🛖 Tribal Communities of UP

Tribal Population in UP — An Overview

Uttar Pradesh has one of the lowest Scheduled Tribe (ST) population shares among major Indian states, yet its tribal communities carry rich cultural traditions.

Statistic	Figure
ST population	~0.6% of UP's total population
Approximate number	~11–12 lakh (Census 2011)
Recognized STs	Multiple notified tribal communities under the Constitution
Concentration areas	Sonbhadra, Mirzapur (Vindhyan belt) and Terai (northern border)

The Scheduled Tribe list in UP took its present shape through later amendments as well, especially the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order (Amendment) Act, 2003, which is often mentioned in UP GK.

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Geographical Distribution

UP's tribal communities cluster in two distinct zones:

Zone	Region	Key Tribes	Terrain
Southern/Vindhyan	Sonbhadra, Mirzapur, Lalitpur, Chitrakoot	Kol, Gond, Agariya, Chero, Korwa, Baiga, Parahiya	Hilly, forested Vindhyan plateau
Northern/Terai	Lakhimpur Kheri, Pilibhit, Bahraich, Shravasti	Tharu, Buksa/Bhoksa	Sub-Himalayan marshy Terai belt

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Major Tribes of UP

Tharu — The Largest Tribe

Tharu is the largest tribal group in northern UP, inhabiting the Terai region along the Indo-Nepal border.

Aspect	Detail
Region	Terai — Lakhimpur Kheri, Pilibhit, Bahraich, Shravasti
Population rank	Largest tribe in UP's Terai region
Language	Tharu language (Indo-Aryan family, multiple dialects)
Occupation	Agriculture (rice, wheat), fishing, forest collection
Special feature	Often described as having long historical adaptation to the Terai environment
Religion	Hindu with strong animistic traditions, worship of local deities
Festivals	Maghi (Magh month new year), Holi, Diwali
Dance	Jhumar, Sakhiyan
Housing	Mud-and-thatch houses with distinctive architecture
Connection	Dudhwa National Park falls in Tharu homeland

Some Tharu oral traditions link their ancestry with Rajput lineages, but for exam purposes the safer memory point is their long association with the Terai environment and its forest-agricultural life.

Exam Tip: Tharu = Terai + largest northern UP tribe + long association with the forest-agricultural life of the Terai.

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Kol — The Vindhyan People

Kol is the largest tribal group in the Vindhyan region of UP, concentrated in Sonbhadra and Mirzapur.

Aspect	Detail
Region	Sonbhadra, Mirzapur, Prayagraj (southern fringe)
Population rank	Largest tribe in southern UP
Language	Local Hindi varieties and community speech traditions
Occupation	Agriculture, stone quarrying, forest produce collection
History	Kol identity is often discussed alongside early tribal resistance traditions in eastern-central India
Religion	Hindu with animistic practices
Social structure	Clan-based, strong community bonds

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Gond

Gond is one of India's largest tribal communities, with a presence in the Sonbhadra-Mirzapur belt of UP.

Aspect	Detail
Region	Sonbhadra, Mirzapur
Language	Gondi (Dravidian family) and local Hindi
History	Once ruled Gondwana kingdoms in central India
Occupation	Agriculture, forest produce, labor
Art	Gond painting tradition is associated with the wider Gond cultural world
Festival	Karma, Navakhani (new grain celebration)

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Agariya — The Iron Smelters

Agariya is a small but culturally significant tribe known for their traditional iron-smelting skills.

Aspect	Detail
Region	Mirzapur, Sonbhadra
Traditional occupation	Iron smelting and blacksmithing
Mythology	Oral traditions often connect them with fire and metal-working
Current status	Traditional smelting nearly extinct due to modern industry
Livelihood shift	Moved to agriculture and daily wage labor
Documented by	Ethnographer Verrier Elwin studied Agariya in detail

Exam Tip: Agariya = Iron smelting + Mirzapur + Verrier Elwin documentation.

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Chero

Aspect	Detail
Region	Sonbhadra
Historical significance	Ruled parts of Rohtas and Palamu in medieval period
Occupation	Agriculture, animal husbandry
Status	Once warrior rulers, now marginalized

Korwa

Aspect	Detail
Region	Sonbhadra
Classification	Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG)
Occupation	Forest-linked livelihood and marginal agriculture
Population	Very small, highly vulnerable

Buksa / Bhoksa

Aspect	Detail
Region	Bijnor district (Terai-Bhabar belt, near Uttarakhand border)
Occupation	Agriculture, animal husbandry
Language	Buksa dialect
Special feature	One of the few tribes in western UP

Sahariya

Aspect	Detail
Region	Lalitpur district (Bundelkhand)
Classification	PVTG (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group)
Occupation	Forest produce, agriculture
Name meaning	"Sahar" = forest — "people of the forest"

Baiga

Aspect	Detail
Region	Sonbhadra
Occupation	Shifting cultivation, forest produce
Special role	Often associated with traditional ritual and healing practices
Tattoo	Body tattooing is a known cultural marker in the wider Baiga tradition

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Other Smaller Tribal Communities Mentioned in UP Context

Tribe	Region	Key Feature
Parahiya	Sonbhadra	Hill-dwelling, forest-linked livelihood
Patari	Sonbhadra-Mirzapur	Small population, agricultural
Chero-linked groups	Southern UP context	Historically connected with the Vindhyan belt

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Master Reference Table

Tribe	Region	Primary Occupation	Special Feature
Tharu	Terai (Lakhimpur Kheri)	Agriculture, fishing	Long Terai adaptation
Kol	Sonbhadra, Mirzapur	Agriculture, quarrying	Largest in Vindhyan belt
Gond	Sonbhadra, Mirzapur	Agriculture, labor	Wider Gond cultural tradition
Agariya	Mirzapur	Iron smelting	Traditional metallurgists
Chero	Sonbhadra	Agriculture	Former ruling tribe
Korwa	Sonbhadra	Food gathering	PVTG status
Buksa	Bijnor	Agriculture	Western UP tribe
Sahariya	Lalitpur	Forest produce	PVTG status
Baiga	Sonbhadra	Shifting cultivation	Traditional healers

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Tribal Welfare Initiatives

Constitutional Provisions

• Article 342 — President notifies Scheduled Tribes for each state
• Article 275(1) — Grants for tribal welfare from Consolidated Fund of India
• Forest Rights Act, 2006 (FRA) — Recognizes tribal rights over forest land and resources

Government Schemes

Scheme	Benefit
Van Bandhu Kalyan Yojana	Holistic tribal development
Eklavya Model Residential Schools	Quality education for tribal children
ST scholarship schemes	Educational scholarships at all levels
TRIFED	Marketing support for tribal products
PM-JANMAN	Development of PVTGs

Exam Tip: Korwa and Sahariya are PVTGs (Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups) in UP — the most at-risk category.

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Summary Cheat Sheet

Fact	Answer
UP ST population	~0.6%
Largest tribe (Terai)	Tharu
Tharu special trait	Long adaptation to the Terai environment
Largest tribe (Vindhyan)	Kol
Iron smelting tribe	Agariya
PVTG tribes in UP	Korwa, Sahariya
Gond famous art	Gond painting
Buksa region	Bijnor district
Baiga special role	Traditional healers
Key tribal legislation	Forest Rights Act, 2006