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Rajasthan is a home to many tribes who have very
interesting history of origin, customs and social practices. So much so that
even today they are fart distinct from the 'civilised' society around them.
While a few tribes are medieval in their origin, mainly due to events in
history, there are a few who date their origin back to one of the oldest
prehistoric civilisations in world viz. the Indus valley civilisation.
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History
From the beginning of man’s presence in the area
that is now called Rajasthan, till around 1400 BC, the Bhil and Mina tribes
roamed and ruled the land. The Aryan invasion, represented by horse drawn
chariots and superior bows and arrows, seems to have tyrannised tribal
migration to the south and the east. Pushed into the natural hideout forests
and the ancient and craggy Aravalli ranges, the Bhil and the Mina tribes
survived more easily. They were respected by the Sakas, Kusanas, Abhiras,
Hunas and others. Quite a large number of these invaders are now covered by
the blanket term Rajput whose royal lineage stood upon the ruins of the
Gurjara (Pratihara Empire). All too naturally, the warrior- invaders fitted
the Aryan material caste of Kshatriyas which in time came to be divided into
36 rajputs clans.
The camouflaged existence of Rajasthan’s original
inhabitants certainly isolated them from the main stream, keeping them
unaware of the changes. Today, they may be considered a backward people but
that does not, in anyway, call for any pejorative interpretations of their
primitivism.
The various tribes of Rajasthan are:
Bhils
The bow men of Rajasthan
Minas
The militant defenders
Lohars
The nomadic blacksmiths
Garasias
The fallen Rajputs
Sahariyas
The jungle dwellers
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