Roughly 8.6 per cent ofIndia's population is made up of "Scheduled Tribes" (STs), traditional tribal communities. In India those who are not Christians, Muslims, Jews, or Zoroastrians are identified as Hindus. The reason being varied beliefs and practices allowed in Hindusim and according of Hindusim as a geographical identity than merely Religious ones. Though, many of the Scheduled Tribes have modes of worship not typical to mainstream Hindusim but ontologically form part of the cultural practices of the land, as Nature or ancestral worship, with varying degrees ofsyncretism.[citation needed]
According to the2011 census of India, about 7.9 million (7,937,734) out of 1.21 billion people did not adhere to any of the subcontinent's main religious communities ofHinduism,Islam,Christianity,Sikhism,Buddhism, orJainism. The census listedatheists,Zoroastrians,Jews, and various specified and unspecified tribal religions separately under the header "Other Religions and Persuasions".[1]
Of these religious census groupings, the most numerous areSarna (4.9 million respondents),Gondi (1 million),Sari Dharam (506,000),Donyi-Poloism (331,000);Sanamahi (222,000) andKhasi (139,000), with all other religions numbering less than 100,000 respondents, including 18,000 for "tribal religion", 5,600 for "nature religion", and 4,100 "animists".[1] The Scheduled Tribes account 89.39% (7,095,408) of total ORP in India.[2]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1871 | 5,102,823 | — |
| 1881 | 6,426,511 | +25.9% |
| 1891 | 9,280,466 | +44.4% |
| 1901 | 8,584,148 | −7.5% |
| 1911 | 10,295,168 | +19.9% |
| 1921 | 9,774,611 | −5.1% |
| 1931 | 8,280,347 | −15.3% |
| 1941 | 25,441,497 | +207.3% |
| 1951 | 4,985,645 | −80.4% |
| Note:Colonial census data contain discrepancies due to changing political boundaries, unrecorded areas, varied methodologies, and administrative priorities of the era, wherein the religious beliefs of diverse tribal groups were clubbed under single general category, such as Animist or Tribal religion. The post-independence census publishes returns for each religious belief separately. Source: Census of India[3] | ||
| Religious belief | Population | State/UT (significant five) | ST Adherent (%) | Primary ST Adherents (significant five) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sarna | 4,957,467 | 99.98% in: Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal, Bihar, Chhattisgarh | 92.61 | Santal,Oraon,Ho,Munda,Lohar |
| Gond/ Gondi | 1,026,344 | 99.97% in: Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand | 98.45 | Gond,Pardhan,Baiga, Agaria,Generic tribe |
| Sari Dharma | 506,369 | 100% in: West Bengal | 97.42 | Santal,Kora,Bhumij,Mahli,Generic tribe |
| Doni Polo/ Sidonyi Polo | 331,370 | 99.96% in: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam | 98.79 | Nyishi,Galong,Adi,Tagin,Apatan |
| Sanamahi | 222,422 | 99.95% in: Manipur | 0.32 | Kabui,Maring,Generic tribe |
| Khasi | 138,512 | 99.98% in: Meghalaya | 98.23 | Khasi,Mikir,Dimasa,Generic tribe |
| Adivasi | 86,877 | 96.32% in: Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat | 94.94 | Oraon,Gond,Halba,Kharwar,Bhil |
| Niamtre | 84,276 | 99.98% in: Meghalaya | 96.05 | Khasi,Synteng,Pawi,Generic tribe |
| Adi Dharam | 82,255 | 100% in: Odisha, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal | 97.46 | Oraon,Nagesia,Korwa,Gond,Munda |
| Adim dhamm | 57,022 | 99.98% in: Chhattisgarh | 97.48 | Gond,Halba |
| Atheist | 33,304 | 82.15% in: Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu | 46.43 | Khasi,Bhil,Garo |
| Bidin | 29,553 | 98.76% in: Jharkhand | 98.89 | Santal,Sauria Paharia,Mal Paharia,Generic tribes |
| Adi | 24,381 | 98.73% in: Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh | 96.25 | Oraon,Kolha,Nagesia,Gond,Kisan |
| Songsarek | 19,834 | 99.84% in: Meghalaya | 97.13 | Garo,Generic tribe |
| Yumasam | 19,093 | 99.86% in: Sikkim, West Bengal | 92.68 | Limboo,Limbu (Subba),Generic tribe |
