The Western Ghats, “Richest biodiversity hub”-The Tribes of Karnataka
The Indian State of Karnataka, once part of several kingdoms and princely states of repute in the Deccan peninsula is rich in its historical, cultural, and anthropological heritage. There are as many as 50 different tribes notified by the Government of India, living in Karnataka, of which 14 tribes, including two primitive ones, are primarily natives of this State. Interesting to note that most of these tribes who had been original natives of the forests of the Western Ghats have been privy to an enormous amount of knowledge about various medicinal plants and their use in traditional/folklore medicine and these practices have been the subject matter of various scientific studies. Kannada is the most widely spoken and official language of the State. Apart from Kannadigas, Karnataka is the home to Tuluvas, Kodavas, and Konkanis along with minor populations of Tibetan Buddhists. Goudalu, Hasalaru, Jenu Kuruba, Konda K...