Bhil Tribe : In News
About 12 families of Bhils have alleged that the Vasantdada Sugar Institute (VSI) is trying to demolish their homes and displace them from the land where they have been residing for generations.
- Bhils are considered as one of the oldest tribes in India.
- They are the most widely distributed tribal groups in India.
- The name ‘Bhil’ is derived from the word villu or billu, which according to the Dravidian language is known as Bow.
- They could be identified as one of the Dravidian racial tribes of Western India and belong to the Australoid group of tribes.
- They are mainly divided into two main groups: the Central and Eastern or Rajput Bhils.
- The Central Bhils are found in the mountain regions in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan.
- Bhils are also found in the north eastern parts of Tripura.
- Nearly all of the Bhil engage in agriculture, some using the slash-and-burn (jhum) method but most employing the ploughs.
- Language: They speak Bhili, which is an Indo Aryan language.
- Almost all Bhils practice ethnic religions that have been highly influenced by Hinduism.
- Most of them worship local deities like Khandoba, Kanhoba, Bahiroba, and Sitalmata.
- Some worship the Tiger God called ‘vaghdev’.
- The Baneshwar fair is the main festival celebrated among the Bhils.
- This fair is held during the period of Shivratri and is dedicated to Baneshwar Mahadev also known as Lord Shiva.
