Gond Tribe

Gond Tribe Latest News

The Gujarat High Court recently sought a response from a power distribution company, the Ahmedabad district collector, and a residential society after 95 families of the Rajgond tribe sought HC directions for electricity connections to their households.

About Gond Tribe

• The Gond or Gondi (Gōndi) or Koitur are a Dravidian ethno-linguistic group. 
• They are one of the largest tribal groups in India. According to the 2001 census, their population was nearly 11 million.
• Distribution: 
  • The states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Odisha are home to the largest Gond populations. 
  • Gond tribes also live in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Gujarat.
  • Gonds are mainly divided into four tribes, namely Raj Gonds, Madia Gonds, Dhurve Gonds, and Khatulwar Gonds.
• History:
  • Gonds settled in the Gondwana region in the ninth and thirteenth century AD. 
  • In the fourteenth century they ruled several parts of central India. 
  • They built a number of forts, palaces, temples, tanks, and lakes during the rule of the Gonds dynasty. 
  • The Gondwana kingdom survived till the late 16th century. 
  • Gond dynasties ruled in four kingdoms – Garha-Mandla, Deogarh, Chanda, and Kherla – in central India. 
  • Gonds have been warriors since the British period.
  • During the British regime in India, Gonds challenged the Britishers in several battles. 
  • They also gained control over the Malwa after the decline of the Mughals followed by the Marathas in the year 1690.
• Language: 
  • The majority of Gond people speak dialects of Gondi, an unwritten language of the Dravidian language family. 
  • Some Gond have lost their own language and speak Hindi, Marathi, or Telugu, depending on which is dominant in their area. 
• Economy: The basis of the Gond economy is agriculture, but they also practice animal husbandry.  Some Gond also gather wild plants to eat. 
• Religion: The religion of the Gond tribes centers on clan and village gods, together with ancestor worship.
• Customs and Festivals:
  • Keslapur Jathra and Madai are important festivals of the Gonds. 
  • Apart from this, they also celebrate Hindu festival called Dusshera.

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Gond Tribe FAQs

Q1. Where is the Gond tribe located?

Ans. The Gond tribe is primarily concentrated in the central regions of India, especially in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Odisha.

Q2. How many types of Gonds are there?

Ans. Gonds are mainly divided into four tribes, namely Raj Gonds, Madia Gonds, Dhurve Gonds, and Khatulwar Gonds.

Q3. What are the four Gond kingdoms?

Ans. Gond dynasties ruled in four kingdoms – Garha-Mandla, Deogarh, Chanda, and Kherla – in central India.

Source: TOI