Mahadev Koli Tribe

Mahadev Koli Tribe Latest News

Long before climate adaptation became a global priority, the Mahadev Kolis of Maharashtra’s Western Ghats were tracking seasonal shifts, using native medicinal trees, and living by principles that kept forests and communities healthy. 

About Mahadev Koli Tribe

• Mahadev Koli or Mahadeo Koli are a subcaste of the Koli community of the Maharashtra and Goa states of India.
• They derive their name from their god, Mahadev, and live in the Mahadev hills of Maharashtra, mostly in the Pune, Ahmednagar, and Nasik districts.
• They are classified as a Schedule Tribe.
• They speak Marathi and use the Devanagari script. 
• There are twenty-four exogamous clans among the Mahadev Koli, and they use their clan’s names as their surnames.
• They resemble the Kunbi and the Maratha communities in matters of dress and appearance. They live in nuclear families.  
• Occupation: 
  • Traditionally hunter-gatherers and warriors, the community today is largely engaged in agriculture. 
  • Families cultivate rice, finger millet, barnyard millet, and wheat while also rearing livestock and producing dairy products. 
• Beliefs: 
  • Their primary religion is Folk Hinduism.  
  • Members of each clan have their own deity.
• They possess extensive knowledge of local flora. The community uses 51 native tree species belonging to 41 genera and 25 plant families to treat a wide range of ailments.  
• Tanaji Malusare, a revered general in Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s army, hailed from this community.  His valor in the Battle of Sinhagad is legendary.

News: BI

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