West Bengal is now home to about 5.3 million tribal people; they form five per cent of the total tribal population of India. In the state itself, they comprise 5.80 per cent of the total population. In fact, it can be said that of the people of Bengal, one in every 17 belongs to a tribal community. It is this little-known world of the tribals that this book presents. Contemporary stories and photographs, taken by the author, bring alive many incidents in the lives of these fascinating people.
Tribal Bengal: Life in the Sub-Himalayan Terai Duars is divided into two parts—Indo-Mongoloids and the Proto-Australoids and Others. Each chapter offers glimpses of the tribal people, their customs and celebrations, the languages spoken and their lifestyle. These are some of the earliest people in the subcontinent who are struggling to combat with the changing socio-economic scenario of the country. This book is an intimate witness to their day-to-day life, amid joys and sorrows. |
