Kharwar Tribe

If one makes a visit to the whole of the Indian subcontinent, it is quite natural that one comes across to any of the tribal communities who have settled down in safe haven in any of the regions of the country. In the state of the Madhya Pradesh also, there is no dearth of tribal communities, each contributing to the Indian culture with its treasure of cultural exuberances. Amongst them, this Kharwar tribal community deserve to worth mentioning. According to the observation of most of the anthropologists, these Kharwar tribes are one of the primitive tribes of the whole of the Indian subcontinent.

Some of the anthropologists also have traced the etymological significance of the term Kharwar itself. It signifies the grass. Needless to say, it has been cited by some of the anthropologists that the Kharwar tribes has never destroyed grass.

There are quite a number of scholars who have put forwards their opinions and views about the origination of these Kharwar tribal community. These Kharwar tribes belong to the family of Dravidians. However, there are also legends that are popular amongst the Kharwar tribes. Some of the Kharwar tribes explain that these Kharwar tribes belong to the family of the "Suryavanshi" Rajputs. So much so, these Kharwar tribes claim that the famous king Raja Harishchandra is an ancestor of this tribal community.

There are certain characteristic features that help any one to identify a Kharwar tribe. Although these Kharwar tribes have got normal physique, these Kharwar tribes are quite in complexion. As far as the nature and habits of these Kharwar tribes are concerned, these Kharwar tribes are quite introvert and shy. They always remain aloof from the external influences of the modern society.

What is also to note that these Kharwar tribes, unlike most of the tribal communities, do not have the language of their own. These Kharwar tribes are also quite backward in certain areas like education etc.

In order to sustain their livelihood, these Kharwar tribes have adapted to the occupation of farming and agriculture.