| Tribal religion | 17,393 | 96.84% in: Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh | 83.52 | Mishmi,Nocte,Kaman/Miju Mishmi, Miji |
| Rangfra | 10,598 | 100% in: Arunachal Pradesh | 96.46 | Tangsa, Longchang Tangsa,Naga,Moglum Tangsa, Taisen Tangsa |
| Heraka | 9,956* | 99.95% in: Manipur, Nagaland, Assam | 122.2 | |
| Santal | 6,485 | 99.11% in: West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar | 84.19 | Santal,Generic tribe |
| Nature Religion | 5,635 | 98.49% in: Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand | 92.28 | Khond,Gond,Mal Paharia,Korwa,Baiga |
| Bahai / Bahais | 4,572 | 58.81% in: Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Odisha, West Bengal | 11.81 | Kunbi,Kokna |
| Nani Intiya | 4,528 | 100% in: Arunachal Pradesh | 98.9 | Mishmi |
| Animist | 4,130 | 98.26% in: Sikkim, West Bengal, Nagaland | 11.07 | Naga |
| Dupub | 3,326 | 99.97% in: Odisha, Jharkhand | 97.9 | Ho,Kol,Kolha |
| Birsa | 2,395 | 99.87% in: Jharkhand | 97.66 | Munda |
| Fralung | 2,381 | 100% in: Assam | 4.07 | Generic tribe |
| Pagan | 2,088* | 99.95% in: Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland | 106.37 | Garo,Poumai Naga,Naga |
| Baiga | 1,884 | 99.79% in: Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh | 96.92 | Baiga |
| Tadvi | 1,786 | 99.1% in: Maharashtra | 96.64 | Bhil,Dhanka |
| Nocte | 1,511 | 99.47% in: Arunachal Pradesh | 97.49 | Nocte |
| Sarnam | 1,494 | 99.8% in: Jharkhand, Odisha | 93.04 | Bhumij |
| Ho | 1,418 | 95.77% in: Jharkhand, Odisha | 84.41 | Ho |
| Nyarino | 1,365 | 100% in: Arunachal Pradesh | 96.92 | Aka |
| Budhadeo | 1,345 | 99.18% in: Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh | 67.88 | Gond |
| Bhil | 1,323 | 98.34% in: Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan | 67.57 | Bhil |
| A.C. | 1,317 | 94.76% in: Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu | 67.81 | Bhil |
| Traditional religion | 1,239 | 98.87% in: Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh | 95.8 | Mikir |
| Intaya | 1,208 | 99.92% in: Arunachal Pradesh | 99.34 | Mishmi |
| Tana Bhagat | 1,108 | 99.91% in: Jharkhand | 96.39 | Oraon |
| Oraon | 1,091 | 82.68% in: Jharkhand, West Bengal | 82.13 | Oraon,Generic tribe |
| Munda | 1,086 | 96.32% in: Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha | 87.02 | Munda |
The tribal people observe their festivals, which have no direct conflict with any religion, and they conduct marriage among them according to their tribal custom. They have their own way of life to maintain all privileges in matters connected with marriage and succession, according to their customary tribal faith.[citation needed] In keeping with the nature ofIndian religion generally, these particular religions often involve traditions ofancestor worship or worship of spirits of natural features.[5]
The various tribes can be categorised into different major linguistic groupings, such asIndo-Aryan,Dravidian,Austroasiatic,Tibeto-Burman, andAndamanese.[6]
About 25% of theMunda people andOraon people, and 60% of theKharia people of Jharkhand (population about 130,000), are Christian. Altogether, 43% ofKharia population is Hindu while 46% is Christian. However, almost two-thirds (63%) of theSanthal, over 40% ofMunda andHo tribal population are Hindus. Tribal groups in theHimalayas were similarly affected by bothHinduism andBuddhism in the late 20th century. The small hunting-and-gathering groups in the union territory ofthe Andaman and Nicobar Islands have been under severe pressure of cultural assimilation.[7]
According to the Indian legal system, all the native orindigenous religions of India fall broadly under Hinduism, since the constitution does not classify onlyVedic religions asHinduism as used in the colloquial norm. The term"Hindu" is derived from Persian meaning "Indo" (or Indian), hence the official word "Hinduism" broadly refers to all the native cultures of the Indian subcontinent. The 1955 Hindu Marriage Act "[defines] as Hindus anyone who is not aChristian,Muslim, orJew".[8]
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