Varsha PandeyBaiga tribe Baiga is a special backward tribe of Chhattisgarh.
Their population in Chhattisgarh is shown as 89744 in the census 2011.
People of the Baiga tribe in the state are mainly in Kawardha and Bilaspur districts.
Their main population resides in the Dindori, Mandla, Jabalpur, and Shahdol districts of Madhya Pradesh.
India is home to many tribes and Baiga is one of the tribes found in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh.
With a population of around 250000, live in thickly wooded areas.
Language
Although most Baigas communicate with outsiders in Hindi, they have also adopted some local languages. 3. Among them, they speak a language called ‘Baghani’. It is closely related to the Chhattisgarhi style and is also influenced by the ‘Gondi’ language and is spoken by most of the tribals in the Mandla district.
Food
They eat dishes made of flour and drink pies. Pies are from ground maize or water after boiling rice. They also get food from forests and eat peepal, sycamore leaves, etc. Tattoo: Tattoo is a big part of their culture. Baiga women have large figures on every part of their body. On asking he revealed that this art has been given to Badi-Badanin group who do tattoo work. They know the types of tattoos demanded by each tribe and have learned the art from their mothers and will surely pass it on to future generations.
History of Baiga Tribe
Baigas are a special backward tribe of Chhattisgarh.
Their population in Chhattisgarh is 89744 in the census 2011.
People of the Baiga tribe in the state are mainly in Kawardha and Bilaspur districts.
Their main population resides in the Dindori, Mandla, Jabalpur, and Shahdol districts of Madhya Pradesh.
Historical evidence is not available regarding the origin of the Baiga tribe.
they are considered as a separate group of Bhumiya, Bhuiya. According to legends, Lord Brahma created the universe and then created two persons.
Brahma ji provided a “Nagar” (plow) to one.
He started farming with “Nagar” and was called God.
Brahmaji gave “Tagia” (axe) to the other.
He took an ax and went to cut the forest since there were no clothes at that time, hence he was called Nanga Baiga.
The people of the Baiga tribe consider him as their ancestor.
Occupation
The Baiga people used to lead a semi-nomadic lifestyle and relied on slash-and-burn cultivation. Nowadays, they mainly depend on minor forest produce for their livelihood. They practice a type of shifting cultivation called “Bewar.” Mahua is a significant part of their diet and drink, which is produced by fermenting and distilling the flowers of the Mahua tree and is known for its intoxicating properties.
Living of Baiga tribe
People of the Baiga tribe live in inaccessible places of hilly and forest areas with God, Bhumiya, etc.
Their houses are of mud, on which there is grass thatch or tiles.
The wall is painted with white or yellow soil.
The women cover the floor of the house with cow dung and mud.
In their house, there is an earthen house for keeping grains, “musal” for pounding paddy, “bahna”, a bamboo basket for grinding grains, soup, clay in the kitchen, aluminum, some brass Utensils, clothes for laying oi, bow, and arrows, tangiya, fishing kumni, dutti, musical instruments include drum, nagara, tiski, etc.
Their main food is rice, kodo, kutki rice, page, maize bread or page, Urad, moong, tur dal, seasonal vegetables, wild tuber fruits, non-vegetarian meat including chicken, goat, fish, crab, turtle, wild bird, deer, rabbit, wild pig, etc.
Also, drink alcohol.
Men wrap tobacco in a tendu leaf and drink it by making a chongi.
