Native Tribes-Our Great Teachers!!

I conducted a one-week training workshop on Puppetry at Nizamabad. Two Gonds tribe youth who are pursuing their higher education also accompanied me. I was moved by their involvement, commitment, and sincerity.

Gonds tribes (Tribes known as Adivasi) are spread across Telangana, Maharashtra, and are also in Madhya Pradesh. They speak the Gondi language--it's new and quite funny. Interestingly, the Gondi language belongs to the Dravidian family of languages and is related to Tamil and Kannada.   I liked the language and as an eager language learner, I am now learning this language at a low pace. I love their music and songs.

During my interaction, I could gather lots of information about the harmonious living nature of these Gonds, Eco-friendly practices, culture, eating habits, and so on.

Let me introduce the two young Gonds One Mr. Soyam Bheemarao --I call him "Doctor"- he has a good working knowledge of medicine (he has worked with pharmaceutical shops and doctors). He is also very good at giving treatment for normal ailments like fever, cough, cold, vomiting, nausea, and stomach upset. He has a good presence of mind and gets very well with anyone and everyone. He is quite witty and many like him for his instant sense of humour. he is pursuing his M.B.A. IVth Sem and is quite social. The other one is Mr. H K Puneesh. Patel (he likes to be called Punith).  He has completed his M.A., and B.Ed and is now taking competitive exams coaching. He is a good dancer and has travelled from Jammu & Kashmir to Andaman and Nicobar Island along with the troupe in presenting "Gusadi", "Dimasa" and Gond's Tribe dance.

A unique feature common to all tribes is they have a flare to dance and both males and females join together and dance during festivity, marriage, or during tribal cultural meet.

Adilabad District of Andhra Pradesh is a Hub of Gonds, Kolams, Andha, Pradhan, Thoti, Nayakpod, and other primitive tribes. Gonds dominate in number over other tribes. According to Pradhan-Subsect of Gond tribes are professional storytellers -oral narrators about them. The origin of Gonds is believed that after giving birth to the childless mother abandoned them and it was the goddess Parvati rescued them, but her consort Sri Shambhu Mahadev (Shiva) who kept them captive in a cave. Pahandi Kapar Lingal, a Gond hero, who received help from the goddess Jangu Bai, rescued them from the cave. They came out of the cave in four groups, thus laying the foundations of the basic fourfold division of Gond society. Lingal also is responsible for creating a Gond kinship system and establishing a group of great Gond gods.

Each Gond village has a headman (known as mukhia, or patel ) and a village council -panchayat chosen by the villagers. The council consists of the headman, priest, village watchman, and four or five elders. It helps keep the village running smoothly and upholds Gond's customs.

These tribes does not practice female child infanticide or foeticide instead pregnant woman is cared and protected from spells of evil influences.

An eligible Gond bachelor can choose their marriage mates, and a tribal council approves the matches. The father of a groom pays a bride price. Gond weddings include many significant ceremonies. Similarly, Gonds allow widows to remarry a brother of the deceased husband. Basically, Gonds love eating animal flesh during ceremonies and during sacrificial done to God and Goddess. Again, Gonds must give up on eating the flesh of some animals that are their clan totems. Like in Punesh's house, they don't eat "Mutton"

Below are the pictures of  Soyam Bheem Rao and HK. Puneesh who are Post Graduate. They are the first generation who underwent schooling and now eagerly working in order to safeguard their cultural heritage.

Well, these tribes also safeguard trees, animals, and respect nature and worship them!!!


well, now both HK Puneesh and Soyam Bheem Rao got married this summer of 2014.

Due to the district's reorganization in October 2016, Adilabad was divided into four districts: Adilabad, KumramBheem Asifabad District, Mancherial District, and Nirmal District.