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:

Kayasth - Who are they? The Kayasth people are a well-known community of traditional scribes or writers and village accountants. Their name is also spelled Kayastha or Kayashtha. The Kayasth are usually addressed by a number of synonyms like Lala, Lalli, Lal, Kaith, Kact or Kayath. Totaling a population of around 10… ...Read More...

Musahar - Who are they? Traditionally, the Musahar of Uttar Pradesh are bee keepers (honey collectors) and stitch leaf plates for local sale. The Musahar also cultivate land. Some other occupations include wage-labour in industry, forestry, fishing, pulling hand carts and rickshaws, working as laborers in brick kilns. Some Musahar are involved… ...Read More...

Shilpkar - Who are they? The generic term Shilpkar, or Shilpakar, is used for all of Indian people groups regarded as low castes. For generations they have produced ropes, fans and mats. A few are sweepers and scavengers (same as the low-caste Bhangi and Churha communities). The Shilpkar are also skilled artisans… ...Read More...

Mali - Who are they? The Mali is a caste of gardeners and vegetable-growers. The word Mali is derived from the Sanskrit mala, meaning garland. There are about 8 million Mali. They are a Backward Class (OBC) spread across 89 districts in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Orissa, Madhya… ...Read More...

Gond - Who are they? The Gond is a very large tribe of Central India, numbering 12.7 million. Traditionally they have been cultivating land, producing crops, and raising livestock. They grow rice, wheat, and different types of lentils, sesame, millet and cotton. Location They live spread out in Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Orissa,… ...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.