Aspirant Academy

History

Key Points at a Glance

Tribes and Their Traditions

Paper I · Unit 1 Section 1 of 14 0 PYQs 47 min
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Key Points at a Glance

  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. 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. 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. Baneshwar — The Tribal Kumbh

    • Baneshwar fair falls on (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. Nata Pratha — Customary Re-marriage

    • Nata pratha 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. Dapa Pratha — Bride Price

    • Dapa pratha 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. Gavri — Bhil Ritual Folk Theatre

    • Gavri 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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