Kurukshetra Magazine September 2022 - 3 | Monthly Yojana & Kurukshetra Magazine (English) - UPSC PDF Download

 Page 1


Kurukshetra      September  2022 41
Dr. Suyash Yadav
Scheduled Tribes constitute 8.6 percent of India’s population and they exhibit enormous diversity. Their protection and 
development require attention. The ecological setting in which they live, along with their unique cultural attributes are facets 
that can be a tourism offering. This will aid in the preservation and promotion of the tribal culture, if planned holistically. 
Owing to the sheer diversity and the sensitivities in the tribal population of India, there can’t be ‘one size, fits all’ approach 
to tribal tourism development pan India; rather it has to be a tailor made approach for tribal regions of tourism potential, 
identified after due diligence. Monitoring the negative socio-cultural impacts of such form of tourism and regulating or re-
sculpting tourism development plans accordingly is very important.
Tourism Potential in Tribal Regions
ndia has one of the largest and diverse 
tribal populations in the world. The 
tribal population has a distinct culture 
and history, though in terms of numbers 
they are a small minority. The population of  
Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the country, as per Census 
2011, stood at 10.45 crore; STs constitute 8.6 
percent of the country’s total population. Tribes 
are enormously diverse in respect of language, 
ecological settings in which they live, physical 
features, size of their population, modes of making 
a livelihood and level of development. There is 
I
a lot to learn from tribal cultures and systems. 
UN Commission on Sustainable Development 
highlighted the key role of Indigenous people in 
the conservation of natural areas and species on 
their lands. 
The category of ‘Scheduled Tribes (STs)’ has 
politico-administrative dimension whereas the word 
‘tribe’ has socio-cultural connotations. It is to be 
noted that over 80 percent of STs work in the primary 
sector. Madhya Pradesh tops all the states with 14.7 
percent ST population of the country. The largest 
number of tribal communities is found in Odisha. 
Source: https://jhargram.gov.in/tourist-place/bandarvula-tribal-interpretation-centre/
Bandarvula Tribal Interpretation Centre, Jhargram, West Bengal
Page 2


Kurukshetra      September  2022 41
Dr. Suyash Yadav
Scheduled Tribes constitute 8.6 percent of India’s population and they exhibit enormous diversity. Their protection and 
development require attention. The ecological setting in which they live, along with their unique cultural attributes are facets 
that can be a tourism offering. This will aid in the preservation and promotion of the tribal culture, if planned holistically. 
Owing to the sheer diversity and the sensitivities in the tribal population of India, there can’t be ‘one size, fits all’ approach 
to tribal tourism development pan India; rather it has to be a tailor made approach for tribal regions of tourism potential, 
identified after due diligence. Monitoring the negative socio-cultural impacts of such form of tourism and regulating or re-
sculpting tourism development plans accordingly is very important.
Tourism Potential in Tribal Regions
ndia has one of the largest and diverse 
tribal populations in the world. The 
tribal population has a distinct culture 
and history, though in terms of numbers 
they are a small minority. The population of  
Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the country, as per Census 
2011, stood at 10.45 crore; STs constitute 8.6 
percent of the country’s total population. Tribes 
are enormously diverse in respect of language, 
ecological settings in which they live, physical 
features, size of their population, modes of making 
a livelihood and level of development. There is 
I
a lot to learn from tribal cultures and systems. 
UN Commission on Sustainable Development 
highlighted the key role of Indigenous people in 
the conservation of natural areas and species on 
their lands. 
The category of ‘Scheduled Tribes (STs)’ has 
politico-administrative dimension whereas the word 
‘tribe’ has socio-cultural connotations. It is to be 
noted that over 80 percent of STs work in the primary 
sector. Madhya Pradesh tops all the states with 14.7 
percent ST population of the country. The largest 
number of tribal communities is found in Odisha. 
Source: https://jhargram.gov.in/tourist-place/bandarvula-tribal-interpretation-centre/
Bandarvula Tribal Interpretation Centre, Jhargram, West Bengal
Kurukshetra      September  2022 42
Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) of 
India such as Sentinelese and Jarawa tribes of the 
Andaman Islands have pre-agricultural system of 
existence. There are total 75 PVTGs in India. Their 
characteristic features include practices of hunting 
and gathering, zero or negative population growth, 
extremely low level of literacy in comparison with 
other tribal groups. PVTGs belonging to Andaman 
and Nicobar survived the tsunami through 
understanding the patterns and forces of nature.
The findings of Xaxa Committee on socio-
economic, health and educational status of tribal 
communities of India gave important insights 
regarding the status of tribes in India. Protection and 
development of tribes are the two most fundamental 
issues related to the community. Almost 60 percent 
of the forest cover of the country is found in tribal 
areas. Traditional tribal economy depends on forests 
and other natural resources available in their habitat. 
Some tribal communities have adopted a way of life, 
similar to the neighbouring non-tribal communities. 
Tribal-inhabited regions are rich in mineral, 
forest and other resources, therefore large-scale 
development projects are invariably located in those 
areas. Land is the basis of socio-cultural, religious 
identity and livelihood of a tribe. A massive push to 
a development agenda with economic liberalisation 
characterised by the private companies entering into 
tribal areas has been met with ample resistance by 
tribes.
According to Centre for Science and 
Environment, about half of the top mineral-
producing districts are tribal districts. Researchers 
are of the view that social and geographical isolation 
of the tribal community from the outside world 
can be attributed to their poverty. Tourism related 
to indigenous people can be used to diminish 
this isolation. Owing to the sheer diversity and 
the sensitivities in the tribal population of India, 
there can’t be ‘one size -fits all’ approach to tribal 
tourism development pan India; rather it has to be 
a tailor made approach for tribal regions of tourism 
potential, identified after due diligence.
Tribal Tourism in India
In order to ensure economic and social 
prosperity for the tribal community of India, a 
well-planned, sensitively executed and holistically 
monitored policy intervention aimed at identifying, 
preserving, and promoting tribal heritage is required. 
