8. Tribes and Their Traditions

CORE Key Points at a Glance

1. 1

   ST Population of Rajasthan

   • Scheduled Tribes constitute 13.48% of Rajasthan's population
   • Census 2011 count: 92.38 lakh persons
   • Rajasthan ranks 6th among all states in absolute ST population
2. 2

   Bhil and Meena — The Two Dominant Tribes

   • Bhil is the largest tribe — 39% of state ST population
   • Bhil concentration: Banswara, Dungarpur, Udaipur, and Rajsamand
   • Meena (Mina) is second-largest at 26%, found across eastern Rajasthan from Jaipur to Sawai Madhopur
3. 3

   Saharia — Rajasthan's Only PVTG

   • Saharia (Baran district) is Rajasthan's only Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG)
   • One of 75 PVTGs nationally
   • Characterised by pre-agricultural economy, low literacy, and declining/stagnant population
4. 4

   Baneshwar — The Tribal Kumbh

   • Baneshwar fair falls on माघ पूर्णिमा (January–February), Dungarpur
   • Largest tribal fair of Rajasthan — 3–5 lakh Bhil and Garasia tribals attend
   • Held at the confluence of Som, Mahi, and Jakham rivers — called the "tribal Kumbh"
5. 5

   Nata Pratha — Customary Re-marriage

   • Nata pratha (नाता प्रथा) is a customary re-marriage/divorce practice among Bhils and Meenas
   • A woman can leave her husband and live with another man after paying a "nata price"
   • The arrangement is announced at a community gathering; children from the nata union are legitimate
6. 6

   Dapa Pratha — Bride Price

   • Dapa pratha (दापा प्रथा) is the Bhil custom of bride price
   • Groom's family pays the bride's family — opposite of the mainstream dowry (dahej) system
   • Common also among Garasias
7. 7

   Gavri — Bhil Ritual Folk Theatre

   • Gavri (गवरी) is a Bhil ritual folk theater performed annually for 40 days (August–September)
   • Performed after Raksha Bandhan, re-enacting episodes of Shiva mythology
   • Designated as an Intangible Cultural Heritage candidate
8. 8

   Constitutional Framework for Tribes

   • Article 342 empowers the President to specify Scheduled Tribes
   • Fifth Schedule provides for Tribes Advisory Council (TAC) and reservation of ST-dominated areas
   • PESA Act 1996 extends gram sabha powers to Scheduled Areas
9. 9

   Forest Rights Act 2006

   • Grants individual and community forest rights to tribals in occupation of forest land
   • Cutoff date: occupation before 13 December 2005
   • Individual Forest Rights (IFR): up to 4 hectares per household
10. 10

    Tribal Sub-Plan (STC)

    • Tribal Sub-Plan (TSP) — renamed Scheduled Tribe Component (STC)
    • Mandates that funds from general sectors be allocated proportional to ST population
    • Rajasthan's TSP allocation for 2024–25: approximately ₹18,000 crore
11. 11

    Garasia — Unique Marriage Customs

    • Garasia tribe is unique for Chhod pratha (wife-leaving custom) and Morum pratha (trial marriage)
    • Census 2011: approximately 3.09 lakh Garasias in Rajasthan
    • Predominantly found in Sirohi, Abu Road, Pali, and Udaipur districts
12. 12

    TRIFED and Van Dhan Vikas Kendras

    • TRIFED (est. 1987) forms the primary institutional framework for tribal economic empowerment
    • Van Dhan Vikas Kendras (VDVKs) launched 2018–19 for Minor Forest Produce (MFP) marketing
    • Rajasthan has 88 VDVKs operational as of March 2025
13. 13

    Bishnoi — Environmental Conservation Legacy

    • Bishnoi community (classified OBC, not ST) has preserved Khejri trees and wildlife since 1730 CE
    • The 363-martyr Amrita Devi Bishnoi massacre (Jodhpur, 1730) is the world's first recorded organized environmental movement
    • Directly relevant to the tribal-environment nexus in Rajasthan
14. 14

    Scheduled Area Coverage in Rajasthan

    • Rajasthan has 2 fully Scheduled Area districts: Banswara and Dungarpur
    • Partial Scheduled Area coverage in Udaipur, Sirohi, Rajsamand, Pratapgarh, and Baran under the Fifth Schedule
    • PESA provisions apply in all Scheduled Area zones