Medieval India Tribes & Kingdoms PDF

## Council Some people depend on forest products and cattle-rearing. There were not many artisans among them for whom they depended on the neighboring kingdoms. The Ahom society showed interest in culture, literature, plays, and theatre shows. The rulers and moneyed people patronized poets and sch...

## Council Some people depend on forest products and cattle-rearing. There were not many artisans among them for whom they depended on the neighboring kingdoms. The Ahom society showed interest in culture, literature, plays, and theatre shows. The rulers and moneyed people patronized poets and scholars. They got many Sanskrit works translated into local dialects. A few historical works called *buranjis* describe the real life or things that existed in those days. These works appeared in the Assamese language. ## The Bhils The Bhils constitute the second-largest tribal group in the country. They are also called the Bhil Garasia. The Bhils are concentrated mainly in a few districts of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Rajasthan. The word Bhil seems to have been derived from the word *Bhil* meaning a bow's *yoha*. We have already referred to their historical role against the Mughals. They provided military assistance to Rana Pratap in his struggle against the Mughals. It is a very ancient tribe. We find references in the *Mahabharata* and the early AD 1818 when Khandesh came under the British, the Bhils revolted against the British rulers. But they were suppressed. The main source of livelihood of the Bhils is agriculture. They also depended on forest products and hunting. They celebrate Holi with great enthusiasm. Superstitions, magic, and old beliefs form an integral part of their religion and culture. ## Summary of the Lesson * Social life in the middle ages: The caste system was very dominant both in north and south India. In the middle ages it had become quite rigid. * Sati, child marriage, and polygamy were prevalent in India. The Muslim society also had its own caste or class structure. * There are hundreds of tribal groups in India. Some of the tribes live a settled life. Others have been nomads continuously moving and having no permanent home. * Their main problems are poverty, backwardness, illiteracy, and seclusion. The government took many steps to promote the welfare of the tribals. There exists reservation for them in the Union and State legislatures and also in government services. * The Gonds lived in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, and central India. The central region came to be called Gondwana. A number of Gond kingdoms flourished in Gondwana between fifteenth and eighteenth century. * The most powerful of the Gond kingdoms was Garh Katanga. Akbar conquered this kingdom. * The Gonds were traditionally agriculturists. Each Gond clan has its own deity. * Assam derives its name from the Ahoms. They belonged to Mao-Shan tribe of China. They overran Myanmar (Burma) and occupied Kamarupa region. Sukhapha was the first prominent Ahom ruler. The Mughals tried to establish control over Kamarupa or Assam but they failed. At last the Burmese overran their territory but later lost it to the British. ## The Gonds * **Economy:** The Gonds were traditionally agriculturists. Some of them practised slash and burn cultivation. The Gonds depend mainly on agriculture for their livelihood. They also taken up some semi-skilled jobs. * **Administration of the Gond Kingdoms:** In the middle ages, the Gond kingdoms were divided into units of administration called *gorh* which was governed by a particular clan. Each *gorh* was divided into villages for effective management. Each clan *Fachaurasi* consisted of a group of villages. For an effective arrangement of their own affairs, each *chaurasi* was divided into *barhots*. Each *barhot* was a group of 12 villages which managed its own resources. * **Society:** The Gonds follow their own religion. Each clan has its own *panchayat* to preside over its affairs. *Boro Deo* is an important deity. A form of *panchayat* system is found in the village. In the Bastar region, *Boro Deo* customary rules regarding *mana* system has not been accepted by the Gonds. Petty crimes are usually settled by *panchayats*. The new Panchayati Raj System has not been accepted by the Gonds. ## The Ahoms of Assam The kingdom of Ahom was situated in the eastern Brahmaputra valley. It included present day territory of Assam and North Bengal. Assam derives its name from the Ahoms. The Ahoms belonged to Mao-Shan tribe of China. They began to migrate to upper Myanmar (Burma) and then gradually entered India. They occupied a portion of the Brahmaputra valley in the thirteenth century after defeating the local chiefs. * **The Kingdom of the Ahoms:** The Ahoms established a strong kingdom which lasted for six centuries. The first prominent Ahom ruler was Sukhapha. He probably ruled between AD 1228 and AD 1268. The Ahoms came under Hindu influence and adopted Hindu religion and customs. The Mughals under Shah Jahan tried to expand their empire. They fought against the Ahoms. Peace was achieved by fixing the borders between the Mughal dominion and the Ahom territory. But this peace was shortlived. Taking advantage of the war of succession between the sons of Shah Jahan in his last days, the Ahoms violated the frontier. They occupied Gauhati and drove away the Mughal officers. * **The Administration of the Ahom Kingdom:** The Ahom kingdom was a strong centralized state. The rulers at the Centre gave out instructions to all the other regional authorities. The Ahom rulers believed in a system of forced labor. During war times, all adult males were officially required to join the army. When the kingdom had peace, the menfolk were forced to engage themselves in projects such as building dams across the rivers in order to make lakes behind them. In this way, they could always have water to irrigate their fields. Other public works