Review: Hamari Adim Jatiya

Summary

This review evaluates Hamari Adim Jatiya (Our Primitive Tribes) by Bhagwan Das Kela and Akhil Vinay, a Hindi work introducing India’s aboriginal peoples. The reviewer notes that India’s tribal population numbers about twenty‑five million and encompasses numerous distinct groups, making a popular synthesis both necessary and challenging. The book provides an accessible overview of the tribes’ demographics, varieties and cultural practices, drawing on existing anthropological research while acknowledging that much remains to be done. It examines the tribes’ manners and customs and explores their prehistoric connections with mainstream Indian culture. The authors stress that unlike colonial regimes in other continents, Indo‑Aryans did not exterminate indigenous peoples; instead, tribes were assimilated, creating complex social and political legacies. A second part of the book suggests policies and programmes for administrators and leaders to improve tribal welfare and integrate these communities into the national fabric. The reviewer endorses the book as a valuable resource for the general public, arguing that greater understanding of tribal customs will foster cultural integration and help address the social challenges facing tribal communities.