Raji Tribe of Uttarakhand, India

Term Paper on

RAJI TRIBE OF UTTARAKHAND

Course: Indian Society, Structure and Changes,

SSS

Submitted by:                                      Submitted to:

Somya Bhardwaj(CGS- SL)                  Prof. Prakash Sahoo

Abstract

Effect of globalization is universal and its effect can be seen in every one of the parts of life Viz,  monetary, social, cultural, political, fund, wellbeing, sustenance and mechanical measurements of the world. In display time of logical advancements the procedure of globalization has brought the Raji in contact of outside society. Raji is one of the five tribes ( Raji, Bhotia, Tharu, Jaunsari and, Buxa) of Uttrakhand state in India and it has the status of PVTGs (Primitive Vulnerable Tribal Groups) as proclaimed by the goverment of India. The Raji tribe is one of the smallest tribes of India and is instructively and financially backward tribe of Central Himalayan locale of Pithoragarh and Champawat regions in Uttarakhand. The population constitutes around 679 people (0.27%) of the aggregate Tribal populace of Uttarakhand state. They are in a transitional stage between hunter gatherer and a pre-agricultural economy..

Introduction

Raji is minimal known group that came into light for the first time in 1823 by the official of Kumaun, C .W. Traill. The Raji additionally alluded to as Ban Rawat, Ban Raji or Ban Manus are little tribes of Kumaon hill, in the past were give in occupants and traveling hunter gatherers. Inside Kumaon, they are  more prominently called Ban Rawat, which actually signifies 'Lord of the Forest'. It is said that the Raji or Banrawats are relative of the ancient Kiratas, who were similarly prior settlers of the area than the Nagas or the Khasas. Atkinson (1882 ) said that these early tribes entered India by the same course as the Aryans and the Kiratas were the first of these others to arrive.

Kiratas were step by step removed from the area by the ruling effect of other ethnic groups, however their couple of relatives stayed in Kumaun and Nepal. A couple of decades back they carried on with an existence run of the mill of the Neolithic age, as buckle tenants and sustenance gatherers-subsisting on chasing, fishing and wilderness capture. A hardly any years back they are one of the not very many ancestral group as yet inhabiting caves. (Bora.H.S, 1988) Another early clarification bring up that the Raji have slid from the ancestery of the Raja of Kutpur, by whom they were removed for some blame. From that point forward they have been meandering about in the hills and woodland, living on wilderness deliver.( Atkinson. E. T, 1884. )By nature they are exceptionally modest and unapproachable. Earlier, they used to cut and trade wooden bowls and boxes for grain, material and so on with encompassing stationary Kumauni villagers. In any case, conditions have changed in the most recent quite a few years and Raji have surrendered quiet trade. Presently they fill in as workers, practice horticulture or on the other hand raise animals. The colossal weight of Hinduization, together with strain to have an inactive existence, has tremendously influenced their method for living, however one thing is clear, despite everything they stay away from socialization with neighboring Kunauni females.

Their population is distributed in two regions ofUttrakhand in particular Pithoragarh

and Champavat . Their population are scattered in ten villages on various the highest point of hill in both the areas. In Pithoragarh there are 9 Raji villages which speak to add up to 556 out of which 302 are males though 123 people live in Champavat region in a single village out of which 72 are males.

Social structure

The Raji's social association depends on both family relationship and regional standards .The Raji is additionally alluded as Ban Rawat, Ban Raji or Ban Manus . They were cave dwellers and nomadic hunter-gatherers. Raji society is spoken to by neclear family. Soon after marriage new couple makes another living arrangement that is the normal of neo-neighborhood living arrangement among Raji tribe. Parents by and large live with the eldest child or in independent family unit. The nuclear family commands Raji society, who calls themselves Hindu by religion .Social structure of the Raji society is exceptionally basic and society is partitioned into a few communities like, Kanyal, Rakal, Pachpaya, Badwal, Dayakori, also, Galdiyar

Each of community positions are equal and no discrimination i.e. social pecking order is found among them at the standing level. At rank level they are exogamous and amid the negotiation on marriage the castes are thought about. Every castehas its own particular Isht Devta. At the level of community they are endogamous. Their different lineages are exogamous units concerning marriage. The marriage age for a girl is 14 to 18 where as it is lying between 20-25 in the event of boys. Monogamy (a spouse will have just a single wife and the other way around for the duration of the life in the meantime) is another component of their way of life. In past the most prevalent method of mate securing was by arrangement which was trailed by Udal Viah. Negotiation is begun by the elders of the family and procedure of marriage is finished by Hindu priest. Subsequently, they have been Hinduised and take after all the stylized rituals of Hindus amid marriage service. Married ladies were identified by Bulaki (a ring of nose). Widow re-marriage does not exist. Remarriage is additionally missing. Rajis have an exceptional passing custom. Customarily they neither consume nor bury their dead however leave the body in the woodland to be devoured by wild creatures. Be that as it may, because of the procedure of Sanskritization , nowadays they either bury their dead or practice cremation.