including building of roads, fortress, etc. Under this system of forced labor, each village was required to send a number of persons called *paik* by rotation for building dams that were built by the Ahoms. ## The Ahom Society The Ahoms originally worshipped a number of tribal deities. But during the seventeenth century, they were Hinduized and adopted Hindu religion and customs. Under the influence of Hinduism, the Ahom rulers made gifts of money and land to the Brahmins and temples. Like other tribal societies, the Ahoms were also divided into various clans. They married in their own clan. They depended mainly on agriculture for their livelihood. Land could be deprived of his land without the approval of the village community. ## The Nomads and the Mobile People The nomads or *jants* were dependent on pastoral economy. They kept sheep and cattle. They were continually moving from place to place to find fresh pasture for their cattle. Their caravan of cattle-pulled carts was known as *tanda*. They used to supply wool, ghee, and other milk-products to settled agriculturists. In exchange, they used to get from them grains, cloth, and other things of domestic use. Ala-ud-din Khalji forced the Banjaras to employ their cattle for transporting grains to city markets. When the Mughals invaded south India, the foodgrains were supplied to their troops by these nomad traders. That is how the Banjaras migrated to Andhra Pradesh and other adjoining areas in southern India. They eventually settled down in Deccan and followed various professions. But many sections among them continued to travel from place to place. They made and sold things such as small iron tools, ropes, mats, and baskets. ## Development of the Tribes The tribals mainly follow primitive occupations, such as hunting and gathering of forest produce. Many of them practise shifting agriculture or cultivation. Their problems are illiteracy, poverty, and backwardness. The tribe tends to be exploited by moneylenders. Making of liquors is a permissible activity among the tribal families that makes them weak both physically and economically. Under the Constitution of India, certain tribes have been mentioned as Scheduled Tribes (ST). There is reservation of seats in the Lok Sabha and State Assemblies for ST. Some posts in government services are also kept reserved for them. Non-tribals cannot purchase any property in the tribal belt. The tribals are simple and honest people. There is need for closer understanding of their customs and needs. ## Case Study: Gonds The Gonds or the Gondi people lived in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, western Odisha, and central India. They were concentrated in the central region which came to be called Gondwana or the Land of Gonds. The term Gond is derived from a Telugu word *Konda* meaning 'hill'. They speak Gondi dialect, which is related to Telugu and other Dravidian languages. Many of them speak Indo-Aryan languages including Hindi. A number of Gond kingdoms flourished in Gondwana between fifteenth and eighteenth century. Many Rajput dynasties also ruled over some of the Gond regions between sixth to twelfth century. In the fifteenth century, there were at least five powerful Gond kingdoms in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The Gond kings had lot of wealth and resources. They had impressive palaces and forts. The most powerful of the Gond kingdoms was Garh Katanga which consisted of 70,000 villages. It was governed by Rani Durgavati on behalf of her minor son. She was a lady of great valour. The immense wealth of the kingdom attracted the Mughal emperor Akbar. He sent Asaf Khan, the Governor of Eastern Provinces to conquer the kingdom. Rani Durgavati fought bravely but was defeated. She committed suicide in order to save her honour. She died a soldier's death. Asaf Khan held the kingdom for some time but later it was restored to a relative of the old ruling family. The Marathas crushed the power of Gond kingdoms later the British occupied their territory in AD 1817. After independence, they were merged with Madhya Pradesh. ## New Words to Remember * **Nomads:** The members of a tribe who move from one place to another to find food, shelter. * **Sati:** A Hindu custom of a widow burning herself on the funeral pyre of her husband. It was abolished long ago. * **Assimilated:** To become a part of a group, community or nation. * **Pastoralism:** Caring and rearing of animals like camels, goats and cattle. * **Tribes:** Denote primitive families or communities united by racial bonds and sharing the same customs, religion, language, etc. They depend on agriculture, hunting, and forest products for their livelihood. ## Social Change: The Settled Communities Indian society not only consisted of indigenous people, but also a large number of people who came from outside. They settled down in India and got assimilated in Indian population. During the medieval period, the Turks, the Afghans, and the Mughals came from Central Asia. They made India their homeland. ## Social Life in the Middle Ages Due to the influence of the Muslim rulers and their soldiers, many of our people also became Muslims. They adopted their customs and modes of dressing. **The Hindus:** The Hindus formed the vast majority of the population. Their social structure was knit around the caste system. The Brahmins, the Kshatriyas, the Rajputs, and the Vaish community enjoyed a higher status in society. The Rajputs had become very powerful from eleventh century onwards. They were known for their acts of heroism. They took pride in protecting the honour of women. Sati was practiced by the Rajput women. The caste system had become very rigid during the medieval age. Many new castes and sub-castes associated with various occupations sprang up, such as weavers, blacksmiths, carpenters, fishermen, and potters. There were also the people who were considered social outcastes. The practice of untouchability was the main cause why