By Preeti Singh
Jharkhand ‘s Tribal Origin History in brief
In ancient times Chota Nagpur was totally covered with forest area . The plurality of mountains and forests attracted primitive tribes to settle here . The most ancient tribe in Jharkhand were “Asuras “ also the Khadia and Birhor . After few times it is believed that Korba, Munda ,Oraon and Ho tribes came and settled in this region. Rather than afterwards the tribes who settled in Jharkhand were Chero , Kharwar, Bhumij and Santhal.
The Asuras were the oldest primitive tribe to be inhabiting in Jharkhand residing in Chota Nagpur regions since Neolithic period to later Vedic period. Present days blacksmith are descendants of them only. Like Asuras , Khardias, Birhors are the oldest tribes inhabiting in Jharkhand . The Mundas and Oraons have been dominant tribes inhabiting in Jharkhand. It is also believed that Mundas peoples have destroyed the Asuras culture in Jharkhand . Munda tribes are believed to come from Tibet and lived in southern Bihar for some times.
Later they settled in chota nagpur area after being opposed by Oraon, Chero and Kharwars . “Mundas” Belonged to Jarasandha and joined Kauravas army in Mahabharata war. The Mundas were lead by Madra Munda. Madra Munda appointed a person named “Sutiya Pahan” as the leader of the Munda Tribes. Sutiya Pahan named the region as Sutiya khand after himself and later Munda Tribes established the “Nagvansh”.The Oraons tribes which are believed to be related to the Dravidians have come from south India .The Basis of them association with the Dravidians is linguistic familiarity as their language is found to be similar with with “Kudkh and Kannada “due to which they came to be known as “Karukh”
Meanwhile the other tribes such as Kharwars, Cheros , Kol etc were the tribes residing in Palamu area .Bhumij, Santhal, Bhuiya tribes were also living in Chota Nagpur since ancient times . Ho-Tribes also lived in palamu region. Linguistic and traditional similarity of Ho tribes resembles them of being Mundas.
