"written deed" They officially own the entire tribal land together--group ownership. Most tribal people do not know their tribal rights.Among tribals political awareness is absent. They do not have voter ID cards or ration cards(Public distribution scheme) or Aaadhar cards(social security scheme)They suffer from poverty, neglect, ignorance and isolation. Although the government has a separate department for tribal development and welfare, they are most ineffective in bringing changes to the lives of the tribal population. To rehabilitate the tribes and bring them closer to national mainstream is urgently needed.We have the burden to uplift them. We must teach them skills to fit into modern India. We must empower them; we must teach them to ask for their rights. We must know that power-sharing is the essence of national integration. We cannot allow total isolation of these people who live in backward stone-age technology.
There are fishing communities living along the vast sea shores of India, unknown and unrecorded.. There are isolated communities in districts of Dholpur and Morena of Rajasthan. There are Musahars of East India. There are Santhals who are spread out in several states. Similarly, there are Mundals and Bhils who are spreaded to several states. The Angamis are residing in Nagaland state, Bhutia is Sikkim state,Chenchus in Andhra Pradesh and Gonds in Madhya Pradesh. The native Great Andamanese are virtually untouched by civilization. There are more than 84.4 million persons living in tribes, recorded so far. Others are unrecorded. There are two views on tribes; some feel that they must be preserved and that their lifestyle and language should be kept in isolation. But that is unfair to the people. Their language can be recorded like folktales and songs, may be their tools and utensils can be preserved in museums but they should be taught skills to survive in this century. They are not an animal species which can be classified as natural heritage of India. They are human like every one of us, and they should be brought into the fold of civilization.