Tribal people are often known by terms such as 
indigenous (native) people, aboriginal people, 
moolnivasi (original inhabitants), adivasi, janajati, 
hunter-gatherers, etc. There are over 476 million 
indigenous people living in 90 countries across 
the world, accounting for 6.2 percent of the global 
population. Indigenous people of India constitute 
the second largest tribal population in the world 
after Africa. World Tribal Day is observed on 9
th 
August every year. November 15
th
 has been declared 
as the National Tribal Pride Day.
The intangible heritage that the tribal 
population possesses including the traditional 
knowledge system contains many positive and 
productive elements that are really precious for the 
entire humanity. Tourism can be one of the tools 
through which, the rich cultural heritage of the 
tribes manifested in its folklore, costume, jewellery 
and lifestyle, their harmonious and sustainable 
ways of living, indigenous practices by tribal healers 
and medicinal plants can be offered as a unique 
attraction to the potential visitors. In this process 
the economic benefits can be reaped by the tribal 
community. Tourism may act as a motivation 
(monetary incentive) for cultural preservation and 
promotion, and can prevent cultural facets from 
fading into oblivion.
Tribal tourism refers to a form of travel in 
which tribes allow tourists to experience authentic 
indigenous life (tribal habitat, heritage, history 
and handicrafts, culture, values and traditions) by 
allowing the tourists to visit their villages for them 
to be exposed to a culture completely different from 
their own. In India, this concept is in its nascent stages 
but it is popular in countries like Ethiopia, Kenya in 
Africa; Ecuador, Peru, Brazil in South America, etc. 
Ethnic tourism, tribal tourism, indigenous tourism, 
rural tourism, eco-tourism, nature based tourism, 
agri-tourism, community based tourism, responsible 
tourism are few terminologies which are all closely 
aligned and used in academia to explain the concept 
of travel to tribal areas. These concepts are a 
part of the wider umbrella of Alternative Tourism  
which in essence means tourism activities or 
development that are viewed as non-traditional, 
often defined in opposition to large-scale mass 
tourism to represent small-scale sustainable tourism 
developments. 
Page 3


Kurukshetra      September  2022 41
Dr. Suyash Yadav
Scheduled Tribes constitute 8.6 percent of India’s population and they exhibit enormous diversity. Their protection and 
development require attention. The ecological setting in which they live, along with their unique cultural attributes are facets 
that can be a tourism offering. This will aid in the preservation and promotion of the tribal culture, if planned holistically. 
Owing to the sheer diversity and the sensitivities in the tribal population of India, there can’t be ‘one size, fits all’ approach 
to tribal tourism development pan India; rather it has to be a tailor made approach for tribal regions of tourism potential, 
identified after due diligence. Monitoring the negative socio-cultural impacts of such form of tourism and regulating or re-
sculpting tourism development plans accordingly is very important.
Tourism Potential in Tribal Regions
ndia has one of the largest and diverse 
tribal populations in the world. The 
tribal population has a distinct culture 
and history, though in terms of numbers 
they are a small minority. The population of  
Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the country, as per Census 
2011, stood at 10.45 crore; STs constitute 8.6 
percent of the country’s total population. Tribes 
are enormously diverse in respect of language, 
ecological settings in which they live, physical 
features, size of their population, modes of making 
a livelihood and level of development. There is 
I
a lot to learn from tribal cultures and systems. 
UN Commission on Sustainable Development 
highlighted the key role of Indigenous people in 
the conservation of natural areas and species on 
their lands. 
The category of ‘Scheduled Tribes (STs)’ has 
politico-administrative dimension whereas the word 
‘tribe’ has socio-cultural connotations. It is to be 
noted that over 80 percent of STs work in the primary 
sector. Madhya Pradesh tops all the states with 14.7 
percent ST population of the country. The largest 
number of tribal communities is found in Odisha. 
Source: https://jhargram.gov.in/tourist-place/bandarvula-tribal-interpretation-centre/
Bandarvula Tribal Interpretation Centre, Jhargram, West Bengal
Kurukshetra      September  2022 42
Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) of 
India such as Sentinelese and Jarawa tribes of the 
Andaman Islands have pre-agricultural system of 
existence. There are total 75 PVTGs in India. Their 
characteristic features include practices of hunting 
and gathering, zero or negative population growth, 
extremely low level of literacy in comparison with 
other tribal groups. PVTGs belonging to Andaman 
and Nicobar survived the tsunami through 
understanding the patterns and forces of nature.
The findings of Xaxa Committee on socio-
economic, health and educational status of tribal 
communities of India gave important insights 
regarding the status of tribes in India. Protection and 
development of tribes are the two most fundamental 
issues related to the community. Almost 60 percent 
of the forest cover of the country is found in tribal 
areas. Traditional tribal economy depends on forests 
and other natural resources available in their habitat. 
Some tribal communities have adopted a way of life, 
similar to the neighbouring non-tribal communities. 
Tribal-inhabited regions are rich in mineral, 
forest and other resources, therefore large-scale 
development projects are invariably located in those 
areas. Land is the basis of socio-cultural, religious 
identity and livelihood of a tribe. A massive push to 
a development agenda with economic liberalisation 
characterised by the private companies entering into 
tribal areas has been met with ample resistance by 
tribes.
According to Centre for Science and 
Environment, about half of the top mineral-
producing districts are tribal districts. Researchers 
are of the view that social and geographical isolation 
of the tribal community from the outside world 
can be attributed to their poverty. Tourism related 
to indigenous people can be used to diminish 
this isolation. Owing to the sheer diversity and 
the sensitivities in the tribal population of India, 
there can’t be ‘one size -fits all’ approach to tribal 
tourism development pan India; rather it has to be 
a tailor made approach for tribal regions of tourism 
potential, identified after due diligence.
Tribal Tourism in India
In order to ensure economic and social 
prosperity for the tribal community of India, a 
well-planned, sensitively executed and holistically 
monitored policy intervention aimed at identifying, 
preserving, and promoting tribal heritage is required. 
