Location and census: 

In our country there are ten crores of Adivasi people living in various places. They are classified into 580 different tribes. The Bhil tribe is one among them. This Bhil tribe is the third largest tribal people in various states in North India. They are most prevalent (about 32 lakhs) in the following three districts; Dahod in Gujarat, Banswada in Rajasthan and Jabuva in Madhya Pradesh.

Bow and arrow: 

Historians say that the word Bhil came from the Dravidian word ‘vil’. Every one of these Bhil Adivasis use bow and arrow and sword not to hunt wild beasts but to fight with each other and to waylay and loot. Even to get a meager amount of Rs.5/- they will fight with swords and with bows and arrows.

Food habits: 

These Bhil Adivasis cultivate maze in the hilly places around their villages. Their staple food is the hand made bread which they nicely make without salt and oil. They put that bread in the burning charcoal and then eat with ginger, garlic and chilli. Their common beverage is a kind of arrack which they themselves prepare with some flowers. They eat rice only on special occasions.

Costumes and dress

 They are scantly dressed. In interior villages men and women are half nacked. In some better of places they wear a shawl. When they come out to market places men wear dhothis. Men also wear a headgear made of 5 metre long fancy cloth. At the most they will have two sets of dress. When they are worn out they will buy another set. Small children do not wear any dress. Men and women like to wear jewellary made of silver. This kind of silver jewellary is very common among them.

Language. 

Their language differs from region to region. For instance Bhil Adivasis in Rajasthan speak ‘Vahudi Bhil’, in Gujarat they speak ‘Bhilodi’ and in Madhya Pradesh they speak ‘bhili’. Their language has no script. Recently after years of research in linguistits Bible translators have developed ‘Bhili’ scripts and the New Testament is being translated in ‘Bhili’ language. 

A little knowledgeable person speaks the state language in addition to their local language. As such our evangelists in Gujarat speak Gujarathi well and those who are in M.P. and Rajasthan speak Hindi well. Our evangelists learn the Bible either in Hindi or Gujarathi and preach to their congregation in their own dilect. It is nothing but God’s grace that we speak Hindi, Gujarathi and also the local dilect.

 Profession.

 By and large they depend on agriculture for their livelihood and for irrigation they depend only on rain. Maze is the primary crop. They also rear cattle. During summer when there is no work in the farm they go to distant cities to work as labourers in building construction; Women are mainly engaged in arrack preparation using Mouva flower. Men engage themselves in looting and way laying. Children are engaged to tend the cattle. Generally children are not sent to schools.

Climatic condition.

The place has extreme climatic conditions. In summer it will be very hot and in winter it will be very cold. During summer a large number of people are affected by extreme heat. It is a common sight that both adults and children are affected by bleeding nose. Some even die of extreme heat. People do not have any winter clothes. They cover themselves with sack cloth made of straw. Their bed is also made of straw. Usually they make fire out of logs they cut from hills and lie around the fire place to keep themselves warm.

 Marriage:

It is a custom among the Bhils that only the groom will bring gifts of ornaments and cash to the bride just as Rebecca got gifts from Isaac and Abraham. Generally a 18 year old girl is married to a 14 year old boy. The reason for this lopsided marriage is very funny. They believe, if a daughter-in-law comes to their house, she will look after the house, shouldering all responsibilities. So even a little educated girl has a better chance of marrying a wealthy boy. The more a girl is educated the more she is favoured. If the girl does not find favour with their in laws, she will be sent back with whatever she got from her husband’s family. So also if the girl does not like the boy, her parents will bring her back to their family paying back what ever they got from the boy’s family, if the girl is childless for some years, the boy will be forced to marry some one else. In that case the previous girl is sent back to her house. But in some cases both the girls live amicably.

 They have very funny customs for the marriage. The boy gets a treat from almost all young girls in the village for 5 or 7 days. They all come every night and smear turmeric paste all over his body and carry the boy on their shoulders and sing and dance. This function is enjoyed by everyone in the village. There is a free flow of arrack for this function. On the day of the marriage the boy will have to wait at the out skirts of the village. He will have to wait till the girls family members come out to take him to the girls house. They even cancel the marriage for some inauspicious occurrings like a raven hovering around their house. If the girl insists that she will go with her husband only after one or two months, the boy will have no other option but to abide by the wish of the girl.

The Law of Santhala 

The Bhils have a quality of sharing each others burden. Knowing that every young boy has to spend a lot of money for his marriage, they have developed a social custom which is called the law of Santhala. By this law the boy’s family will arrange for a function in their house. All the villagers will be invited for the function. A good dinner is served. Before leaving every guest will present a decent amount to the boy. In this way they support each other for the marriage function.

 The economic condition

 These people depend on rain for agricultural activities. If there is no rain they are much affected. In such cases they move to nearby  towns to do odd jobs. Being very illiterate they are exploited by other people. They borrow money and go on paying interest. Their loan amount is never cleared. Some people are forced to sell their land to clear their loans. They sell their agricultural produce in the market and buy what they need. A lot of them are cheated by the merchant community. Even the meagre money they earn is spent over arrack and panparag and so they remain in perpetual poverty

 Their faith:-

 These adivasis generally worship the spirits of the dead. They highly respect witchdoctors. They diligently follow whatever is commanded by these men who practice witchcraft. They make animal sacrifices. Because of these practices evil spirits have a strong hold in their lives. Witchcraft is widely practiced. Elderly women teach younger women how to practice witchcraft. Almost every family is tormented by evil spirits.

 Education:-

 Scarcely we find a school in their village. Even if there is one, you can’t find any teacher coming regularly. By and large they are totally illiterate. These Adivais do not know to count beyond 20. Sixty is taken as three times twenty. In Taluk head quarters there are schools teaching upto std 10.  Public examinations conducted in these schools are all farce.

Medical facility:- 

Only in Taluk head quarters there are government hospitals. Even there these adivasis are not properly treated. The callous and greedy attitudes of those in charge only force these people to seek the help of quacks. Once in Madhya Pradesh there was a drive to round up these quacks. But they all disappeared. People suffer a lot for lack of medical facilities.

 Transport:-

 Most of the villages are situated in interior parts. There are no roads connecting them. People have to walk a long the way to catch a bus from far off places. The buses are badly maintained, there are no name boards. If we ask them the reason, the invariable reply is these people do not know to read. People travel in private jeeps which are always overloaded with scant regard for the safety of the passengers. 

Electricity:- 

There is no electricity in most of the villages. It is alleged that according to government records all the villages have been covered under electrification of rural areas. But in reality only a fraction of them enjoy this facility. In some villages they refuse to have electricity fearing that they have to pay money for it. It is strange that they do not use any kind of lanterns. They lit fire and carry on their activities in the light that comes out of fire place. School going children use bottles with kerosene and make their own lanterns. If we hit a petromax light it is a big attraction for the young and old. 

Drinking water:-

In rainy seasons they get good water in the hand pumps provided by the government. But in summer they are forced to drink stagnant water in river beds which cause various diseases. Many people suffer from various diseases caused by drinking contaminated water.

Such is the appalling condition of these Adivasis. Much is to be done for these people. Who among you would care for these neglected and marginalized people? Only the gospel of Jesus Christ could bring these people from darkness to light.