CONTEMPORARY RELIGIOUS STATUS AMONG INDIAN TRIBES Dr. Manishkumar Mansukhbhai Jansari Assistant Professor in Sociology, Shree Bhikhabhai Patel Arts College, Anand, Gujarat Pin – 388001 Mail: [email protected] Mo: 9173725350 ABSTRACT: The tribal community has been living in the world from the origins, particularly in the Africa, Asia, America and Australia continents. It can be noted that they found principally in Eastern continent while most of them found in the Africa continent and later in the India. Different tribes have been living in different regions of India from ancient times. We find that the tribals are an integral part of the Indian civilization. The Scheduled Tribes are notified in 30 States/UTs and the number of individual ethnic groups notified as Scheduled Tribes is 705. The tribal population of the country, as per 2011 census, is 10.45 crore, constituting 8.6% of the total population. They have specific characteristic including tribal religion, is the most primitive type of religion found in human society. Animism, Bongaism, Naturalism, Totemism, Taboo, Magic, Ancestor Worship and Polytheism are characteristics of the traditional religion of Indian tribes. But with the contact to civilized society they have been pursuance major religions of India which have exposed through the Census data. The present article proposes to analyze data of Census, 2011 about the religious status of Indian tribals. Key Words: Tribes, Tribals, Scheduled Tribes, Religion, Religious Status, Conversion, Hindu Religion, Christianity INTRODUCTION: present good account about the peopling of India. Man and society have been the subjects of All these emphasize that India is inhabited by the study in India from time immemorial. The several types of tribes or people. The tribal India Manusmriti gives an exhaustive social and lives in the forest hills and naturally isolated structural account of the people of India. India is regions known as a rule by different names known to be a vast country with scanty population meaning either the people of forest and hill or the in the prehistoric age. During that period there were original inhabitants and so on. The popular names small groups of people scattered throughout the are: Vanyajati (castes of forest), Vanvasi country in different regions having a characteristic (inhabitants of forest), Pahari (hill dwellers), look and life style. The tribal community has been Adimjati (original community), Adivasi (first living in the world from the origins, particularly in settlers), Janjati (folk people), Adimjati (primitive the Africa, Asia, America and Australia continents. people), Anusuchit Janjati (scheduled tribe) and so It can be noted that they found principally in on. Among all these terms Adivasi is known most Eastern continent while most of them found in the extensively and Anusuchit Janjati (scheduled tribe) Africa continent and later in the India. Different is the constitutional name covering all of them.” tribes have been living in different regions of India (Vidyarthi & Rai, 1976, pp.25-26) from ancient times. As aboriginals they lived in this The constitution of India grouped these country and have seen the rise and fall of the ethnic groups together as targets for social and several empires. They have participated in several economic development. Since that time, the battles, either supporting the local rulers or Adivasi of India has been known officially as resisting them. Scheduled Tribes. The report of Statistical Profile CONCEPT: of scheduled Tribes in India 2013, has described “We find that the tribals are an integral that “Article 366 (25) of the Constitution of India part of the Indian civilization. Various elements in refers to Scheduled Tribes as those communities, ancient civilization of India were contributed by the who are scheduled in accordance with Article 342 tribals. In the ancient literature of India their of the Constitution. This Article says that only names, in the ancient language, the Sanskrit, would those communities who have been declared as such appear to have been, respectively (i) Nishadas, by the President through an initial public Sabaras, Bhils and Kollas (ii) Kiratas and (iii) notification or through a subsequent amending Act Dasas, Dasyus, Sudras, Dramidas and Dravidas. of Parliament will be considered to be Scheduled The ancient and epic literatures, the Vedas, the Tribes. Article 342 provides for specification of Puranas, the Ramayana and the Mahabharat, tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups Page | 66 Research Guru: Online Journal of Multidisciplinary Subjects (Peer Reviewed) Research Guru: Volume-14, Issue-2, September-2020 (ISSN: 2349-266X) within tribes or tribal communities which are then explains the contemporary religious of Indian deemed to be for the purposes of the Constitution tribal through data of Census of India, 2011. the Scheduled Tribes in relation to that State or TRADITIONAL RELIGIOUS LIFE OF Union Territory. In pursuance of these provisions, INDIAN