RBSE Class 12 Geography Notes Chapter 25 Rajasthan: Population and Tribes

Rajasthan Board RBSE Class 12 Geography Notes Chapter 25 Rajasthan: Population and Tribes

Introduction :

The population of a country or area is the number of all the people living in it during a certain time period.
Human is the greatest resource of this earth as he is both producer as well the consumer of all the resources.
Literacy and sex-ratio of population found in a region indicates the qualitative level of the population.
In our country and all states of India, the census takes place after a gap of every 10 years.

Characteristics of the Population of Rajasthan :

Rajasthan has the first place in context to area and stands at the 8th place in context to population among all Indian states.
Population density in Rajasthan is 200 people per sq. km and the decadal population growth is 21.31 percent.
In Rajasthan, the highest population growth rate is found in Barmer district at 32.50 percent while the lowest in district Srignaganagar with 10%.
There is extreme inequality in the population distribution in Rajasthan.
The sex ratio in the state is 928 females per 1000 males and the literacy rate is 67.06 percent.

Population Distribution :

The distribution of population in Rajasthan is found to be uneven at large.
There is sparse and scattered population in the western and north-western parts of Aravalli mountain range and it is dense to the eastern and north-eastern plains.
The population distribution in Rajasthan is largely affected and controlled by the amount of rainfall, availability of water, fertile soil and land, and economic development.
Physical, economic, social-cultural and political factors play important role in population distribution in Rajasthan.

Population Growth :

An increase in the number of people that reside in a country, state, district or city, during a certain time period is called population growth.
The favourable conditions for human life in a region, supply of enough food and absence of natural calamities always increase population growth.
Population growth mainly depends on birth-rate, death-rate and migration.
Population growth in Rajasthan has been divided into three parts – Time-period of rapid population growth, medium growth and low-population growth.

Population Density :

The number of people living per square kilometer is called population density, o Population density in the eastern plain parts of Rajasthan is high, while in the western desert districts, it is low.
The highest population density region of Rajasthan is in Jaipur with 595 people per square km and the lowest is in the desert area of Jaisalmer with 17 people.

Sex-Ratio :

The proportion of females to per 1000 males in a given population, is known as sex ratio.
In reference to India, Rajasthan stands at the 21st place in sex ratio,
In the western, eastern and northern districts of Rajasthan, sex ratio is below the average, while it is more than the average in the central and south part of state.
According to the census of 2011, child-sex-ratio (0 to 6 years) is only 888, which is a very serious issue of concern.
The determining and responsible factors of sex-ratio in Rajasthan are patriarchal family system, child-marriage, dowry-killing, female-foeticide and female-infanticide.

Literacy :

Literacy is the indicator of qualitative development of the people. It is a reflection of social-economic development of a region.
With literacy point of view, Rajasthan is trailing behind in comparison to other states of India.
In Rajasthan, female literacy rate is very low in comparison to males, o Average literacy rate in Rajasthan is 67.06 per cent (2011).
Highest increase in literacy-rate is recorded in Dungarpur district (10.90%). o Kota stands at first place in context to literacy, where threefourth of the population is found to be literate.

Tribes of Rajasthan :

Tribes are also known as Vanwasi or Girijan. Every tribe has its specific identity, community, social structure and culture.
With tribes point of view, Rajasthan stands at the sixth place in India. The largest population of tribes is found in the district of Udaipur.
Bhil, Meena, Garasiya, Sahariya, Damor, Kathodi, Kanjar, Sansi, etc. are main tribes of Rajasthan.
The smaller groups of tribes – Dhanka, Kokna, Nayaka, Pateliya, etc are also present in the state.
A big change is seen in every aspect of tribal life in Rajasthan after India got freedom.
This change is seen due to the steps taken by the government and also because the tribals have come in contact with the mainstream of society.

Meena :

There is the largest number of Meena tribal People in Rajasthan. It is the most prosperous and educated tribe.
There are two classes of Meena – Zamindar Meena and Chaukidar Meena. Besides, there are several other groups of this tribe.
Meena tribe has patriarchal family system and they live in a joint family even today.
The Panchayat plays an important role in social control among Meenas.
Meenas are mostly farmers, who rear public cattle along with agriculture.
A good number of Meenas are posted in public services such as administrative service, academic services, police and military as they have reservations.

Bhil :

Bhil is the second major tribe in Rajasthan. It is the oldest tribe of India.
The Bhils who reside on high hills are known as Paalvi, and those who live in the plains are called Bagri.
The Bhils like to live in nuclear families. Their head is called Gameti. The occultist of the village is called Bhopa. A small village is Called Phala and a large village is known as Kopal.
Most of the Bhils are normally vagabonds by nature and are poor. In some regions they have started agricultural work.
At present, most of the Bhils go to work as labourers in nearby towns.

Garasiya :

Garasiya is the third largest scheduled tribe in population.
The Bhankar or Bhakar region in Abu district is considered their native or origin place.
Garasiya have a nuclear family system. There is utmost importance of tribal panchayat among them. The head of Panchayat is called Sahalot.
Economic-system of Garasiya tribe depends on agriculture, herding cattle, hunting, wood cutting, selling and gathering forest products.
Garasiyas are the worshippers of Lord Shiva, Lord Bhairava and Goddess Durga. The names of their major dances are Balar, Garba, Gair, and Moriya.

Sahariya :

This is the most backward tribe of Rajasthan.
The Government of India has included Sahariya tribe in primitive tribes.
This, tribe is found in the Kishanganj and Shahbad Tehsils in Baran district.
Nuclear family system and polygamy system exist with Sahariya tribe.
Sahariya tribe is engaged mainly in forestry and Jhooming or shifting agriculture.

