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Questions and Answers
Which tribal chief was made a noble (mansabdar) by Emperor Akbar in Punjab?
Kamal Khan Gakkhar
In which regions were the Langahs and Arghuns dominant before being subdued by the Mughals?
Multan and Sind
Which shepherd tribe lived in the western Himalaya?
Gaddis
Which famous general, serving under Akbar, defeated the Chero chiefdoms in 1591?
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Which tribe was spread across western and central India, with some becoming settled agriculturists and zamindars by the late sixteenth century?
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What distinguished tribes from other societies in the subcontinent?
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How did tribal groups control land and pastures?
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What was the relationship between caste-based societies and tribes?
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Why do contemporary historians and travelers have limited information about tribes?
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How did tribes make use of natural resources in the areas they lived?
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Study Notes
Tribes in the Subcontinent
- Many societies in the subcontinent did not follow the social rules and rituals prescribed by the Brahmanas and were not divided into numerous unequal classes.
- These societies are often called tribes, united by kinship bonds and obtaining their livelihood from various activities such as agriculture, hunting, gathering, and herding.
- Tribes controlled land and pastures jointly, dividing them amongst households according to their own rules.
Characteristics of Tribal Societies
- Many tribes were nomadic, moving from one place to another, while others were settled in forests, hills, deserts, and other hard-to-reach areas.
- Tribes preserved rich customs and oral traditions, passed down to each new generation, which contemporary historians now use to write tribal histories.
Tribal People in Different Regions
- Tribal people were found in almost every region of the subcontinent, with varying areas and influence of different tribes at different points in time.
- Examples of powerful tribes include:
- Khokhar tribe in Punjab during the 13th and 14th centuries.
- Gakkhars in Punjab, with their chief Kamal Khan Gakkhar made a noble by Emperor Akbar.
- Langahs and Arghuns in Multan and Sind, subdued by the Mughals.
- Balochis in the north-west, divided into many smaller clans under different chiefs.
- Gaddis in the western Himalaya, a shepherd tribe.
- Nagas, Ahoms, and others in the north-eastern part of the subcontinent.
- Chero chiefdoms in present-day Bihar and Jharkhand, attacked and defeated by Raja Man Singh in 1591.
- Mundas and Santals in present-day Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa, and Bengal.
- Kolis in Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Gujarat.
- Koragas, Vetars, Maravars, and others in the south.
- Bhils in western and central India, with some becoming settled agriculturists and zamindars, while others remained hunter-gatherers.
- Gonds in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Andhra Pradesh.
Nomadic Pastoralists
- Nomadic pastoralists moved over long distances with their animals, living on milk and other pastoral products.
- They exchanged wool, ghee, etc., with settled agriculturists for grain, cloth, utensils, and other products.
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Description
Test your knowledge on the different types of societies in the subcontinent, including tribes, nomads, and settled communities. Explore the social structures, livelihoods, and kinship bonds of these diverse groups.