TRIBES: the list of Scheduled Tribes are notified for each Religion and Caste have been the two State or Union Territory and are valid only within great determinants of the Indian history, politics the jurisdiction of that State or Union Territory and and social structure or organization. “Belief in the not outside. The list of Scheduled Tribes is existence of superhuman or supernatural powers is State/UT specific and a community declared as a almost universal. Experiences of certain day-to-day Scheduled Tribe in a State need not be so in sudden happenings, of disease, death and the another State. The essential characteristics, first unexplainable, have led tribal people into believing laid down by the Lokur Committee, for a in other then the material visible world, i.e., in the community to be identified as Scheduled Tribes are invisible spirit word or supernatural power. They (a) indications of primitive traits, (b) distinctive have established a kind of close relationship culture, (c) shyness of contact with the community between themselves and this power by adjusting at large, (d) geographical isolation and (e) themselves to it in two ways, first by controlling or backwardness. There are certain Scheduled Tribes, overpowering spirit by enchanting or practicing 75 in number known as Particularly Vulnerable some techniques and canalizing the power, for Tribal Groups (PVTGs), who are characterized by: good or bad, and for acquisition of the thing or (a) pre-agriculture level of technology, (b) stagnant object desired. We call the former magic and the or declining population, (c) extremely low literacy latter religion. In the tribal magic is actually an and (d) subsistence level of economy. The integral part of their religion and magical practices Scheduled Tribes are notified in 30 States/UTs and may be included as a method of propitiation. The the number of individual ethnic groups notified as tribal world picture presents the Supreme Being or Scheduled Tribes is 705. The tribal population of Sing Bonga, or the Bhagwan or Dharmesh as the the country, as per 2011 census, is 10.45 crore, creator of this earth and of the mankind. The tribal constituting 8.6% of the total population. 89.97% India has a rich stock of tribal myths and legends of them live in rural areas and 10.03% in urban and the sacred occasions are explained by some areas. The decadal population growth of the tribals myth or the other. The clan, the place and the from Census 2001 to 2011 has been 23.66% against village, all have something mythological behind the 17.69% of the entire population.” (The Ministry them.” (Vidyarthi & Rai, 1976, p.236) Indian tribal of Tribal Affairs, 2013, p.01) religion is the most primitive type of religion found Of course, there are regional differences in human society. The important characteristics of according to their population in India. Most of Indian tribal religion and religious beliefs as population of the North-Eastern small state likes, follow. Mizoram (94.4%), Nagaland (86.5%) and Animism: The term tribal religion is applied today Meghalaya (86.1%) are tribal. Their highest to religion previously called animism. “The tribal population is subsequently in the Madhya Pradesh religion in India has long been described as (1,53,16,784), Maharashtra (10,51,02,132), Orissa animistic. Animism is that exceedingly crude form (95,90,756) Rajasthan (92,38,534) and Gujarat of religion in which magic is predominant element. (89,17,174) states. It is notable that the Haryana This animistic belief is rather a universal feature of and Punjab states as well as Chandigarh and the tribal have. For them, all spots and places are Pondicherry UTs and NCT of Delhi, have no holy as they are the seats of spirits. Animals, population of STs. The two tribes, Bhil and Gond, plants, trees, ponds, rivers, stones, hills or together constitute nearly 22% of the total mountains are all abodes of spirits. The dead are no Scheduled Tribes population. exception to this rule as they still exist through soul REASERCH METHOD: or are reborn in the shape of offspring. Among the The present article “Contemporary sacred beliefs the faith in spirits is most common Religious Status among Indian Tribes” is based on with the tribals and thus animism.” (Vidyarthi & the library method. Whatever data analyzes is Rai, 1976, p.239) Santhals, Munda or Oraon, derived from secondary source of data i.e. the Chenchu, Birhor, Bhils and others have believed in books, reports and various websites. First of all it Animism. explicates the nature of traditional religious life and Bongaism: “Bonga may rightly be called the Indian parallel of the Melanesians term Mana. Ho, Page | 67 Research Guru: Online Journal of Multidisciplinary Subjects (Peer Reviewed) Research Guru: Volume-14, Issue-2, September-2020 (ISSN: 2349-266X) Munda and other tribes of Chhotanagpur give The Santhals and Kharia have clans named after ample indications of their strong belief in one plants or animals or material objects.