Tribal people are often known by terms such as 
indigenous (native) people, aboriginal people, 
moolnivasi (original inhabitants), adivasi, janajati, 
hunter-gatherers, etc. There are over 476 million 
indigenous people living in 90 countries across 
the world, accounting for 6.2 percent of the global 
population. Indigenous people of India constitute 
the second largest tribal population in the world 
after Africa. World Tribal Day is observed on 9
th 
August every year. November 15
th
 has been declared 
as the National Tribal Pride Day.
The intangible heritage that the tribal 
population possesses including the traditional 
knowledge system contains many positive and 
productive elements that are really precious for the 
entire humanity. Tourism can be one of the tools 
through which, the rich cultural heritage of the 
tribes manifested in its folklore, costume, jewellery 
and lifestyle, their harmonious and sustainable 
ways of living, indigenous practices by tribal healers 
and medicinal plants can be offered as a unique 
attraction to the potential visitors. In this process 
the economic benefits can be reaped by the tribal 
community. Tourism may act as a motivation 
(monetary incentive) for cultural preservation and 
promotion, and can prevent cultural facets from 
fading into oblivion.
Tribal tourism refers to a form of travel in 
which tribes allow tourists to experience authentic 
indigenous life (tribal habitat, heritage, history 
and handicrafts, culture, values and traditions) by 
allowing the tourists to visit their villages for them 
to be exposed to a culture completely different from 
their own. In India, this concept is in its nascent stages 
but it is popular in countries like Ethiopia, Kenya in 
Africa; Ecuador, Peru, Brazil in South America, etc. 
Ethnic tourism, tribal tourism, indigenous tourism, 
rural tourism, eco-tourism, nature based tourism, 
agri-tourism, community based tourism, responsible 
tourism are few terminologies which are all closely 
aligned and used in academia to explain the concept 
of travel to tribal areas. These concepts are a 
part of the wider umbrella of Alternative Tourism  
which in essence means tourism activities or 
development that are viewed as non-traditional, 
often defined in opposition to large-scale mass 
tourism to represent small-scale sustainable tourism 
developments. 
Kurukshetra      September  2022 43
A widely accepted perspective is that ethnic 
tourism has multiple benefits, such as cultural/
identity revival and socio-economic, and sometimes 
even political gains for local minority residents 
(Adams 2003). In the year 2018, Ministry of Tourism 
(MoT), Government of India (GoI) inaugurated the 
project ‘Development of Tribal Circuit in Chhattisgarh’ 
implemented under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme 
(SDS) of MoT, in Gangrel, Chhattisgarh. It was the 
first Tribal Circuit Project under SDS. Construction of 
its first phase in Vananchal region of the state got 
completed in 2022 at the cost of Rs. 94.23 crore. 
Jashpur, marked for tribal tourism circuit under SDS, 
has been developed as an ethnic tourism village. 
Ethnic tourism village at Sarodha Dadar, Eco-Ethnic 
Tourist Destination at Gangrel, Route Facilitation 
Centre at Nathianwagaon, Ethnic Tourist Village at 
Kondagaon, Ethnic Tourist Destination at Jagdalpur, 
Eco-Ethnic Tourist Destination at Chitrakoot and Eco-
Ethnic Tourist Destination at Tirathgarh have been 
developed. SDS (launched in 2014 -15) is a scheme 
of MoT for development of thematic circuits in the 
country in a planned manner. 
In a year 2021, a document of MoT titled 
‘National Strategy and Road Map for Development 
of Rural Tourism in India - An Initiative towards 
AatmaNirbhar Bharat’, the SWOT (strength-
weakness-opportunity-threat) analysis of rural 
tourism in India mentions, “apart from the 
mainland rural areas, India has coastal, Himalayan, 
desert, forest and tribal areas amongst others for 
tourists”. Further it suggests the states of India to 
identify clusters of villages having high potential 
for tourism development on various sub themes 
which also includes “unique tribal culture”.
Tribal Tourism and Museum Development in 
Uttar Pradesh: Tharu Tribe
Tharu Tribal community lives in the Terai 
(foothills of the Himalayas) lowlands. Terai area 
is quite fertile. The districts of Uttar Pradesh lying 
close to the Nepal border have maximum Tharu 
tribal population. The Government of Uttar Pradesh 
has decided to promote tribal tourism in the regions 
inhabited by Tharu tribe. This tribal group also has 
a presence in Nepal, Bihar and Uttarakhand. Tharus 
are recognised as a Scheduled Tribe in India. Tharu 
people worship mainly their tribal Goddess (Earth) 
which they refer to as ‘Bhumsen’ in their language. 
They worship Lord Shiva as Mahadev. They are 
worshippers of Theravada Buddhism. Maximum 
people from this tribe work either as forest dwellers 
or are farmers. 
Tharu people plant rice, wheat, mustard, corn, 
and lentils. They also collect minor food produces 
from forest like wild fruits, medicinal plants, etc. 
They hunt deer, rabbit and wild boar and also do 
fishing. They stay in isolation in their own localities. 
Their homes, especially the outer walls and verandas 
are decorated and coloured. Wine made by rice is 
quite popular in this tribe. Major items on the Tharu 
plate are bagiya or dhikri which is a steamed dish 
of rice flour that is eaten with chutney or curry and 
ghonghi, an edible snail that is cooked in a curry 
made of coriander, chilli, garlic, and onion.
The Uttar Pradesh Government has started a 
new scheme to put Tharu villages on the tourism 
map. The government aims to offer tourists an 
experience of living in the natural Tharu habitat 
that contains traditional huts made of materials 
naturally found in the forest. The aim is to connect 
Tharu villages in the districts of Balrampur, Bahraich, 
Lakhimpur and Pilibhit bordering Nepal, with the 
‘home stay scheme’ of the UP Forest Department. 
With this scheme, Tharu homeowners will be able to 
charge tourists directly for the accommodation and 
home-cooked meals. The forest corporation would 
also provide basic training to Tharu people so that 
they can communicate aptly with the tourists.
