Gond Tribe

About Gond Tribe:

• The Gond or Gondi (Gōndi) or Koitur are a Dravidian ethno-linguistic group.
• Distribution: The states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Odisha are home to the largest Gond populations. 
  • Gond tribes also live in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Jharkhand, West Bengal, and Gujarat.
• Gonds are mainly divided into four tribes, namely Raj Gonds, Madia Gonds, Dhurve Gonds, and Khatulwar Gonds.
• Language: 
  • The majority of Gond people speak dialects of Gondi, an unwritten language of the Dravidian language family. 
  • Some Gond have lost their own language and speak Hindi, Marathi, or Telugu, depending on which is dominant in their area. 
• Economy: The basis of the Gond economy is agriculture, but they also practice animal husbandry.  Some Gond also gather wild plants to eat. 
• Belief and Traditions
  • Religion: The religion of the Gond tribes centers on clan and village gods, together with ancestor worship.
  • Customs and Festivals: Keslapur Jathra and Madai are important festivals of the Gonds.