India is a land of contrasts

…a rich tapestry of cultures, ethnic mixes, languages and traditions. India’s landscapes span from the awe inspiring Himalayas, beaches, forests, the Deccan plateau and the Rajasthani desert. From North to South, East to West – there are changes to color of skin, clothing, food and language. These may appear to be superficial regional and language changes. Yet, varying religions, traditions, culture and caste add another layer to the complexity of Indian society. India’s caste system is intricately entwined with the people’s identities. The people group name denotes everything – it is a person’s occupation, religious beliefs, social standing, traditions and life story.

India – tradition and change

As India continues to grow, many people are drawn away from their traditional occupational groups into other professions and locations. A father and grandfather who are itinerant cattle herders have a grandson who works at a call centre in Delhi. Although he is an office worker, the community identifies this young man with his people group. Everything about who he is, his surname and who he will marry is entwined with the knowledge of this background.

People Groups of India

There are over 72 People Groups with a population of more than 100,000 each in Uttar Pradesh, North India. This site currently features 72 profiles of these groups from the Agaria to the Yadav. There are, of course, many hundreds more depending on how you define these groups. Here are 5 random profiles. You can find a full list on our profiles page:

Kisan- Who are they? The Kisan, Hindi for farmer, are farmers. They are distributed in the states of Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa and West Bengal. Under the provisions of independent India’s 1950 constitution the Kisan are listed as a Scheduled Tribe (ST). This listing benefits them by providing access to fixed… ...Read More...

Sonar- Who Are They? The Sonar are gold and silversmiths. They make jewelry and ornaments that are elaborately designed and inlaid with precious and semi-precious stones. Some Sonar cut and polish diamonds, while others engrave deities on pendants and gold and silver plates. Most Sonar own their jewelry shops and showrooms… ...Read More...

Lunia- Who are they? The Lunia were traditionally salt makers. They are also known as Nunia, Sambhri, Sambhri Chauhan and Jhumaria Parmer. Location They number more than 1.5 million in Uttar Pradesh and are said to have migrated there from the Sambhar salt lake region in Rajasthan. They live in the… ...Read More...

Nai- Who are they? The Nai are barbers. The name, Nai, is a corrupt form of the Sanskrit word napika, or ‘one who cleans nails’. The traditional occupation of the Nai is cutting hair, beard and nails, shaving, cleaning ears, extracting teeth, setting sprains right and lancing boils. They also perform… ...Read More...

Dosadh- Who are they? The Dosadh, also known as Dusad or Dusadh, are a large community of more than three million people distributed across the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. They were palanquin bearers a long time ago. There are about 200,000 living in the districts of Varanasi,… ...Read More...

Community Forums

We have now also added a new forum feature to give members a space to communicate more freely around a broader range of topics. You can find a forum for each of the people groups and several others to discuss other topics. More will be added later.