Burman et al (2007) states that museums 
and village cultural centres play an important part 
in preserving and promoting tribal culture, but 
unfortunately not much has been done in this area. A 
good example of a Tribal Museum is the one located 
at Shillong, namely the Don Bosco Museum, which is 
the largest of its kind in Asia. Apart from the above 
initiative, few months ago the official spokesperson of 
the culture department, U.P government announced 
that ‘Tharu Janjati Museum’ will be set up in Imilia 
Koder Village of Balrampur district which will be the 
first of its kind in the state. Sonbhadra, Lakhimpur 
Kheri, and Lucknow districts have also been spotted 
for the construction of Tribal Museums. Museums 
are also effective mediums to preserve and promote 
the cultural facets. There is a huge demand for tribal 
artifacts, textiles, ornaments, paintings, potteries, 
cane and bamboo products, and organic and natural 
food products, but the supply side of this economy is 
Page 4


Kurukshetra      September  2022 41
Dr. Suyash Yadav
Scheduled Tribes constitute 8.6 percent of India’s population and they exhibit enormous diversity. Their protection and 
development require attention. The ecological setting in which they live, along with their unique cultural attributes are facets 
that can be a tourism offering. This will aid in the preservation and promotion of the tribal culture, if planned holistically. 
Owing to the sheer diversity and the sensitivities in the tribal population of India, there can’t be ‘one size, fits all’ approach 
to tribal tourism development pan India; rather it has to be a tailor made approach for tribal regions of tourism potential, 
identified after due diligence. Monitoring the negative socio-cultural impacts of such form of tourism and regulating or re-
sculpting tourism development plans accordingly is very important.
Tourism Potential in Tribal Regions
ndia has one of the largest and diverse 
tribal populations in the world. The 
tribal population has a distinct culture 
and history, though in terms of numbers 
they are a small minority. The population of  
Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the country, as per Census 
2011, stood at 10.45 crore; STs constitute 8.6 
percent of the country’s total population. Tribes 
are enormously diverse in respect of language, 
ecological settings in which they live, physical 
features, size of their population, modes of making 
a livelihood and level of development. There is 
I
a lot to learn from tribal cultures and systems. 
UN Commission on Sustainable Development 
highlighted the key role of Indigenous people in 
the conservation of natural areas and species on 
their lands. 
The category of ‘Scheduled Tribes (STs)’ has 
politico-administrative dimension whereas the word 
‘tribe’ has socio-cultural connotations. It is to be 
noted that over 80 percent of STs work in the primary 
sector. Madhya Pradesh tops all the states with 14.7 
percent ST population of the country. The largest 
number of tribal communities is found in Odisha. 
Source: https://jhargram.gov.in/tourist-place/bandarvula-tribal-interpretation-centre/
Bandarvula Tribal Interpretation Centre, Jhargram, West Bengal
Kurukshetra      September  2022 42
Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) of 
India such as Sentinelese and Jarawa tribes of the 
Andaman Islands have pre-agricultural system of 
existence. There are total 75 PVTGs in India. Their 
characteristic features include practices of hunting 
and gathering, zero or negative population growth, 
extremely low level of literacy in comparison with 
other tribal groups. PVTGs belonging to Andaman 
and Nicobar survived the tsunami through 
understanding the patterns and forces of nature.
The findings of Xaxa Committee on socio-
economic, health and educational status of tribal 
communities of India gave important insights 
regarding the status of tribes in India. Protection and 
development of tribes are the two most fundamental 
issues related to the community. Almost 60 percent 
of the forest cover of the country is found in tribal 
areas. Traditional tribal economy depends on forests 
and other natural resources available in their habitat. 
Some tribal communities have adopted a way of life, 
similar to the neighbouring non-tribal communities. 
Tribal-inhabited regions are rich in mineral, 
forest and other resources, therefore large-scale 
development projects are invariably located in those 
areas. Land is the basis of socio-cultural, religious 
identity and livelihood of a tribe. A massive push to 
a development agenda with economic liberalisation 
characterised by the private companies entering into 
tribal areas has been met with ample resistance by 
tribes.
According to Centre for Science and 
Environment, about half of the top mineral-
producing districts are tribal districts. Researchers 
are of the view that social and geographical isolation 
of the tribal community from the outside world 
can be attributed to their poverty. Tourism related 
to indigenous people can be used to diminish 
this isolation. Owing to the sheer diversity and 
the sensitivities in the tribal population of India, 
there can’t be ‘one size -fits all’ approach to tribal 
tourism development pan India; rather it has to be 
a tailor made approach for tribal regions of tourism 
potential, identified after due diligence.
Tribal Tourism in India
In order to ensure economic and social 
prosperity for the tribal community of India, a 
well-planned, sensitively executed and holistically 
monitored policy intervention aimed at identifying, 
preserving, and promoting tribal heritage is required. 
Tribal people are often known by terms such as 
indigenous (native) people, aboriginal people, 
moolnivasi (original inhabitants), adivasi, janajati, 
hunter-gatherers, etc. There are over 476 million 
indigenous people living in 90 countries across 
the world, accounting for 6.2 percent of the global 
population. Indigenous people of India constitute 
the second largest tribal population in the world 
after Africa. World Tribal Day is observed on 9
th 
August every year. November 15
th
 has been declared 
as the National Tribal Pride Day.
The intangible heritage that the tribal 
population possesses including the traditional 
knowledge system contains many positive and 
productive elements that are really precious for the 
entire humanity. Tourism can be one of the tools 
through which, the rich cultural heritage of the 
tribes manifested in its folklore, costume, jewellery 
and lifestyle, their harmonious and sustainable 
ways of living, indigenous practices by tribal healers 
and medicinal plants can be offered as a unique 
attraction to the potential visitors. In this process 
the economic benefits can be reaped by the tribal 
community. Tourism may act as a motivation 
(monetary incentive) for cultural preservation and 
promotion, and can prevent cultural facets from 
fading into oblivion.
Tribal tourism refers to a form of travel in 
which tribes allow tourists to experience authentic 
indigenous life (tribal habitat, heritage, history 
and handicrafts, culture, values and traditions) by 
allowing the tourists to visit their villages for them 
to be exposed to a culture completely different from 
their own. In India, this concept is in its nascent stages 
but it is popular in countries like Ethiopia, Kenya in 
Africa; Ecuador, Peru, Brazil in South America, etc. 
