The Bhils, the Ancient Bowmen of Western India

Across the hills and forests of western and central India, in the Aravallis and the wild country where Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh meet, live the Bhils, one of the largest tribal communities of India. An Adivasi people famed since the age of the Sanskrit epics as archers and warriors, and renowned today for their vivid Pithora ritual paintings, they are among the most ancient and numerous of the indigenous peoples of the subcontinent.

From the bowmen who fought beside Maharana Pratap to the sacred Gavari dance-drama and the great Baneshwar fair, from the horse-god of the Pithora paintings to the maize fields of the hills, the Bhils carry a rich and distinctive culture. This article traces their origins, language, homeland, society, religion, and traditions, and the story of the ancient bowmen of western India.