India has a large tribal population. However, they
are mostly concentrated in the Eastern provinces. When the British ruled
India, they left the tribal population isolated and did not integrate them with
other parts of the country. The tribes continued with their animistic beliefs
and gods. One facet of tribal life was sex, which was treated as normal and
necessary. There are no taboos and it's not uncommon for an unmarried boy and
girl to sleep together. Sometimes the youngsters are encouraged to have sex by
elders to decide whether they are compatible with each other.
Even older men and women also indulge in sex after tribal ceremonies. Only
Christian missionaries were allowed, but they could not change the tribal attitudes, though they converted some tribal to Christianity.
Once the British left India in 1947, these tribal areas were opened up and many
traders and others came inside tribal lands. Seeing free sex these men used
tribal girls, impregnated many, and left. A new breed of men also came who
enticed the tribal with gifts and took their girls and forced them into
brothels in Mumbai and Calcutta. It is a sordid affair, but though the
government has become alive to the situation, yet I wonder how it can be stopped.