Ethnic tourism, tribal tourism, indigenous tourism, 
rural tourism, eco-tourism, nature based tourism, 
agri-tourism, community based tourism, responsible 
tourism are few terminologies which are all closely 
aligned and used in academia to explain the concept 
of travel to tribal areas. These concepts are a 
part of the wider umbrella of Alternative Tourism  
which in essence means tourism activities or 
development that are viewed as non-traditional, 
often defined in opposition to large-scale mass 
tourism to represent small-scale sustainable tourism 
developments. 
Kurukshetra      September  2022 43
A widely accepted perspective is that ethnic 
tourism has multiple benefits, such as cultural/
identity revival and socio-economic, and sometimes 
even political gains for local minority residents 
(Adams 2003). In the year 2018, Ministry of Tourism 
(MoT), Government of India (GoI) inaugurated the 
project ‘Development of Tribal Circuit in Chhattisgarh’ 
implemented under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme 
(SDS) of MoT, in Gangrel, Chhattisgarh. It was the 
first Tribal Circuit Project under SDS. Construction of 
its first phase in Vananchal region of the state got 
completed in 2022 at the cost of Rs. 94.23 crore. 
Jashpur, marked for tribal tourism circuit under SDS, 
has been developed as an ethnic tourism village. 
Ethnic tourism village at Sarodha Dadar, Eco-Ethnic 
Tourist Destination at Gangrel, Route Facilitation 
Centre at Nathianwagaon, Ethnic Tourist Village at 
Kondagaon, Ethnic Tourist Destination at Jagdalpur, 
Eco-Ethnic Tourist Destination at Chitrakoot and Eco-
Ethnic Tourist Destination at Tirathgarh have been 
developed. SDS (launched in 2014 -15) is a scheme 
of MoT for development of thematic circuits in the 
country in a planned manner. 
In a year 2021, a document of MoT titled 
‘National Strategy and Road Map for Development 
of Rural Tourism in India - An Initiative towards 
AatmaNirbhar Bharat’, the SWOT (strength-
weakness-opportunity-threat) analysis of rural 
tourism in India mentions, “apart from the 
mainland rural areas, India has coastal, Himalayan, 
desert, forest and tribal areas amongst others for 
tourists”. Further it suggests the states of India to 
identify clusters of villages having high potential 
for tourism development on various sub themes 
which also includes “unique tribal culture”.
Tribal Tourism and Museum Development in 
Uttar Pradesh: Tharu Tribe
Tharu Tribal community lives in the Terai 
(foothills of the Himalayas) lowlands. Terai area 
is quite fertile. The districts of Uttar Pradesh lying 
close to the Nepal border have maximum Tharu 
tribal population. The Government of Uttar Pradesh 
has decided to promote tribal tourism in the regions 
inhabited by Tharu tribe. This tribal group also has 
a presence in Nepal, Bihar and Uttarakhand. Tharus 
are recognised as a Scheduled Tribe in India. Tharu 
people worship mainly their tribal Goddess (Earth) 
which they refer to as ‘Bhumsen’ in their language. 
They worship Lord Shiva as Mahadev. They are 
worshippers of Theravada Buddhism. Maximum 
people from this tribe work either as forest dwellers 
or are farmers. 
Tharu people plant rice, wheat, mustard, corn, 
and lentils. They also collect minor food produces 
from forest like wild fruits, medicinal plants, etc. 
They hunt deer, rabbit and wild boar and also do 
fishing. They stay in isolation in their own localities. 
Their homes, especially the outer walls and verandas 
are decorated and coloured. Wine made by rice is 
quite popular in this tribe. Major items on the Tharu 
plate are bagiya or dhikri which is a steamed dish 
of rice flour that is eaten with chutney or curry and 
ghonghi, an edible snail that is cooked in a curry 
made of coriander, chilli, garlic, and onion.
The Uttar Pradesh Government has started a 
new scheme to put Tharu villages on the tourism 
map. The government aims to offer tourists an 
experience of living in the natural Tharu habitat 
that contains traditional huts made of materials 
naturally found in the forest. The aim is to connect 
Tharu villages in the districts of Balrampur, Bahraich, 
Lakhimpur and Pilibhit bordering Nepal, with the 
‘home stay scheme’ of the UP Forest Department. 
With this scheme, Tharu homeowners will be able to 
charge tourists directly for the accommodation and 
home-cooked meals. The forest corporation would 
also provide basic training to Tharu people so that 
they can communicate aptly with the tourists.
Burman et al (2007) states that museums 
and village cultural centres play an important part 
in preserving and promoting tribal culture, but 
unfortunately not much has been done in this area. A 
good example of a Tribal Museum is the one located 
at Shillong, namely the Don Bosco Museum, which is 
the largest of its kind in Asia. Apart from the above 
initiative, few months ago the official spokesperson of 
the culture department, U.P government announced 
that ‘Tharu Janjati Museum’ will be set up in Imilia 
Koder Village of Balrampur district which will be the 
first of its kind in the state. Sonbhadra, Lakhimpur 
Kheri, and Lucknow districts have also been spotted 
for the construction of Tribal Museums. Museums 
are also effective mediums to preserve and promote 
the cultural facets. There is a huge demand for tribal 
artifacts, textiles, ornaments, paintings, potteries, 
cane and bamboo products, and organic and natural 
food products, but the supply side of this economy is 
Kurukshetra      September  2022 44
way below the demand side and thus the community 
fails to profit from its produce. Promoting tourism in 
the tribal areas can aid in strengthening the supply 
side.
