Paper No. : 04 Indian Anthropology Module : 03 Indian People: racial, ethnic, linguistic and religious elements and distribution of people Development Team Principal Investigator Prof. Anup Kumar Kapoor Department of Anthropology, University of Delhi Paper Coordinator Prof. Anup Kumar Kapoor Department of Anthropology, University of Delhi Prof. Anup Kumar Kapoor Content Writer Department of Anthropology, University of Delhi Prof. Subir Biswas , Department of Anthropology, Content Reviewer West Bengal State University, Barasat, West Bengal 1 Indian Anthropology Anthropology Indian People: racial, ethnic, linguistic and religious elements and distribution of people Description of Module Subject Name Anthropology Paper Name 04 Indian Anthropology Module Name/Title Indian People: racial, ethnic, linguistic and religious elements and distribution of people Module Id 03 2 Indian Anthropology Anthropology Indian People: racial, ethnic, linguistic and religious elements and distribution of people CONTENTS 1. Introduction. 2. Racial elements in India. 3. Ethnic elements in India. 4. Religious element in India. 5. Linguistic element of India. 6. Languages specified to schedule viii to the constitution of India. 7. Conclusion. OBJECTIVES 1. To determine the racial element of India. 2. To determine the ethnic element of India. 3. To determine the religious element of India. 4. To determine the linguistic element of India. 5. To understand the variation in people of India in different geographical regions. Introduction INDIA is a Multicultural country. The study of different socio-cultural and genetic variability defined the population of India more appropriately. India is the world's second most populous nation (after China). Its ethnic composition is complex, but two major strains predominate: the Aryan, in the north, and the Dravidian, in the south. India is a land of great cultural diversity, as is evidenced by the enormous number of different languages spoken throughout the country. Although Hindi (spoken in the north) and English (the language of politics and commerce) are used officially, more than 1,500 languages and dialects are spoken. The Indian constitution recognizes 15 regional languages (Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Marathi, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu). About 80% of the population is Hindu, and 14% is Muslim. Other significant religions include Christians, Sikhs, and Buddhists. There is no state religion. India is a fascinating country where people of many different communities and religions live together in unity. Indian Population is polygenetic and is an amazing amalgamation of various races and cultures. People of different groups in India living here for hundreds or even thousands of years and correspondingly try to maintain their individual identity even by living side by side. 3 Indian Anthropology Anthropology Indian People: racial, ethnic, linguistic and religious elements and distribution of people Also, Anthropologist‘s commitment towards the grasping of different information and the dynamics of communities and populations. India with 1000 million people is one of the world‘s top twelve mega diversity countries. Different groups are present in India, like from stone-age food gatherers to agriculturists. They also engaged in mechanized and chemicalised agriculture, mechanized fishing, tapping off shore oil and natural gas, running atomic power plants and producing computer software. According to Bhasin and Walter (2001); India is a homeland of over 4000 populations, 3700 endogamous groups are structured in Hindu caste system as ‗JATIS‘ and a 1000 of Mendelian Population which are autochthonous and religious communities. Thus, India offers a cauldron where the processes of unification as well as fragmentisation are unceasingly taking place. Racial elements of India Racial groups Although, there are no strict rules to diversify different races; but Anthropologists distinguish groups on the basis of common origin, living in certain defined regions and different characteristic features on the basis of geographical regions. Modern man, biologically uniform in basic features (for example; upright posture, well-developed hand and feet, absence of bony eyebrow etc.). Scientists depict all human beings into single species i.e. Homo sapiens. However, differentiation in groups can be seen on the basis of different geographical regions. Complexity of Indian population by the continuous influence of other new racial elements from outside can be manifested by the classification of different racial elements by different Anthropologists. CLASSIFICATION OF DIFFERENT RACIAL ELEMENTS OF INDIA CLASSIFICATION FEATURES ANTHROPOLOGISTS 1. SIR HERBERT (a.) Dravidian Morphological Features: Skin Color – HOPE Very Dark; Hair - Dark and Curly; RISLEY(1915) : It is Head - Long ; Eyes - Dark ; Nose on the basis of physical Form - Very Broad; Stature- characters based on nine anthropometric Short height. measurements of 5784 Distribution: Madras, Hyderabad, 4 Indian Anthropology Anthropology Indian People: racial, ethnic, linguistic and religious elements and distribution of people individuals. Paniyans of South India, Santals of Chota Nagpur. (b.) Indo-Aryan Morphological Features: Skin Color - Fair; Hair-Brown to Black,Wavy to Curly; Head - Long; Eyes-Dark; Nose Form -Long, and Narrow; Stature- Tall. Distribution: Inhabitants of Rajasthan, Punjab, Kashmir represented by the Rajputs, Khattris and Jats. (c.) Mongoloid Morphological Features: Skin Color - Dark with Yellowish tinge; Hair – Dark and Straight; Head - Broad; Eyes- Oblique and Epicanthic Fold; Face - Broad; Nose Form- Fine to Broad; Stature-Short to Below Medium height. Distribution: Kannets of Lahul, Kulu, Lepchas, Limbus of Nepal. (d.) Aryo-Dravidian (results Morphological Features: Skin Color - in admixture between Aryan light brown to dark; Hair - Dark Brown males and Dravidian to Black, Wavy to Curly; Head- Long Females) with tendency towards Medium; Eyes - Dark; Nose Form - Medium to Broad; Stature - Short to Medium height. Distribution: Uttar Pradesh, parts of Rajputana, Behar and Sri Lanka. (e.) Mongolo-Dravidian Morphological Features: Skin Color - Dark; Hair - Black, Wavy Hair; Head - Broad to Medium; Eyes – Dark; Nose Form- Medium to Broad; Stature - Short to Medium. 5 Indian Anthropology Anthropology Indian People: racial, ethnic, linguistic and religious elements and distribution of people Distribution: Bengali Brahmins and Kayasthas, Mohammedans. (f.) Scytho-Dravidian Morphological Features: Skin Color - Fair; Head -Dark Brown to Black, Wavy to Curly; Head- Medium to Broad; Eyes- Dark; Nose Form- Medium; Stature - Medium Distribution: Western India, including the Maharashtrian Brahmins, Kunbis and Coorgs. (g.) Turko-Dravidian Morphological Features: Skin Color - Fair; Hair-Medium Brown to Black, Wavy to Curly; Head – Broad; Eyes - Dark, Grey; Nose Form -Fine to Medium; Stature-Tall. Distribution: Baluchis, Brahuis, Afghans. 2. GIUFRIDA- (a.) Negrito Veddas and Kadars of South India. RUGERRI(1921) (b.) Pre-Dravidian or Santal, Ho, Munda, Oraons. Australo-Veddic (c.) Dravidian Tamil and Telegu speakers. (d.) Tall Dolicocephal Toda group (e.) Delicocephalic Aryan Indo – Afghans, Indo-Iranian. (f.) Brachycephalic Armenians, Georgeanus etc. Leucoderm 3. A.C. (a.) The Himalayan Region Morphological feature: Skin Color- HADDON(1924) Olive Brown to Coppery Brown; Hair - Coarse in texture; Head - Broad; Face - Broad; Nose Form - Short and flat, Eyes - Narrow, Oblique; Stature - 6 Indian Anthropology Anthropology Indian People: racial, ethnic, linguistic and religious elements and distribution of people Short and body. Distribution: people of Nepal, Bhutan, Sikkim, Assam (i.) Indo-Aryan Morphological feature: Skin Color- Brown with varying shades; Head- Long; Nose Form- Long; Stature- Tall. Distribution: Kanets of Kulu valley. (ii.) Mongoloid Distribution: dominates in North Eastern India like Lepcha, Garo, Naga, Khasi. (b.) The Northern Plains or Hindustan Region Indo-Afghan Morphological Features: Skin Color - Light Brown; Hair – Black and Wavy; Head – Long; Face - Long; Eyes - Dark; Nose Form - Fine and prominent; Stature - Medium to Tall. Distribution: Jats, Rajputs (c.) The Southern Plateau or The Deccan Region (i.) Negrito Morphological features: Head- Medium; Nose Form- Flat; Skin Color- Dark; Hair- Black; Eyes- Brown. Distribution: Kadars of Cochin, Urallis of Nilgiri Hills, Andamanese. (ii.) Pre-Dravidian Morphological Features: Skin Color- Dark Brown to Black; Hair – Dark and Curly; Head – Long; Eyes - Dark; 7 Indian Anthropology Anthropology Indian People: racial, ethnic, linguistic and religious elements and distribution of people Nose Form – Broad; Stature- Short. Distribution: Bhil, Gond, Oraon, Santal (iii.) Dravidian Morphological Features: Skin Color - Brownish Black; Hair – Dark; Head – Long; Eye -Dark; Nose Form- Medium; Stature -Medium. Distribution: Malayams, Telegu, Tamil, Cancrease, speakers. (iv.) Southern Morphological Features: Skin Color - Brachycephals Brown; Head- Medium to Broad; Nose Form -Medium. Distribution: Panyan in Tamil Nadu, Pavara of Tinnevelly Coast. (v.) Western Morphological Features : Skin Color - Brachycephals Light Brown; Head- Broad; Nose Form- Long; Stature – Tall. Distribution: Nagar Brahmans of Gujarat; people from Gujarat to Coorg. 4. EGON FREIHERR (a.) Weddid or Ancient Primitive people living in the Forest. von EICKSTEDT Indians (1934)