Adivasis are pushed to control their marginal status both politically and religiously. They are continuously demanding the right to choose Adivasi or Indigenous religion as an option in the census or any other form. Although there has been a long debate about the religion that Adivasi communities follow, the debate has assumed significance for important reasons. The religion of the tribes was classified as ‘Aboriginal’ in the Census Report of 1871, 1881 and 1891. Under religion they were classified under ‘Animism’ in 1901 and as ‘tribal animists or people following ‘Animism’ in 1911. In the Census Report of 1921, the heading ‘Animist’ was changed to ‘Tribal Religions’; in the 1931 census they are classified as ‘Primitive Religion’. However, the Census Report of 1941 described them as ‘Tribes’ only. Thus, the term ‘tribal religion’ was designated by the British for these people. In 1951 when the first census in independent India was being conducted, ‘tribal religion” was not available as the option under the column for religion but removed. The Adivasi representatives allege that its removal has led tribes to be counted under the established religions of Hinduism, Christianity, Buddhism, or Islam. The demand for the status of Sarna religion must be seen in this light. This paper attempts to study the religion of the Adivasis from a historical perspective and how the demand for the same has changed their perspective on the same.
