Vol. 5, Issue 1, Part A (2023)

Tribes are groups of people who still live in traditional ways and are largely unknown in today's society. There are several indigenous communities spread out over India and the rest of the globe. The Himalayan belt, Western India, the Dravidian region, and the Andaman, Nicobar, and Lakshadweep islands are home to the largest tribal populations, while the states of Bihar, Bihar, Orissa, and Madhya Pradesh in the country's center are home to more than 55 percent of the overall tribal population. D.N. Majumdar defines a tribe as a social group composed of individuals who share a common language or dialect and who recognize a social divide from members of other tribes or castes. One notable group, the Santhal, makes up more than half of India's tribal population. The research explores the Santhal populations in India's Birbhum area in an effort to shed light on the nation's upbeat tribal status, and it also uncovers interesting insights into the Santhals' diet, religious traditions, social system (including marriage), and levels of knowledge. One of the major factors influencing progress and shifts in lifestyle is social transformation. According to L.M. Lewis, tribal communities have a narrow morality, religion, and world view because of their tiny size, limited spatial and temporal range of social, legal, and political relations.