Advantages of tribal tourism include domestic 
and global propagation of the culture and tradition 
of the Tharu tribes. The state government says it 
would help in creating jobs and bring economic 
independence and advancement in the tribal 
population. The handicrafts of Tharu tribes will 
get the buyers through tourism which will create 
financial opportunities. Statistical data (refer pie 
chart below) shows that Uttar Pradesh has stood in 
the top three positions in the list of states ranked 
in India on the basis of domestic and international 
tourist arrivals. This footfall would be exposed to a 
more vibrant basket of tourism offerings in U.P . with 
Tribal tourism getting added to it. An empowered 
status of women in tribes, ability to live in sync with 
nature, role of tribes in climate conservation, waste 
management techniques, sustainable food practices 
(majority of them) are few facets of their culture 
which can attract and mesmerise the tourists.
Figure 1. Percentage Share of Top 10 States/
UTs in Domestic Tourist Visits in 2020
Source: India Tourism Statistics 2021, MoT, GoI
Figure 2. Share of Top 10 States/UTs in India in 
Number of Foreign Tourist Visits in 2020
Source: India Tourism Statistics 2021, MoT, Gol
Conclusion
The tribal economy is mainly concentrated 
around the collection and processing of minor forest 
products and cultivation largely for the purpose of 
domestic consumption. They usually struggle to 
meet their economic needs with a bare minimum 
income. It is a proven fact that tourism empowers the 
host population economically. Tourism development 
in the destinations characterised by indigenous 
people, where the visitors are prepared to ‘travel 
responsibly’, will pave the way for preservation and 
protection of tribal heritage in a sustainable way. 
Tribal tourism can act as an instrument of economic 
development and employment generation 
particularly in tribal districts. Tribal tourism can 
play an important and effective role in achieving 
the growth with equity which is very essential 
for sustainable development. The guiding policy 
making principle should be that tourism can’t be 
a compensation for non-development of tribes; it 
should be a wilfully opted supplement by the tribal 
community. 
Understanding of tribal destination image 
and perceptions of visitors is very critical to region 
and provide the basis for more effective and 
efficient future strategic planning for tribal tourism 
development. There is need of capacity building 
for local tribal community members in terms of 
tour guiding, hospitality and tour operations for 
tourism to become more participative. There is 
need of public private partnership for tourism 
infrastructure development in the tribal region 
and also the sustainability concern of tribal areas is 
to be given due emphasis. The most fundamental 
premise of ensuring success of using tourism as 
a means to preserve and promote tribal heritage 
is to consider opinion of tribal community and 
their participation in planning and development 
of tribal tourism at each and every stage of 
tourism development. Mohanty (2007) suggests 
that inviting participation of the tribal people 
not only at the implementing level but also in 
the designing of tourism is the key. Local people 
should be encouraged and expected to undertake 
leadership role in planning and development 
with the assistance of government and business 
enterprises.
With Ms. Droupadi Murmu being elected as 
the President of India, the first president from the 
Page 5


Kurukshetra      September  2022 41
Dr. Suyash Yadav
Scheduled Tribes constitute 8.6 percent of India’s population and they exhibit enormous diversity. Their protection and 
development require attention. The ecological setting in which they live, along with their unique cultural attributes are facets 
that can be a tourism offering. This will aid in the preservation and promotion of the tribal culture, if planned holistically. 
Owing to the sheer diversity and the sensitivities in the tribal population of India, there can’t be ‘one size, fits all’ approach 
to tribal tourism development pan India; rather it has to be a tailor made approach for tribal regions of tourism potential, 
identified after due diligence. Monitoring the negative socio-cultural impacts of such form of tourism and regulating or re-
sculpting tourism development plans accordingly is very important.
Tourism Potential in Tribal Regions
ndia has one of the largest and diverse 
tribal populations in the world. The 
tribal population has a distinct culture 
and history, though in terms of numbers 
they are a small minority. The population of  
Scheduled Tribes (STs) in the country, as per Census 
2011, stood at 10.45 crore; STs constitute 8.6 
percent of the country’s total population. Tribes 
are enormously diverse in respect of language, 
ecological settings in which they live, physical 
features, size of their population, modes of making 
a livelihood and level of development. There is 
I
a lot to learn from tribal cultures and systems. 
UN Commission on Sustainable Development 
highlighted the key role of Indigenous people in 
the conservation of natural areas and species on 
their lands. 
The category of ‘Scheduled Tribes (STs)’ has 
politico-administrative dimension whereas the word 
‘tribe’ has socio-cultural connotations. It is to be 
noted that over 80 percent of STs work in the primary 
sector. Madhya Pradesh tops all the states with 14.7 
percent ST population of the country. The largest 
number of tribal communities is found in Odisha. 
Source: https://jhargram.gov.in/tourist-place/bandarvula-tribal-interpretation-centre/
Bandarvula Tribal Interpretation Centre, Jhargram, West Bengal
Kurukshetra      September  2022 42
Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) of 
India such as Sentinelese and Jarawa tribes of the 
Andaman Islands have pre-agricultural system of 
existence. There are total 75 PVTGs in India. Their 
characteristic features include practices of hunting 
and gathering, zero or negative population growth, 
extremely low level of literacy in comparison with 
other tribal groups. PVTGs belonging to Andaman 
and Nicobar survived the tsunami through 
understanding the patterns and forces of nature.
The findings of Xaxa Committee on socio-
economic, health and educational status of tribal 
communities of India gave important insights 
regarding the status of tribes in India. Protection and 
development of tribes are the two most fundamental 
issues related to the community. Almost 60 percent 
of the forest cover of the country is found in tribal 
areas. Traditional tribal economy depends on forests 
and other natural resources available in their habitat. 
Some tribal communities have adopted a way of life, 
similar to the neighbouring non-tribal communities. 
Tribal-inhabited regions are rich in mineral, 
forest and other resources, therefore large-scale 
development projects are invariably located in those 
areas. Land is the basis of socio-cultural, religious 
identity and livelihood of a tribe. A massive push to 
a development agenda with economic liberalisation 
characterised by the private companies entering into 
tribal areas has been met with ample resistance by 
tribes.
