
Tribes
Abhor
These tribes are found in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
Abujmaria
Known variously as Abudjamadis, Abujmariya and Hill Maria, these tribes are found in the geographically inaccessible areas of Abujhmar Mountains and Kutrumar Hills in the Bastar district of Madhya Pradesh. They speak a Dravidian language called Abujmaria. The Hill Maria tribes are considered as a sub-group of the Gonds, who are historically the most important group of original Indian tribes.
Adivasika
These are forest dwellers found mainly in Northern Kerala, near Calicut.
Adivasi Girasia
These tribes inhabit the Banaskantha and Sabarkantha districts of Gujarat and are believed to be the descendants of the Rajputs who married Bhil women. The name “Girasia” refers to the Rajput and other landholders living in the Gujarat and Rajasthan regions. Their language, also known as Adivasi Girasia, is an Indo-Aryan language belonging to the Bhil subgroup.
Adiyan
Also known as Eravas, these people are found in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
Ahirs
These people are the traditional dairymen caste of Uttar Pradesh.
Aka
These tribes are found mainly in the Andaman Islands, Arunachal Pradesh and also in parts of Assam. The Aka people are so named for a black, sticky paint they use on their faces. They used to speak Aka (now an extinct language) on the Andaman Islands and Aka Lel, a dialect of Nisi, in Assam. The Aka people in Assam celebrate the Nechido Festival every year on the first day of November.
Alars
Also known as Chathans or Chatans, these tribes are found in the Kerala-Palghat region. They speak Alar and Malayalam.
Amindivi
These tribes are found in Lakshadweep.
Amri Karib
Known by different names like Mikir, Manchati, Mikiri, Karbi, these tribes are found in the Mikir and Rengma Hills of Assam. They speak Amri, a dialect of Mikir.
Anal
These tribes are found in Manipur.
Angami
These tribes are found in Kohima, the capital of Nagaland.
Ao
The Ao tribe is found in the Mokokchung District of Nagaland. The main festivals of the Aos are Moatsu and Tsungremmong celebrated during the first week of May and August, respectively.
Apatani
These tribes, also described as Apa, are found south of the Tibetan border in the states of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland. Their language is also known as Apatani. These tribes are renowned for their cultivation, especially the Terraced rice fields, which are located along the sides of the valleys.
Arnatas
Also known as Aranadan and Eranadans, these tribes are found in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. They speak Aranatan and Malayalam.
Asurs
These tribes are found in Bihar and West Bengal.
Awadhi
Known by different names like Abadi, Abohi, Ambodhi, Baiswari, Kojali and Kosali, these people are found in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and parts of Uttar Pradesh. They speak in Awadhi, which is a dialect of Hindi.
Badaga
Also known as Badag, Badagu, Badugu and Vadagu, these tribes are found in the Nilgiri and Kunda Hills of Tamil Nadu. Their language is also called Badaga. The name “Badaga”, meaning “northerner,” was given to this group during the Middle Ages when they migrated from the Mysore plains to the Nilgiri Hills in southern Tamil Nadu.
Bagri
These tribes are found mainly in western India, in the states of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh. They are an Indo-Aryan people, and their language is also called Bagri.
Bajania
These tribes are now found in Kachi Koli in Pakistan and are known by other names like Kachi Koli, Kuchikoli, Vaghri and Vagari. They speak Bajania, a dialect of Koli.
Bakarwals
These are the nomadic tribes of Kashmir
Baiga
Known by names like Baigai, Bega and Bhumia, these people are found in Bihar, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal. Their language is also known as Baiga.
Banchharas
These tribes are found in Madhya Pradesh.
Bangni
The Bangni (also known as the Dafla or the Nishi) inhabit the hills of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Their native language, Nisi, belongs to the Tibeto-Burman language family.
Bangri
These tribes are located mainly in the states of Haryana, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Delhi. Their language, Bangaru, is a member of the Indo-Aryan language family.
Banjaras
Known by different names in different places like Lamani, Lambadi, Bangala, Banjori, Banjuri, Gohar-Herkeri, Goola, Gurmarti, Kora, Labhani Muka, Lambara, Lavani, Lemadi, Lumadale, Sugali, Tanda, Vanjari, Waji, Gormati and Singali, these tribes are mainly concentrated in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Kamataka, Orissa and West Bengal. Their common language is Lamani.
Barda
These tribes are found in Gujarat.
Bavacha
These tribes are found in Gujarat.
Barel
The Barels are considered to be the sub-group of Bhils. They speak Barel language.
