ABSTRACT
The chapter examines the conditions of the tribal situation in India under three broad subheadings, viz., Tribesmen during the Ancient and Medieval periods in India, Tribesmen during the British period, and Tribal Policies in Free India. First, it deals briefly with the conditions of the tribesmen during the ancient and the medieval periods combined. With regard to the ancient period, there is no written proof but abundant references of tribal people in the ancient scriptures, especially in the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, are ample testimony of the presence of the tribesmen and their life and culture in ancient India. With regard to the tribesmen during the medieval period, we obtain ample proof of their cordial relationships with the Hindu kings. Although, some isolated conflicts between the tribesmen and the Muslim rulers in India are reported, by and large, tribal life and culture and their autonomy as such remained least affected during the entire ancient and medieval periods. But, with the advent of the British in India, it is as if, all hell broke loose in the otherwise peaceful tribal world of the country, and the cordial coexistence of the tribesmen with the non-tribals, as also with the British rulers, began to deteriorate. As a result, throughout the predominantly tribal areas in the country, a series of revolts by the tribesmen ensued against the British administration, local rulers, Zamindars, and moneylenders. Tribal people and their plight during the British Raj in India are dealt with in the chapter in some detail. Thereafter, follows a discussion of the tribal policies in free India. And finally, the issues and challenges of tribal administration in post-independence India has been discussed.
