CULTURAL CHALLENGES OF GOND TRIBALS IN GADCHIROLI, MAHARASHTRA

Abstract

The Gond community, one of India’s largest tribal groups, has historically occupied large forested tracts in central India, including Gadchiroli district in Maharashtra. Embedded deeply in indigenous culture, oral traditions, animistic beliefs, and forest-based livelihoods, the Gonds — particularly the Madia-Gond subgroup — now face multifaceted cultural challenges arising from socio-economic change, external development pressures, linguistic marginalization, insurgency conflict, and environmental transformations. This research paper examines these dynamics, documenting the nature of these challenges while situating them within broader debates on tribal rights, cultural preservation, and sustainable development. Drawing on empirical studies, government records, local narratives, and recent developments, the paper argues that cultural survival for the Gonds in Gadchiroli requires policy support rooted in community agency, linguistic preservation, forest governance, and engagement with modern education and health paradigms.