Tribes of Eastern India
🗺️ States covered: Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal
Eastern India is home to some of India’s most isolated and vulnerable tribal communities, many of whom are classified as PVTGs (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups). These tribes often practice subsistence hunting-gathering, are linguistically distinct, and live in forested, hilly terrains with limited access to development.
🟠 Mankidia Tribe (🔴 PVTG)
- 🏞️ Habitat: Nomadic tribe in Odisha, especially in Simlipal Tiger Reserve.
- 🌳 Lifestyle: Known for monkey-catching skills.
- 📜 Etymology: “Mankada” in Odia means monkey, hence “Mankidia.”
- ⚖️ Issue: Fighting for habitat rights under the Forest Rights Act in core areas of a protected zone.
🧠 Note for UPSC Mains: This is a classic case of tribal rights vs conservation policy — a recurrent theme in UPSC GS2/GS3 essays and GS1 tribal geography.
🟠 Bonda Tribe (🔴 PVTG)
- 🏞️ Habitat: Live in the Khairaput hills, Malkangiri district, Odisha.
- 🚫 Isolation: Among India’s most isolated tribes, with minimal interaction with the outside world.
- 🛖 Settlement: Small hutment-based hamlets.
- 🌐 Border Overlap: Malkangiri shares boundaries with Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh.
🎯 UPSC Linkage: Bonda tribe connects key themes — PVTG status, hill ecology, health vulnerability, cross-border tribal geography.
📊 Other Tribes of Eastern Region — Snapshot Table
| Tribe | States | Category | Key Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Juang | Odisha | Austroasiatic | Hill tribe, culturally related to Munda groups |
| Kharia | Odisha, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh | Austroasiatic | Divided into Hill, Dhelki, and Dudh Kharia subgroups |
| Bhumij | WB, Odisha, Jharkhand, Assam, Bihar | ST (in some states) | “Bhumij” = Born from the soil, agriculturists |
| Savar (Saora) | Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, WB | 🔴 PVTG | Ancient hunter-gatherer tribe; skilled in Saura painting |
| Asur | Jharkhand | 🔴 PVTG, Austroasiatic | Mythologically linked to iron smelting, seen as descendants of Mahishasura |
| Parhaiya | Bihar, Jharkhand | 🔴 PVTG | Forest-dwelling, highly vulnerable tribe |
| Chero | Bihar, Jharkhand, UP | ST (in Jharkhand) | Feudal tribe with historical rulers (e.g., in Palamu region) |
| Birjia | Bihar, Jharkhand | 🔴 PVTG | Small population, nomadic tendencies, hunting-gathering livelihood |
🧠 Conceptual Linkages for UPSC Answer Writing:
| Theme | Integration Angle |
|---|---|
| Forest Rights Act | Mankidia and Bonda fight for habitat rights in core tiger zones — tribal rights vs environment |
| PVTG Health Crisis | COVID outbreak in Bonda and Didiayi tribes — reflects administrative neglect |
| Austroasiatic Languages | Common among Juang, Kharia, Asur, Birhor — unique linguistic geography |
| Cultural Identity | Saora paintings (Savar), smelting traditions (Asur), sacred groves (many tribes) |
| Ecological Sensitivity | All tribes dependent on hill-forest ecosystems, vulnerable to displacement |
🌱 Summary: Why Eastern Tribes Matter
- Odisha and Jharkhand have some of the highest PVTG concentrations in India.
- The region reveals intersections of language (Austroasiatic roots), ecology (hills/forests), and cultural isolation.
- Key debates emerge: Inclusion vs integration, development vs displacement, and modernity vs identity preservation.