Page 25 - DSOC201_SOCIAL_STRUCTURE_AND_SOCIAL_CHANGE_ENGLISH

Rosy Hastir, Lovely Professional University
Kirandeep Singh, Lovely Professional University
Social Structure and Social Change

Notes Unit 2: Major Segments of Indian Society

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction
2.1 Tribal Life in India
2.2 Village Communities in India
2.3 Urban Communities in India
2.4 Summary
2.5 Key-Words
2.6 Review Questions
2.7 Further Readings

Objectives
After studying this unit students will be able to:
• Discuss Tribal Life in India.
• Explain Village Communities in India.
• Examine Urban Communities in India.

Introduction

The tribal population in India, according to the 1991 census, was 67.76 million. This was almost
equall to the population of the United Kingdom. The tribals formed 8.08 per cent of the country’s
total population (The Hindustan Times, July 11, 1995). At present, India has the second largest tribal
population in the world, next only to Africa. The tribes in India are spread over the length and
breadth of the country. They vary in strength in different states from a few hundreds to several
lakhs. The highest number of tribals according to the 1991 census are found in Madhya Pradesh
(15.4 million), followed by Maharashtra (7.3 million), Orissa (7 million), Bihar (6.6 million) and
Gujarat (6.1 million) (The Hindustan Times, July 11, 1995; also see, Crime in India, 1994:246). Of the
total tribal population of the country, a little more than three-fifths (62.75%) of tribals are found in
above-mentioned five states. In Mizoram, the tribal population constitutes 95 per cent of the total
population of the state, in Nagaland 89 per cent, in Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh 80 per cent
each, in Tripura 70 per cent, in Madhya Pradesh and Orissa 23 per cent each, in Gujarat 14 per
cent, in Rajasthan 12 per cent, and in Assam and Bihar 10 per cent each. Thus, in four states
(Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh) tribal population is more than 80 per
cent of the total population of the state.
The most numerically high are the Gonds (Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh)—
about 4 million, the Bhils (Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh)—about 4 million,
and Santbals (Bihar, Orissa and West Bengal)—more than 3 million. The smallest tribal community
is the Andamanese with the strength of only 19. The bulk of the tribal population regard themselves
as Hindus. Religion-wise, 89 per cent tribals are Hindus, 5.5 per cent Christians, 0.3 per cent
Buddhists, 0.2 per cent Muslims, and 5 per cent others. All those who regard themselves as
Hindus do not stand fully incorporated in the Hindu social order. In this context, the tribals can
be classified as: (i) those incorporated in the Hindu social order, i.e., who have accepted the caste
structure, e.g., Bhils, Bhumij; (ii) positively oriented towards the Hindu social order, i.e., though
they have adopted the ethos and symbols and the world-view of Hindus yet they have not included

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