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Gonds form India’s oldest society and have their own culture and religion. Today, there is an attempt to Hinduize this society and impose Hindu religion on it, as seen in the plan to construct the Vivekananda Memorial in Darekasa, the heart of Gond Culture. Ushakiran Atram explains

The Adivasis may be in the forests of Bastar or in the plains of the Ganges, but there is little difference in the manner the police suppress their protests against destruction of their livelihoods. In eastern Uttar Pradesh, Adivasis are being named in false cases, writes former IGP S.R. Darapuri

Over the recent years, Adivasi literature in its written form has made its presence felt. Among the authors, there are both Adivasis and non-Adivasis. The ancientness, diversity and vastness of Adivasi language, literature and culture, and their intense association with nature, and liveliness – Janardan Gond touches on these aspects here

The traditions of the indigenous inhabitants are more or less the same across the country – whether it is the Asurs of Jharkhand, who worship their god Bonga and Sarna Mai, or the villages of Bundelkhand, where Bada Dev and Mahishasur are revered. But the brahmanical and neo-liberal forces pose a major threat to the culture of the indigenous peoples

Asurs, Gonds and many other tribal communities describe themselves as descendants of Mahishasur. For them, Mahishasur is a hero who helps them tide over difficult times