Ecological History of the Endangered Tribe of Dhimal(Colonial and Post-colonial period)

Ecological History of the Endangered Tribe of Dhimal(Colonial and Post-colonial period) Dr. Bhaskar Roy Assistant Professor in Ancient Indian and World History, West Bengal Education Service, Group-A, Presently posted as Assistant Professor, Department of History, Bidhannagar College, EB-2, Sector-I, Salt Lake City, Kolkata-700064, Govt. of West Bengal. Abstract: The scarcity of historical resources is a major challenge in writing the environmental or ecological history of the Dhimals, an indigenous tribe living in Nepal, Bengal and Assam since ancient times. Ancient Indian mythological stories, regional literature, archaeological resources and other socio-religious references do not mention the Dhimals. The British began to study and write about this tribe for administrative purposes. These studies remain the primary historical sources for understanding the identity and history of the Dhimals, despite producing some exaggerated and controversial views of the community. After Independence, several scholars have studied the Dhimal society and culture from various perspectives, revealing the socio-religious aspects of the Dhimals. This paper focuses on the importance of ecology in Dhimal society and on why the Dhimals depend more on traditional beliefs and natural resources than on modern technologies or projects launched by the authorities. Identity, ecological history, and the impact of conservatism on the acceptance of modern or new ideas by the Dhimals are also discussed. The author of this paper has also visited several habitats and interacted with some Dhimal people to collect information.