Close-up of an old tribal woman smoking bidi, an Indian handmade cigarette made of tobacco or beedi leaves, Orissa, India. Rural faces of India

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Bheel or Bil Bhils are a scheduled tribe in the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan in western and central India. In ancient time many Bhils were employed by the ruling Rajput as shikari or hunters because of their knowledge of the terrain. Many had even become warriors in armies. Marriages are always arranged and treated as a business agreement. Men outnumber women. Men who must pay 10 goats for the right to marry an eligible woman! Every year during the July to August Full-Moon Day Fair, young men compete for the honor of marrying some of the young women.

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Photo credit: © Shrikrishna Paranjpe / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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