According to Centre for Science and 
Environment, about half of the top mineral-
producing districts are tribal districts. Researchers 
are of the view that social and geographical isolation 
of the tribal community from the outside world 
can be attributed to their poverty. Tourism related 
to indigenous people can be used to diminish 
this isolation. Owing to the sheer diversity and 
the sensitivities in the tribal population of India, 
there can’t be ‘one size -fits all’ approach to tribal 
tourism development pan India; rather it has to be 
a tailor made approach for tribal regions of tourism 
potential, identified after due diligence.
Tribal Tourism in India
In order to ensure economic and social 
prosperity for the tribal community of India, a 
well-planned, sensitively executed and holistically 
monitored policy intervention aimed at identifying, 
preserving, and promoting tribal heritage is required. 
Tribal people are often known by terms such as 
indigenous (native) people, aboriginal people, 
moolnivasi (original inhabitants), adivasi, janajati, 
hunter-gatherers, etc. There are over 476 million 
indigenous people living in 90 countries across 
the world, accounting for 6.2 percent of the global 
population. Indigenous people of India constitute 
the second largest tribal population in the world 
after Africa. World Tribal Day is observed on 9
th 
August every year. November 15
th
 has been declared 
as the National Tribal Pride Day.
The intangible heritage that the tribal 
population possesses including the traditional 
knowledge system contains many positive and 
productive elements that are really precious for the 
entire humanity. Tourism can be one of the tools 
through which, the rich cultural heritage of the 
tribes manifested in its folklore, costume, jewellery 
and lifestyle, their harmonious and sustainable 
ways of living, indigenous practices by tribal healers 
and medicinal plants can be offered as a unique 
attraction to the potential visitors. In this process 
the economic benefits can be reaped by the tribal 
community. Tourism may act as a motivation 
(monetary incentive) for cultural preservation and 
promotion, and can prevent cultural facets from 
fading into oblivion.
Tribal tourism refers to a form of travel in 
which tribes allow tourists to experience authentic 
indigenous life (tribal habitat, heritage, history 
and handicrafts, culture, values and traditions) by 
allowing the tourists to visit their villages for them 
to be exposed to a culture completely different from 
their own. In India, this concept is in its nascent stages 
but it is popular in countries like Ethiopia, Kenya in 
Africa; Ecuador, Peru, Brazil in South America, etc. 
Ethnic tourism, tribal tourism, indigenous tourism, 
rural tourism, eco-tourism, nature based tourism, 
agri-tourism, community based tourism, responsible 
tourism are few terminologies which are all closely 
aligned and used in academia to explain the concept 
of travel to tribal areas. These concepts are a 
part of the wider umbrella of Alternative Tourism  
which in essence means tourism activities or 
development that are viewed as non-traditional, 
often defined in opposition to large-scale mass 
tourism to represent small-scale sustainable tourism 
developments. 
Kurukshetra      September  2022 43
A widely accepted perspective is that ethnic 
tourism has multiple benefits, such as cultural/
identity revival and socio-economic, and sometimes 
even political gains for local minority residents 
(Adams 2003). In the year 2018, Ministry of Tourism 
(MoT), Government of India (GoI) inaugurated the 
project ‘Development of Tribal Circuit in Chhattisgarh’ 
implemented under the Swadesh Darshan Scheme 
(SDS) of MoT, in Gangrel, Chhattisgarh. It was the 
first Tribal Circuit Project under SDS. Construction of 
its first phase in Vananchal region of the state got 
completed in 2022 at the cost of Rs. 94.23 crore. 
Jashpur, marked for tribal tourism circuit under SDS, 
has been developed as an ethnic tourism village. 
Ethnic tourism village at Sarodha Dadar, Eco-Ethnic 
Tourist Destination at Gangrel, Route Facilitation 
Centre at Nathianwagaon, Ethnic Tourist Village at 
Kondagaon, Ethnic Tourist Destination at Jagdalpur, 
Eco-Ethnic Tourist Destination at Chitrakoot and Eco-
Ethnic Tourist Destination at Tirathgarh have been 
developed. SDS (launched in 2014 -15) is a scheme 
of MoT for development of thematic circuits in the 
country in a planned manner. 
In a year 2021, a document of MoT titled 
‘National Strategy and Road Map for Development 
of Rural Tourism in India - An Initiative towards 
AatmaNirbhar Bharat’, the SWOT (strength-
weakness-opportunity-threat) analysis of rural 
tourism in India mentions, “apart from the 
mainland rural areas, India has coastal, Himalayan, 
desert, forest and tribal areas amongst others for 
tourists”. Further it suggests the states of India to 
identify clusters of villages having high potential 
for tourism development on various sub themes 
which also includes “unique tribal culture”.
Tribal Tourism and Museum Development in 
Uttar Pradesh: Tharu Tribe
Tharu Tribal community lives in the Terai 
(foothills of the Himalayas) lowlands. Terai area 
is quite fertile. The districts of Uttar Pradesh lying 
close to the Nepal border have maximum Tharu 
tribal population. The Government of Uttar Pradesh 
has decided to promote tribal tourism in the regions 
inhabited by Tharu tribe. This tribal group also has 
a presence in Nepal, Bihar and Uttarakhand. Tharus 
are recognised as a Scheduled Tribe in India. Tharu 
people worship mainly their tribal Goddess (Earth) 
which they refer to as ‘Bhumsen’ in their language. 
They worship Lord Shiva as Mahadev. They are 
worshippers of Theravada Buddhism. Maximum 
people from this tribe work either as forest dwellers 
or are farmers. 
Tharu people plant rice, wheat, mustard, corn, 
and lentils. They also collect minor food produces 
from forest like wild fruits, medicinal plants, etc. 
They hunt deer, rabbit and wild boar and also do 
fishing. They stay in isolation in their own localities. 
Their homes, especially the outer walls and verandas 
are decorated and coloured. Wine made by rice is 
quite popular in this tribe. Major items on the Tharu 
plate are bagiya or dhikri which is a steamed dish 
of rice flour that is eaten with chutney or curry and 
ghonghi, an edible snail that is cooked in a curry 
made of coriander, chilli, garlic, and onion.
