Introduction

The people of South Asia includes a very large number of primitive tribes who subsist on hunting, fishing and simple form of agriculture. These people are called aboriginal tribes. The tribal groups are presumed to form the oldest ethnological sector of South Asian population. There are apparent cultural differences and traditional practices among the lifestyle of South Asian tribes, but historically, there is a basic unity in thought and philosophy among these people born and brought up in environment of diversity through length and breadth.

Content and Sources

This encyclopaedia includes tribal demography, their way of life, customs, mores and traditions, cultural characteristics and artistic inheritance. More than an academic exercise, this encyclopaedia represents a vast range of sources of both published as well as unpublished materials. In presenting this work, help is taken from the works of great anthropologists of distinction, especially, J.H. Hutton, S.C. Roy, and K.S. Singh.

Purpose and Scope

It is a pioneering attempt to provide a comprehensive research and study of the South Asian Tribes. This encyclopaedia is a vast collection of essays by more than a thousand renowned scholars. This series is for the benefit of students, teachers, and research scholars as well as laymen who wish to know the key aspects of tribal ethnography. The editor has brought here his keen experience in advanced research on tribal studies in India and abroad.