Bathudi
The Bathudis live primarily in the districts of Mayurbhanj, Kendujhargarh and Balasore in the state of Orissa. Most Bathudis are bilingual, speaking their native language, Bathudi and Oriya.
Bauria
The Baurias are also considered as a sub-group of Bhils. Their language is also known as Bauria.
Beda
These tribes are found in Ladakh
Bedia
These tribes are found in Madhya Pradesh
Bettakurubas
These tribes are found in Karnataka
Bhadrawahi
These tribes are located predominantly in Jammu and Kashmir
Bhils
The Bhils are considered as the third largest and most widely distributed tribal groups in India. The name “Bhil” was probably derived from the word villu or billu, which in most Dravidian languages is the word for “bow.” The bow has long been a characteristic weapon of the Bhil because the tribesmen always carry their bows and arrows with them. The Bhil tribes inhabit some of the most remote and inaccessible areas of India. There are two divisions of Bhils: the Central or “pure” Bhils, and the Eastern or Rajput Bhils. The Central Bhils live in the mountain regions in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan. They are known as the connecting link between the Gujaratis and the Rajasthanis and are one of the largest tribal communities of India. They speak Bhili, which is an Indo-Aryan language. The Bhils are known to have fought against the Mughals, Marathas and the British.
Bhilala
The Bhilala are located in several states in western central Indian but mainly in the districts of Dhar, Jhabua, and West Nimar of Madhya Pradesh. Their language, also called Bhilala, is a sub-group of the Bhil language, which belongs to the Indo-Aryan linguistic family. The Bhilala are considered as nobility among the Bhil, since they are the direct descendants of the Rajput chiefs who took the daughters of the Bhil chieftains to be their wives.
Bhim
These are the tribes found mainly in the eastern state of Tripura.
Bhinjwari
The Binjhwaris or the Binjhals, live in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Bihar and West Bengal. Although their native language is Binjhwari, many of these people also speak Chhattisgarhi.
Bhotia
Known by names like Lahuli, Tinan, Lahauli, Rangloi and Gondla, these tribes are found in Himalayan Mountain ranges of Himachal Pradesh. They speak in Lahuli and Tinan.
Bhutia
These are Buddhists tribes found in Assam, along the border with Tibet and in Nepal. They are also known by the names Lhasa, Dalai, Pohbetian and Tebilian. They speak Tibetan.
Birhor
These tribes are found in the Hazaribagh, Singbhum and Ranchi districts of Bihar and parts of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa and West Bengal.
Bison Horn Maria
These are a small tribal group located mainly in Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra and also in parts of Madhya Pradesh. The designation “Bison Horn Maria” is derived from a distinctive headdress worn at marriage dances and adorned with the horns of now extinct wild bison. Many scholars believe that the Bison Horn Maria is part of the Gond tribe, while others consider them to be an earlier indigenous tribe assimilated by the Gonds.
Bombas
These are the Nomads inhabiting the rugged hills of Kashmir.
Boro (Bodo)
These tribes are found in Assam.
Braj Bhakha
These tribes are located mainly in the states of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Their language, Braj Bhasha, is a member of the Indo-Aryan language family.
Bunde Soligas
These tribes are found in Karnataka.
Chakmas
Also known as Takam, these tribes are found in Assam, Meghalya, Tripura, West Bengal and parts of Bangladesh. They speak Chakma language.
Chamars
These tribes are known by different names like Chamari, Chambhar Boli and Chambhari. These are found in the States of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. Their language is known as Chamari.
Chameali Pahari
The Chameali Pahari tribes are primarily located in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.
Changs
These tribes are found in the Tuensang District of Nagaland.
Chang-Pas
These are the tribes found in the northern upland valleys of the Indus River in Jammu & Kashmir. They speak in Tibetan dialect.
Charan
These tribes are found in Gujarat.
Chekhasang
Chekhasang and Pouchry Tribes are found in the Phek District of Nagaland. Chakhesang culture and customs are quite different from the other Naga tribes. There are evidences of the existence of head-hunting among the villagers in the ancient days.
Chenchus
Known variously as Chenchucoolam, Chenchwar, Chenswar and Choncharu, these tribes are found primarily in the state of Andhra Pradesh and also in parts of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Orissa. Their native language (also called Chenchus) belongs to the Dravidian language family. Many also speak Telugu.
Cheros
These tribes, which claim to be the descendants of the Rajputs, are found in Bihar, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal and are primarily concentrated in Palamau, Shahabad, Champaran, and other surrounding districts. The Chero speak a language that is also called Chero.
Chettier
Chettier is the Hindu fishermen caste of Tamil Nadu.
