Nation and Tribe – Udayan Chetia

India is a diverse country and is known for its Unity in diversity. India is home to many ethnic groups. About 705 ethnic groups are recognised as Scheduled Tribes in India. Arunachal Pradesh has 26 major Tribes as well as many smaller Tribes. Similarly, the rest of the states of India also have major Tribes as well as many smaller Tribes. In Central India, Scheduled Tribes are commonly referred to as Adivasis, which literally means indigenous people. The smallest Tribes by population is the Andamanese. There are many such ethnic groups in India. The caste system has certain structural characteristics. Restrictions on marriage, restrictions on occupation, restrictions on social relationships, etc; are some of the structural features of the caste system. Restrictions on marriage require each caste to marry within its caste group and a caste is divided into several sub-castes. Restrictions on occupations are a structural feature of the caste system. Occupations were usually associated with the caste system and each cast system must follow these occupations on a hereditary basis. Thus, there are many customs among the Tribes that are passed down from generation to generation. Different ethnic groups in different parts of India have their own customs, festivals, etc; from generation to generation. Some have sacrificed animals, celebrated festivals, and so on. But as time goes by, people are thinking less about their ethnicity. For example, people rarely go out to celebrate the national festival of Assam, Bihu, nowadays. It is not a bad thing that a custom like Sati is declining nowadays but if we forget to celebrate a festival like Bihu, it is a loss for the Assamese society. The new generation should be taught to embrace the festivals, customs etc. that can be embraced by different ethnic groups in different parts of India. In addition, we should remember that we should not quarrel or discriminate against each other in the name of caste and tribe. We must all unite to build a new India. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru used this famous phrase ‘Unity in Diversity’ in his book ‘Discovery of India’. This phrase is still used today as an expression of harmony and unity in between different regions and cultures. The Ahoms are a notable ethnic group in Assam. Similarly, many other ethnic groups like the Ahoms, lived in other parts of the country. The Ahoms are the Tai ethnic group. Draupadi Murmu is the 15th and current President of India who was born in a village called Uparveda in the state of Orissa to a Santhali tribal family. Many such individuals from ethnic groups like Draupadi Murmu have come forward for their country.