In the rugged Nallamala hills of the eastern Deccan, in the forests around the sacred hill of Srisailam, live the Chenchu, one of the classic hunter-gatherer peoples of India. Foragers of the woods and famed collectors of wild honey, recognised as a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group, they have preserved into modern times one of the most ancient ways of human life on the subcontinent.

Bound to the forest for their livelihood, their religion, and their identity, and linked to the great shrine of Srisailam through the legend of Chenchu Lakshmi, the Chenchu are children of the woods caught between their old world and the demands of the modern state. This article traces their origins, language, homeland, society, religion, and traditions, and the story of an ancient forest people of the Deccan.

The Chenchu on Film

Contents

• Origins
• The Name
• The Language
• The Homeland
• The Old Way of Life
• Society and Community
• Religion and Belief
• Traditions
• Crafts
• Food
• Festivals
• History
• Today

Origins

The Name

The Language

The Homeland

The Old Way of Life

Society and Community

Religion and Belief

Traditions

Crafts

Food

Festivals

History

Today

Related Peoples of the Region

More Peoples of the World

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