The Uttar Pradesh Government has started a 
new scheme to put Tharu villages on the tourism 
map. The government aims to offer tourists an 
experience of living in the natural Tharu habitat 
that contains traditional huts made of materials 
naturally found in the forest. The aim is to connect 
Tharu villages in the districts of Balrampur, Bahraich, 
Lakhimpur and Pilibhit bordering Nepal, with the 
‘home stay scheme’ of the UP Forest Department. 
With this scheme, Tharu homeowners will be able to 
charge tourists directly for the accommodation and 
home-cooked meals. The forest corporation would 
also provide basic training to Tharu people so that 
they can communicate aptly with the tourists.
Burman et al (2007) states that museums 
and village cultural centres play an important part 
in preserving and promoting tribal culture, but 
unfortunately not much has been done in this area. A 
good example of a Tribal Museum is the one located 
at Shillong, namely the Don Bosco Museum, which is 
the largest of its kind in Asia. Apart from the above 
initiative, few months ago the official spokesperson of 
the culture department, U.P government announced 
that ‘Tharu Janjati Museum’ will be set up in Imilia 
Koder Village of Balrampur district which will be the 
first of its kind in the state. Sonbhadra, Lakhimpur 
Kheri, and Lucknow districts have also been spotted 
for the construction of Tribal Museums. Museums 
are also effective mediums to preserve and promote 
the cultural facets. There is a huge demand for tribal 
artifacts, textiles, ornaments, paintings, potteries, 
cane and bamboo products, and organic and natural 
food products, but the supply side of this economy is 
Kurukshetra      September  2022 44
way below the demand side and thus the community 
fails to profit from its produce. Promoting tourism in 
the tribal areas can aid in strengthening the supply 
side.
Advantages of tribal tourism include domestic 
and global propagation of the culture and tradition 
of the Tharu tribes. The state government says it 
would help in creating jobs and bring economic 
independence and advancement in the tribal 
population. The handicrafts of Tharu tribes will 
get the buyers through tourism which will create 
financial opportunities. Statistical data (refer pie 
chart below) shows that Uttar Pradesh has stood in 
the top three positions in the list of states ranked 
in India on the basis of domestic and international 
tourist arrivals. This footfall would be exposed to a 
more vibrant basket of tourism offerings in U.P . with 
Tribal tourism getting added to it. An empowered 
status of women in tribes, ability to live in sync with 
nature, role of tribes in climate conservation, waste 
management techniques, sustainable food practices 
(majority of them) are few facets of their culture 
which can attract and mesmerise the tourists.
Figure 1. Percentage Share of Top 10 States/
UTs in Domestic Tourist Visits in 2020
Source: India Tourism Statistics 2021, MoT, GoI
Figure 2. Share of Top 10 States/UTs in India in 
Number of Foreign Tourist Visits in 2020
Source: India Tourism Statistics 2021, MoT, Gol
Conclusion
The tribal economy is mainly concentrated 
around the collection and processing of minor forest 
products and cultivation largely for the purpose of 
domestic consumption. They usually struggle to 
meet their economic needs with a bare minimum 
income. It is a proven fact that tourism empowers the 
host population economically. Tourism development 
in the destinations characterised by indigenous 
people, where the visitors are prepared to ‘travel 
responsibly’, will pave the way for preservation and 
protection of tribal heritage in a sustainable way. 
Tribal tourism can act as an instrument of economic 
development and employment generation 
particularly in tribal districts. Tribal tourism can 
play an important and effective role in achieving 
the growth with equity which is very essential 
for sustainable development. The guiding policy 
making principle should be that tourism can’t be 
a compensation for non-development of tribes; it 
should be a wilfully opted supplement by the tribal 
community. 
Understanding of tribal destination image 
and perceptions of visitors is very critical to region 
and provide the basis for more effective and 
efficient future strategic planning for tribal tourism 
development. There is need of capacity building 
for local tribal community members in terms of 
tour guiding, hospitality and tour operations for 
tourism to become more participative. There is 
need of public private partnership for tourism 
infrastructure development in the tribal region 
and also the sustainability concern of tribal areas is 
to be given due emphasis. The most fundamental 
premise of ensuring success of using tourism as 
a means to preserve and promote tribal heritage 
is to consider opinion of tribal community and 
their participation in planning and development 
of tribal tourism at each and every stage of 
tourism development. Mohanty (2007) suggests 
that inviting participation of the tribal people 
not only at the implementing level but also in 
the designing of tourism is the key. Local people 
should be encouraged and expected to undertake 
leadership role in planning and development 
with the assistance of government and business 
enterprises.
With Ms. Droupadi Murmu being elected as 
the President of India, the first president from the 
Kurukshetra      September  2022 45
tribal (Santhal) community, there can’t be a bigger 
watershed moment to holistically address tribal 
concerns in India in a multidimensional manner.
References
1. Adams, K. M. (2003). Cultural displays 
and tourism in Africa and the Americas. 
Ethnohistory, 50(3)
2. Burman, P.D. Cajee, L. Laloo D.D (2007). 
Potential for cultural and eco-tourism in North 
East India: a community-based approach In 
Transactions on Ecology and the Environment, 
Vol 102, WIT Press.
3. Ministry of Tourism (2021). National Strategy 
and road map for Development of Rural 
Tourism in India - An Initiative towards 
Atmanirbhar Bharat.
4. Ministry Of Tribal Affairs(2021-22). Annual 
Report.
5. Mohanty, J (2007).Eco-Tourism for So-Called 
Tribal Development:A Critical Assessment 
from an Anthropological Perspective. 
Anthropologist Special Volume No. 3.
6. Smith. V. L(1989). Eskimo tourism: 
Micromodels and marginalmen., In: Hosts 
and Guests: TheAnthropology of Tourism, V.L 
Smith (Ed.). University of Pennsylvania Press, 
Philadelphia.
7. Xaxa, V (2014). Report Of the High Level 
Committee on Socioeconomic, Health and 
Educational Status of Tribal Communities of 
India.
(The author is Assistant Professor, Institute 
of Tourism Studies, University of Lucknow. Views 
expressed are personal. Email: yadav.suyash@
gmail.com)