RACIAL GROUPS OF INDIA

RACIAL GROUPS OF INDIA

Following Dr B.s. Guha's racial classification of the Indian population, six major types and nine sub­types can be identified.

1. The Negritos
2. The Proto-Australoids
3. The Mongoloids
(i) Palaeo-Mongoloids
(a) long-headed type
(b) broad-headed type
(ii) Tibeto-Mongoloids
4. The Mediterraneans
(i) Palaeo-Mediterraneans
(ii) Mediterraneans
(iii) Orientals
5. The Western broad-headed people or
Brachycephals
(i) Alpinoids
(ii) Dinarics
(iii) Armenoids
6. The Nordics

These racial divisions are identified on the basis of the superficial physical and biological differences among human beings, such as the colour of skin, stature and build of the body, the form of the head and the face, the formation of nose, lips and the forehead and the colour and form of eyes and hair. These physical differences between racial stocks are not in any way indicators of mental and physical potentialities and owe their origin to variations in environ­mental factors in which early evolution took place.
The main physical characteristics of different ethnic groups are briefly discussed below:

1. The Negritos They are probably the earliest arrivals into India, but later incursions of a more numerous group of the Proto-Australoids completely wiped out the evidence of their presence in any region of India today. Some tribal groups such as Kadars, Poligars, Irulas and some of the tribes from Rajmahal hills and Andamans reveal some affinity with the Negrito stock.

The members of this ethnic stock are characterif~'-> by short stature, dark skin colour, bulbous forehead, broav. flat nose, slightly everted and thick lips and frizzly hair.

2. The Proto-Australoids They are the second oldest racial group in India and probably came soon after' the Negritos. They, along with the Mediterraneans, are be­lieved to be the builders of the Indus Valley Civilisation as their skeletons have been discoverfld' from the burial grounds both at Mohenjodaro and Harappa. This racial stock in India is represented by tribal groups such as Oraons, Mundas, Santhals, Chenchus, Kurumbas, Bhils and Kols.
The members of this racial stock physically differ from the Negritos mainly in the absence of woolly hair.