Context: Recently, the Gujarat High Court asked for a response from a power distribution company, the Ahmedabad district collector, and a residential society after 95 families of the Raj gond tribe sought HC directions for electricity connections to their households as they claimed they have been living in the city without electricity since 45 years.
About Gond Tribe
- The Gondi (Gōndi) or Gond (hill men) or Koitur are a Dravidian ethno-linguistic group.
- According to the 2001 census, their population was nearly 11 million making them one of the largest groups in India and the world.
- They are spread over the states of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Odisha and listed as a Scheduled Tribe (ST).
- They are subdivided into four tribes: Raj Gonds, Madia Gonds, Dhurve Gonds and Khatulwar Gonds
- Their staple food is two kinds of millet: kodo and kutki.
Language and Identification:
- The Dravidian Gondi language is related to Telugu and Many Gonds, speak regional languages like Hindi, Marathi, Odia and Telugu.
- Gonds men wear Dhoti and Women wear soft cotton saris along with the Choli or blouse.
Religion:
- Most Gondi people moreover practice Hinduism, or their indigenous religion, Koyapunem.
- They have priests (devari) who perform all the religious formalities on all occasions.
- They pay homage to the Gods of household, Gods of Cattle, and Gods of fields.
- Animal sacrifice on religious occasions is commonly practiced among the Gonds.
Customs and Festivals
- Festivals: Gonds fairs and festivals are influenced by Hindu traditions: Keslapur Jathra and Madai are their important festival and also celebrate Dusshera.
- Gusadi dance is the most famous dance performed by wearing head gears decorated with peacock feathers.
Art and Craft
- The Gonds are renowned for their vibrant and complex art forms, particularly traditional painting style known as Gond art.
- Gond paintings are characterized by their use of bright colors, intricate patterns, and depictions of nature and folklore.
- They create traditional crafts such as pottery, weaving, and beadwork.
Economy
- Originally, they were nomadic hunters and food gatherers later substituted with shifting cultivation and retaining.