Question

Do you think the change in society brought about a social change amongst the tribal people? Trace the changes in the Gond society keeping the above statement in mind.

Answer 1

Instructions:
This answer to this question can be answered in two parts:

1. How change in societal structure, tribal societies also underwent change.
2. Case study of Gonds

Solution:

• Yes, the change in the society did bring about a social change in the tribal people. The Gonds were one such tribal community which underwent a change in its societal structure. Original inhabitants of the forested land called Gondwana, the Gonds were known to practise shifting cultivation. The Gond tribe was further divided into clans wherein each clan had a raja or rai.
• The equal society which the Gonds had, gave way to unequal social classes with time. The Gond rajas gave land grants to the Brahmanas which made the latter more influential. The Gond chiefs now wanted the status of Rajputs for themselves. So, Aman Das, the Gond raja of Garh Katanga, adopted the title of Sangram Shah. His son married a daughter of Chandel Rajput ruler, Durgawati.
• Thus, one can notice, with the emergence of large kingdoms, a lot of social change also took place in tribal society, the case in point being that of Gonds.