Yenadis

The Yenadis also spelled Yanadi are one of the Scheduled tribes of India. They live in Andhra Pradesh in Nellore, Chittoor and Prakasam districts. The tribe is divided among three subgroups: the Manchi Yanadi, Adavi Yanadi, and Challa Yanadi.

Group of Yanadi men

Yenadis are largest tribal group in Andhra Pradesh. [1]

Origin

Yanadhi is a corruption of the word "Andati" (Aborigines), meaning "having no beginning."form.[2] Edgar Thurston speculated their name was derived from the Sanskrit anadi, 'without origin.' Some claim to be the original inhabitants of their region, others claimed to be descended from the Chenchus. At the time a local tradition claimed they had provided food for a saint a long time before, who had taught them how to drive out snakes from their area.

At the turn of the 20th century, the Reddi Yanadis were cooks in Reddy households, who didn't mingle with other subsections of the tribe.

Lifestyle

Others followed a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, and occasionally were employed as watchmen. They ate forest fauna and gathered fruits of the forest. They have immense knowledge of the surrounding forests, flora, fauna and herbs.

They used to live on Sriharikota, which later became the launch site for ISRO.

They traditionally lived in conical huts through which adults had to squat to enter. Widows, especially those with more husbands, were respected as judges of adultery and other crimes. They practiced polygamy, and 1 man even had 7 wives.[3]

In 2011 their population was 537,808.[4]

The Yanadi speak a dialect of Telugu.

References
  1. "Yanadis tribe: Less visible and left out in Andhra Pradesh - The Hindu". webcache.googleusercontent.com. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  2. Helena Blavatsky (1981). Ancient Science, Doctrine and Beliefs. Bangalore: Theosophy Company (Mysore) Private LTD. p. 23 – via Internet Archive.
  3. Thurston, Edgar. Castes and Tribes of Southern India.
  4. "Census of India Website : Office of the Registrar General & Census Commissioner, India". censusindia.gov.in. Retrieved 22 January 2020.

Sources


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