Nomads and Settled Communities

The Nomads and settled communities emerged in the medieval age when the social, political & economic dimensions of the local civilizations expanded due to the development of novel techniques of agriculture, hunting, manufacturing, etc. The Indian society was divided into several socially differentiated classes, i.e. Varnas according to the several professions adopted by the different social groups such as Brahmin, Vaishya, etc, However, the nomads and tribal communities denied the social regulations imposed by Brahmanas and adhered to the ancestral and cultural bonds that historically existed within their communities. The different nomads and settled communities discussed within the scope of the notes include the pastoral nomads, the Gonds, the Ahoms, etc.

EMERGENCE OF TRIBAL COMMUNITIES IN ANCIENT INDIA:

The social groups belonging to tribal-based systems were known to not follow the already existing social norms and control frameworks. They were primarily dependent on agriculture for their survival in the forest lands, but some members of these communities adopted other professions such as herders, hunter-gatherers, etc. The nomadic tribes were known to practice ‘shifting cultivation’ and, hence, traveled from one place to another in large groups to produce different varieties of plants in the region. The caste-based societies discriminated against the marginalized nomads and tribes because their lifestyle was in contradiction with their religious and cultural values. Examples of certain powerful tribal-based communities include the Khokhar from Punjab, Arghuns from Multan, Kolis and Beads from Gujarat, Gonds from Chhattisgarh, and Bhils from Central India.

HISTORY OF PASTORAL NOMADS:

The pastoral nomads thrived upon the practice of ‘pasturing and rearing domestic animals and thereby thrived upon the milk-based products like ghee, milk, cream, etc. The barter system was prevalent in medieval times and thus, the practice of exchanging milk-based products in exchange for grains, pottery, and clothes was dominant between the nomadic tribal communities and the farming communities. The pastoral tribes like Gonds, Bhils, etc. developed the practice of rearing animals like cows, horses, etc., and later sold them to the richer classes of the society.

CHANGES IN THE SOCIAL STRUCTURES OF ANCIENT INDIA:

The Sufi and Bhakti movement spread rapidly in the northern parts of ancient India which endorsed the maintenance of inter-caste peace and harmony among the culturally multifaceted and geographically diverse populations of the subcontinent through the values of equality, dignity, and justice. However, the spread of Islam in the region deepened the communal lines between the different social groups but, eventually by the emergence of the social practice of marriages between the Rajputs and Muslims, the unity of the people in the subcontinent was strengthened in the medieval ages. The perpetual growth of the economy and market led to the development of several new tribal identities and Jatis based upon the occupational backgrounds of the social groups.

EMERGENCE OF RAJPUTS

The Rajputs ruled the north-western parts of the Indian Territory. Several wars were fought between the Rajput armies and Mughal invaders during the medieval history of India. These communities were inclusive of the rich cultural heritage of ancient India. They were known for their valor and bravery in the different wars that were fought after the emergence of rajputs across the Northern frontiers of the Indian Subcontinent. 

HISTORY OF THE GONDS TRIBE IN ANCIENT INDIA:

The Gonds were largely inhabited in the Northern and Central portions of the sub-continent, and were known for the development of agricultural practices like “Shifting Cultivation”. The local dialect used by these nomadic tribal communities was Gondi, which also spread among other smaller communities’ social and cultural practices. The decline of the Delhi Sultanate marked the rise of the Gonds which rebelled against the injustices of the foreign invaders. In the 15th century, the south-eastern region of current Madhya Pradesh emerged as the capital of “Gondwana”.

HISTORY OF THE AHOMS TRIBE IN ANCIENT INDIA:

The Ahoms tribe is infamously referred to as South-Asian immigrants that entered the subcontinent through the forest lands of Assam, which led to the cultural and social fusion of the traditions and social practices of the local Assamese communities and the Ahoms tribes. Ancient India witnessed the establishment of transport networks such as roads and an advanced irrigation system by the Ahoms that brought the scientific and mechanical knowledge from their native places to India. The Ahoms were known as ‘warrior classes’ that ruled the North-Eastern regions of the subcontinent and thus, there was a historical conflict over administration between them and the Bhuiyans, who originally inhabited the tribal regions of Assam. It must be understood that the rise of the kingdom of Ahoms came at the expense of the destruction and suppression of the older political systems that were prevalent in ancient India.

CONCLUSION

Conclusively, this article has revolved around the cultural practices, traditional heritage and social systems of the different types of indigenous nomad communities and native groups in the ancient Indian society. We have also discussed the social aspects of the economic structures, land acquisition policies, interpersonal relationships of the various Indigenous communities like the Ahoms, the Gonds, the Kolis, the Rajputs, etc.