State PCS - Maharashtra (MPSC)

• 24 Apr 2025

Mahadev Koli Tribe

Why in News? 

A new study highlights that the Mahadev Koli tribe has remained largely excluded from mainstream environmental discussions, despite holding rich medicinal and ecological knowledge that could significantly strengthen global climate resilience. 

 Key Points 

• About Mahadev Koli tribe:  
  • The Mahadev Koli tribe is an indigenous forest-dwelling community in Maharashtra, mainly located in the Akole block of Ahmednagar district, part of the North Western Ghats. 
  • Their name is derived from their deity, Mahadev, and they traditionally inhabit the Mahadev Hills in Maharashtra. 
  • They are officially recognized as a Scheduled Tribe in India. 
  • They speak Marathi and write in the Devanagari script. 
  • The community comprises 24 exogamous clans, with members adopting their clan names as surnames. 
  • Besides agriculture, they engage in cattle rearing, dairy and poultry farming, and wage labour. 
  • Traditional Knowledge: 
    • The Mahadev Koli community holds rich Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), using over 50 native tree species for treating various ailments. 
      • They are particularly known for their use of bark, leaves, and fruits—especially from plant families such as Fabaceae and Moraceae—in traditional medicine. 
    • The community has remarkable expertise in observing and interpreting subtle changes in climate and biodiversity. 
      • They rely on seasonal calendars, indigenous taxonomies, and forest-based ecological indicators to monitor environmental shifts and guide their practices. 
  • Key Findings of the Report: 
    • The Mahadev Koli tribe reside in the Western Ghats, one of the top 8 global biodiversity hotspots, known for its unique and endemic plant and animal species. 
    • The research was conducted by the Watershed Organisation Trust – Centre for Resilience Studies (W-CReS), Pune. 
      • Findings are featured in Springer’s book: Mitigation & Adaptation Strategies Against Climate Change in Natural Systems. 
    • The research documents and validates the tribe’s Local and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (LEK/TEK) on medicinal plants and climate variability detection. 
    • Medicinal Knowledge: 
      • The Mahadev Kolis use 51 native tree species across 41 genera and 25 families to treat ailments like fevers, dysentery, coughs, joint pain, skin infections, and snake bites. 
    • Scientific Contribution: 
      • Their TEK is presented as adaptive, scientific knowledge, not mere folklore, and is crucial for local climate response. 
      • Their observations form a ground-level climate dataset absent from standard meteorological systems. 
      • Their ecological knowledge spans plant taxonomy, healing systems, land-use patterns, seasonal calendars, and spiritual plant practices.