From the early fifties there was a spurt of interest among social anthropologists, both Indian and foreign, in village studies, however, covered the tribal communities with this focus. This study seeks to fill this gap for the Chhotanagpur tribal area. It embraces in its wide sweep an extensive coverage of the tribal scene in Bihar. Taking villages predominantly inhabited by different tribes on various socio-economic levels, the author tries to set up the model of an average tribal village in Bihar. He examines the extent to which such a village can be viewed as a unity and also its extensions in various social fields. The danger of studying a village in isolation from its neighbourhood or from its history has been avoided. The entire social process has been analyzed in the background of the history of the region.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Sachchidananda
Prof. Sachchidananda, D. Lit., is one of the seniormost Anthropologists in India. He received his education from Patna University, and School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. He has taught at Patna University and New York University. He has held several important posts like Director, Bihar Tribal Welfare Research Institute, Ranchi; Director, A.N. Sinha Institute of Social Studies, Patna; and Vice-Chancellor, Ranchi University, Ranchi. Prof. Sachchidananda has contributed a large number of papers and book reviews to research journals in India and abroad, and published a number of books in Sociology and Anthropology. Important amontst which are : Culture Change in Tribal Bihar (1964), The Tribal Village in Bihar (1968), Social Dimension of Agricultural Development (1972), Tribal Voter in Bihar (1979), Elite and Development (1980), Industrialisation and Social Disorganisation (1985), Tradition and Development (1988), Shifting Cultivation in India (1989). A past President of the Anthropology Section of Indian Science Congress, Prof. Sachchindananda is the recipient of the R.P. Chandela Medal for distinguished work in Anthropology in 1982. He is associated with a number of social science research institutions in the country in an advisory capacity.
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