Sahariya Tribe – Key Facts
- Category: Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group (PVTG)
- Population: ~6 lakh (Census 2011)
- Location: Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh (+ few other states)
- Other Names: Seher, Sair, Savar, Saonar, Sahra
- Settlement:
- Live in separate village clusters called Seharana
- Houses: stone boulders & stone slab (Patore) roofs; sometimes mud houses
- Strong caste ties; small joint families
- Language: Lost original tongue, speak local dialects
- Religion: Traditional ethnic practices + influenced by Hindu values
- Culture:
- Dance: Saharia Swang (Holi festival)
- Instruments: dhol, nagari, matki
- Male in female attire dances with group
- Livelihood:
- Forest dwellers, remote areas
- Depend on forest produce + small cultivation + wage labour
- Skilled in making catechu (from khair tree)
- Seasonal migration common
- Health Note: Genetic studies suggest link to high TB prevalence in community