Damor :

Population of Damor tribe is found to be maximum in Simalwara Panchayat area of Dungarpur district.
Damor tribe has nuclear family System. Lather is the head of the family. The head person of Panchayat is called Mukhi.
Damor are mainly farmers. They are also engaged in hunting and gathering forest produce for their livelihood.
Kathauri, Kanjar, Saansi are other main tribes of Rajasthan.

Effect of Modernisation on Tribes :

The original form of all tribes in Rajasthan is under threat due to modernisation.
The extension of education has increased awareness in them and they have also started to join government services.
The government has started many programs for the development of scheduled tribes after India got freedom, as a result of which, a notable progress is seen in the development of these tribes.

Glossary :

Population : The population of a country or area is the number of all the people who live in it during a certain time period.
THbes : A tribe is also known as Vanwasi or Girijan. Generally, tribes live in forests, hilly and tableland, away and aloof from modem culture and society.
Resource : Every material found on the earth or on any planet or satellite which is useful for human beings is called a resource.
Literacy : Literacy is the indicator of qualitative human development. It is a reflection of the socio- economic development of a region or a country.
Sex-Ratio : The proportion of females to males in a given population, usually expressed as the number of females per 1000 males.
Population Density : The number of people living per square kilometer is called population density. It expresses the ratio between the land and the people living in it, so it is also known as the human-land ratio.
Population Distribution : Population distribution indicates the conditions of a region. Population distribution shows the number of population living in different areas.
Population Growth : An increase in the number of people that reside in a country, state, district or city during a certain time period is called the population growth.
Climate : The composite or generally prevailing weather conditions of a region, as temperature, air pressure, humidity, precipitation, sunshine, cloudiness and winds throughout the year averaged over a series of years.
Irrigation : Irrigation is the application of controlled amount of water to plants at needed intervals. Irrigation helps to grow agricultural crops, maintains landscapes and revegetate barren soil in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall.
Urbanization : Urbanization is the process by which rural communities grow to form cities, or urban centers, and by extension, the growth and expansion of those cities.
Transportation : Transport or transportation is the system of means of movement of humans, animals and goods from one location to another.
Population Explosion : A rapid increase in the size of a population caused by such factors as a sudden decline in infant mortality, or a fall of death rate and/or an increase in life expectancy.
Migration : Human migration is the movement of people from one place to another and their intention of settling in new location permanently or temporarily.
Emigration : The act of leaving one’s own country or state or native place to settle permanently in another, moving abroad, etc.
Immigration : Immigration is the international movement of people into a destination country of which they are not natives or where they do not possess citizenship in order to settle or reside there.
Birth-Rate : The ratio of total live births to total population in a specified community or area over a specified period of time. Often expressed as the number of live births per 1000 of the population per year.
Death Rate : The ratio of deaths to the population of a particular area or during a particular period of time usually calculated as the number of deaths per one thousand people per year.
Handicraft : An art, craft or trade in which the skilled use of one’s hand is required to make decorative things.
Shifting Agriculture : A form of agriculture used especially in tropical Africa, in which an area of ground is cleared of vegetation and cultivated for a few years and then abandoned for a new area until its fertility has been naturally restored. It is the oldest type of agriculture and is also known as Jhoom agriculture. Such agriculture is also practiced even in our country by some tribes.
Agriculture : The process by which the agricultural crops are grown from the soil.
Dajiya : The agricultural crops cultivated by Bhils in fertile plains.
Chimata : The agricultural crops, cultivated by Bhils in mountain areas.
Primary Activities : Activities which are directly related to the earth and associated with primary sector, including agriculture, mining, forestry, farming, grazing, hunting and gathering, fishing and quarrying.
Tapri and Topa : Tapri is a house built by the people of Sahariya tribe to live in. Tapri is made of mud, stones, wood and grass. Topa is a house, made of bamboo or logs of wood on the trees and used by Sahariya tribe to live in.
Kanjar : The origin of word Kanjar is from “Kanan-char”, which means a person wandering in the forest.
Joint Family : A joint family is a large individual family where more than one generation live together in a common house. Or a joint family is a form of family where the grand-parents, father, mother and children live unitedly under one roof.
Single Family : The family where parents and their unmarried children live is called the single family.
Patriarchal Family : A patriarchal family is one in which the men have all or most of the power and importance, in the domain of the family, fathers or father-figures hold authority over women and children.
Matriarchal Family : A matriarchal family is governed by a matriarch (a woman who is head of a family or tribe).

The Words with Meanings used by Scheduled Tribes :

Atak : There are several patriarchal sects of Bhils, called Ataks.
Gameti : The village head-man of Bhils is called Gameti.
Bhopa : The occultist in Bhils is known as Bhopa.
Pal : A large village of Bhils.
Fala : A small village of Bhils.
Angrakhi : A type of cloth which is used by male Bhils to keep on the middle part of body.
Depara : A cramped cloth (Dhoti) which is put on by male Bhils.
Potya : Male Bhils wear it on their head.
Chimata : A type of agriculture which is done by Bhils on the slopes of hilly areas.
Dajiya : A type of agriculture done by Bhils in the fertile plains.
Gher : A house in which Garasiya tribe lives.
Faliya : A village of Garasiya tribe.
Sahalot : The headman of panchayat in Garasiya tribe.
Saharana : Small locality of Garasiya tribe.
Saharol : The village of Sahariya tribe.
Mukhi : Headman of panchayat in Damor community.