The Personality of India: Pre- and Proto-historic Foundation of India and Pakistan c10.34

c10.34

The most important belt running right across the country from the West coast to the Delta of Bengal may be described as the Vindhyan complex comprising the Satpuras, Vindhyas, Mahadeo hills, Gawali-garh, Maikal range, Hazaribagh range, the Chota-Nagpur, the Singhbhum and Manbhum plateaux. This is also the most populous tribal belt sheltering Bhils, Dangs, Gonds, Santhals, Uraons, Baigas, Gadabas, Marias and a host of other tribes. Running almost at right angles to this system, at its western end, is the Western belt, beginning with the Aravallis (almost touching Delhi), the Sahyadris and long chain of Western Ghats down to the southern tip of the peninsula. Beginning in a geographic order, we have Bhils, Dangs, Worlis, Toda, Kurumbar, Kadar, Puliyan Muthuvan, etc., inhabiting this zone. At its eastern end, the Vindhyan Complex is joined by the Eastern Ghats, which run right across, more or less parallel to the east coast, upto 13 N Latitude, and then take an oblique turn south-westwards to join the Western Ghats south of the Mysore plateau. The most important tribes living in this belt are the Savara, Baiga, Chenchu, Reddi, Irulas and Yenadis etc.