Chola Naickans
Also known as Chola Naikar, these tribes are found mainly in the Nilambur jungle in Kerala. They speak Canarese, a dialect of Kannada.
Dafla
These tribes are found in Arunachal Pradesh.
Damarias
These tribes are found in Rajasthan.
Deori
These tribes live along the Brahmaputra River and are primarily located in the states of Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. They speak a Tibeto-Burman language that is also called Deori. The Deori are one of the four divisions of the Chutiya people group and are also related to the Eastern Bodo-Garo.
Dhodia
The Dhodia are located in the extreme southeastern districts of Gujarat, in the hilly regions south of the Tapi River and in Dadra & Nager Haveli. The Dhodia are the highest ranking tribe and the third largest tribal group in Gujarat. They speak Dhodia, a Bhil language.
Dhurwa
These tribes are forest dwellers found mainly in the Bastar district of Madhya Pradesh and Koraput district of Orissa. They are considered as a sub-group of the Gond, the largest tribal group in India. They speak Parji in three dialects.
Dimasa
These are Proto-Austroloid tribes found in Meghalaya and Mizoram.
Dog-Pa
Also known as Srin, Shrin and Brog-Pa, these tribes are found in Jammu and Kashmir. Their language is known as Shrin.
Dogris
These tribes are known by various names like Dogri-Kangri, Dhogaryali, Dogari, Dogri Jammu, Dogri Pahari, Tokkaru and Dogri-Kangra. They are mainly concentrated in Jammu and Kashmir between the Ravi and Chenab Rivers. Many Dogris also live in Pakistan. The Dogris are a hardy people, divided into several castes and sects. Their language is known as Dogri-Kangri.
Dorli
The Dorli, a sub-group of the Gonds, are concentrated in the Bastar district of Madhya Pradesh. Some also live in parts of Andhra Pradesh and Orissa. Their language is also called Dorli.
Dubla
The Dubla live primarily in the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Rajasthan. They speak Dubla, a Bhil language that belongs to the Indo-Aryan linguistic family. The Dubla tribe contains twenty sub-groups, of which the Talavias have the highest social rank.
Eravallan
These tribes are found in Kerala.
Gaddi
Known by names like Bharmauri Bhadi, Pahari Bharmauri, Panchi Brahmauri Rajput, Gaddyal and Gadi, these tribes are found in parts of Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. Their language is also known as Gaddi.
Galong
These tribes, also known as Gallong, Gallo, Galo and Adi-Galo, live in Assam, along the Tibet border area. Their language is also known as Galong.
Gamit
These tribes are found in Karnataka.
Gamti
This is one of the Bhil tribes that live mainly in the Surat and Broach districts of Gujarat, India. Among the Bhil, the word gamta means “headman,” possibly giving the Gamti a feeling of superiority over other Bhil tribes. They speak Gamti, which is one of the Bhil languages.
Garhwali
The Garhwali or the Central Pahari are a hardworking and often isolated people who are primarily located in the states of Uttar Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
Garos
The Garos or Achiks belong to the Bodo family of the Tibeto-Burman race and are found in Meghalaya. They are said to have migrated from Tibet.
Gonds
The Gonds comprise the largest tribal group in India. Historically, the Gonds were the most important group of the original Indian tribes. In the 1500’s, several Gond dynasties were established and their rajas or kings ruled like Hindu princes. The Gonds were conquered by the Muslim armies in 1592 but their tribes were not disturbed by the changes in administration.
Gongte
These tribes are found in Manipur.
Gosains
These tribes are found in Madhya Pradesh.
Gotte
These tribes, also known as Podia Koya, are found in the jungles of Madhya Pradesh. Their language is Podia Koya, which is a dialect of Koya.
Gracias
These tribes, known by different names like Garasia, Rajput Girasia, Dungri Grasia and Dhungri Bhili are found in Gujarat and Rajasthan. Their language is known as Garasia.
Gujjars
Known by names like Gujuri, Gujer, Gojri, Kashmir Gujari and Rajasthani Gujuri, these are semi-nomadic tribal people found in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, besides parts of Afghanistan and Pakistan. Their language is known as Gujuri (also called Parimu and Hindki). Some historians believe that the Gujjars were the inhabitants of Georgia (Gurjia) a territory situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea in the former Soviet Union. They left that area and migrated through central Asia, Iraq, Iran and Afghanistan, crossed the Khyber Pass and entered the Indian Sub-continent. Several settlements are named after them, e.g. Gujar (Central Asia), Juzrs (Gurjara), Gujrabad, Gujru, Gujristan, Gujrabas, Gujdar-Kotta, Gujar-Garh, Gujarkhan and Gujranwala in Iran and Afghanistan.