Tribes and Tribal Societies (Extra Questions)

Tribes and Tribal Societies (Extra Questions)

1. Give brief information about tribal community.

Large tribes thrived in different parts of the country. Kinship bonds were very important as members of each tribe were united by this bond. These tribes were divided into many clans which traced their descent from a common ancestor. They usually lived in relative isolation, in places far away from cities where it was difficult for others to reach. The tribes have their own distinct culture. The tribal societies preserved their rich customs and oral traditions, and passed them to the next generation.

2. Highlight the lifestyle of nomadic pastoralists.

Nomadic pastoralists moved from one place to another with their herds of goats and sheep, camels and cattle, lived on milk and other pastoral products produced by their animals. They exchanged wool, ghee, etc. with settled agriculturists for commodities such as cloth, grain, utensils and other products. They bought and sold these goods as they moved from one place to other.

3. List the names of major tribes of India found during the medieval period.

khokhars, Gakkhars, Langahs, Arghuns, Balochis, Gaddis, Nagas, Ahoms, Chero, Mundas, Santhals, Kolis, Berads, Koragas, Vetards, Marvars, Bhils.

4. Throw light on the system of government and paiks in Ahom Kingdom.

The Ahoms followed the system of government which was partly monarchial and partly aristocratic. The king was the supreme head of the State but he had to act according to the advice of the five hereditary councillors of State. The significant feature of the Ahom State was the system of forced labour (people were forced to work for the State). It is called paik. Each village had to send a number of paiks who would work on the basis of rotation. They served in the army during war and also participated in building dams, irrigation systems and other public works.

5.  Give information about religion and art in Ahom society.

 Initially, the Ahoms worshipped their tribal gods. With the increasing influence of the Brahmins, the king granted land to the temples and the Brahmins. Though Hinduism became a major religion during the reign of Sib Singh (1714 CE- 1744 CE), the Ahoms did not completely give up their traditional beliefs. Ahom society appreciated poets and scholars by granting them lands. They also encouraged theatre. Historical works also known as buranjis (Ahom chronicles) were first written in the Ahom language and later in the Assamese language. Many important Sanskrit works were translated into local languages.

6. What was the religion of the Ahom state?

Originally, the Ahoms worshipped their own tribal gods. But gradually they adopted the Vaishnava faith, then prevailing in the Brahmaputra valley. The kings granted land to the temples and Brahmanas. In the reign of Sib Singh (1714-1744), Hinduism became the predominant religion. But the Ahom kings did not completely give up their traditional beliefs after adopting Hinduism and kept a harmonious balance by also preserving their ancestral religion.

7.  State some characteristics of the tribal societies?

• Tribal societies are united by kinship bonds.

• There is no hierarchy among men and groups in tribal societies.

• Strong, complex, formal organisation are absent in tribal societies.

• Tribal societies have communitarian basis of land holding.

8. What is 'shifting agriculture'?Trees and bushes in a forest area are first cut and burnt. The crop is sown in the ashes. When this land loses its fertility, another plot of land is cleared and planted in the same way. This is called shifting agriculture.9. Who are nomadic pastoralists?Nomadic pastoralists are the people who travel long distances with their animals in search of fodder. They live on milk and other pastoral products. They also exchange wool, ghee etc. with settle communities for grain, cloth, utensils and other products.10.  Write a short note on the administrative system of the Gond kingdom.he Gonds comprise the largest tribal group in India. The large Gond kingdom was divided intogarhs. A particular Gond clan controlled each garh. Each garh was further divided into units of 84 villages called chaurasi. The chaurasi was subdivided into barhots which were made up of 12 villages each.11. What are Buranjis?Buranjis are a class of historical chronicles written in the Ahom and Assamese languages.12. Write a note on Garha Katanga.Garha Katanga was a rich state. It earned much wealth by trapping and exporting wild elephants to other kingdoms. When the Mughals defeated the Gonds, they captured a huge booty of precious coins and elephants. They annexed part of the kingdom and granted the rest to Chandra Shah, an uncle of Bir Narain.13.  What do you mean by transhumance?Transhumance is a practise followed by pastoral nomads. It is a kind of mobility zone in high mountains associated with pastoralists. During Summer these communities take their flock of sheep and cattle to higher mountains for gazing. During Winter they come down to lower reaches of mountains where they grow grass.14. Briefly describe the attacks on the Ahoms.

The main characteristics of the tribal societies are as follows:

 In the south-west the Ahoms faced many invasions. In 1552 under Mir Jumla, the Mughals attacked the kingdom. The Ahoms were defeated despite their strong defence. However the Mughals could not have direct control over them for a long time.

15. Who were the Cheros?

Chero chiefdoms had emerged in the present-day Bihar and Jharkhand by the 12th century. They were attacked and defeated by Raja Man Singh, Akbar’s famous general in 1591. Though large amount of booty was taken from them, they were not fully subdued by him. But the Mughal forces under Aurangzeb captured many Chero fortresses and they were ultimately subjugated.

16. What occupation did the Ahoms take up?

 During war almost all adult males served in the army. They were engaged in building dams, irrigation systems and other public works at other times. They introduced new methods of rice cultivation.

17. Describe the administration of the Gonds.

The administration system of these kingdoms was becoming centralized in nature. The kingdom was divided into garhs. A particular Gond clan controlled each garh. This was further divided into units of 84 villages known as chaurasi. The chaurasi was subdivided into barhots. Barhots were made up of 12 villages each. The emergence of large states led to changes in the nature of Gond society. The society which had equality in it gradually got divided into unequal social classes. The Gond rajas gave land grants to the Brahmanas. The Brahmanas hence became more influential. Now the Gond chiefs wished to be recognized as Rajputs. Hence Aman Das, the Gond raja of Garha Katanga, assumed the title of Sangram Shah.

17. Write in detail about the changes in the social aspects in the subcontinent during the period.

During the period that we have been examining, there were a lot of social changes. Varna-based society and tribal people interacted constantly with each other. This caused both the societies to adapt and change. There were variety of tribes and they were engaged in diverse occupations. Many of them, over a period of time, merged with caste-based society. There were, however some tribes who rejected both the caste system and orthodox Hinduism. Some tribes also organized extensive states and introduced well-organised systems of administration in them, hence gaining political power. This lead to conflicts between them and the larger, more complex kingdoms and empires.