India is a highly spiritual land, which houses several rishis, sandhu, saints, sages, sants tribes and mendicants. The Puranas and Ithihaas give references about rishis and yogis hermitages and ashramas in deep forests, hilly regions, in the Himalayas, hidden caves that paves for meditation. These rishis and sages chose to move away from the exasperating mass to the faraway places in order to achieve peace, Mukti or Moksha or the ultimate liberation.
The hermitage is set so deep in the forest that it is almost another world, enveloped in a translucent green of sun and trees. One such community that resides in the peaceful environment around the world are known as ‘indigenous peoples’, ‘aboriginals’, ‘ethnic groups’, ‘vanavasi’, ‘adivasi’, or ‘janajati’. The tribal communities are the ethnic groups that remain in isolation and self-containment. These aborigines have their own ritualistic practices; believe system and life skills that revolve around the nature. The hunt introduces us to the forest dwellers. They live in accordance with the nature. The tribes have abundant knowledge not only forest, but also the nature in total. They do respect the nature and safeguard the same. They have learnt to live in most hostile environmental condition in this universe. The most interesting feature associated with these indigenous and ethnic has been found that, they live in localities which are immensely rich in biodiversity.
India is a country with large ethnic society and has immense wealth due to which it is rich in biodiversity. The forest was never far away from habitation. The stories from the Puranas and Itihaasas have many interesting stories revolving around forest, hills, penance, gurukulams and nature. The whole epic of Ramayana and Mahabharatha revolves around forest, nature, rishis, sages, hermitage and surroundings. They quote wonderful stories that example of places, significance, arts, wealth and the culture. The author of both the Ithihaasa and Mahakavya sage Shri Valmiki and Sri VedaVyasa in detail gives the description about the region, flora and fauna, rivers, richness of wealth, culture, language, habitants and the significance of the region.
India is a hub of such ethnic tribes from the Bhil regions of western India through the Gond districts of central India, Maharashtra, Telangana, Orissa to Jharkhand and Bengal, where the Mundas, Oraons, and Santals predominate here are also pockets of tribal communities in the south like the Chenchus, Todas, and Kurumbas, and very small endangered communities in the Andamans, like Jarawas, Onge, and Sentinelese. Northeast-India contains another major portion of the tribal population, including the different Naga sub tribes, Khasis, Garos, Mizos, Kukis, Bodos, and others.
During our many visit of Tribal areas gave an opportunity to known about more tribes and their culture, art, traditions which is not aware by many people. The tribes in India form an important part of the total population. It represents an element in Indian society which is integrated with the culture mosaic of our civilisation. The tribal population of India constitutes nearly 8 percent of the total population. There are a number of tribes in India, spread over different parts at different levels of socioeconomic development. They live all over the country from the foot hill of the Himalayas to the lands tip of Lakshadweep and from the plains of Gujarat to the hills in the North-East. According to 1991 census, the numerical strength of the scheduled tribes in India stood at 52.03 million. Bihar leads all other States as regards the tribal population. It is followed by Maharashtra and Orissa. A tribe is a group of people, usually staying in jungle areas, in a small locality, absolutely illiterate poor, hardly clad in clothes, usually dark and frail, fully living within their own community whose marriage always takes place among themselves, engaged in hunting and searching for roots, shoots and fruits as their veg food and roasted animals as non-veg food, completely oblivious of the country‘s political and economic condition, resisting all efforts of development and have a strong dislike for strangers and educated modern community.
During our journeys, we realized that no one is aware of tribes especially the young youth were also not aware of or were indifferent to tribal traditions. we thus embarked upon a mission to spread ,showcase and disseminate beauty and actual information about various facets of tribal traditions practiced across the nation, this thought provoked us to start a magazine devoted to Tribal people, nature worship, diety,lifestyle,medicine, Art and culture etc… in the country as well as those in other places.
The result is the“ TRIBES of INDIA – A Journey with Tribes” – the only English magazine on Tribes – a magazine completely dedicated to Tribes and this is the first ever initiative in India, devoted to only tribal people and their Ancient rituals and associated history and arts. We found there is still a lack of awareness about Tribal culture and traditions of the tribal people. Therefore we intend to publish a magazine devoted to the tribes of India. This will be the first of its kind of magazine in India that would be dedicated to tribal people of India
“A tribe is a collection of families bearing a common name speaking a common dialect, occupying or professing to occupy a common territory and is not usually endogamous though originally it might have been so.”
May this magazine continue to be a source of inspiration, knowledge, and pride for all members of our tribe. Let us cherish our past, embrace our present, and look forward to a future that is guided by our shared values.
Wishing you all an enriching and enlightening reading experience.
With warmth and respect,
Ananya Bhat
Editor-In-Chief