I still remember standing in a village courtyard in Arunachal Pradesh, surrounded by women in bright woven skirts. One of them reached out to adjust her bead necklace, its blue and coral stones glowing against the afternoon sun. She told me it once belonged to her grandmother, and that in their tribe, such jewellery is never sold, only passed on. At that moment, I realised something simple yet profound: tribal clothing and ornaments are not just about beauty. They are living memories stitched and strung together.
Across India, from the green valleys of the Northeast to the sandy deserts of Rajasthan, tribal attire speaks in colours, textures, and sounds. Every bead, tattoo, and piece of cloth carries meaning. They tell us where people come from, what they believe in, and how they see themselves in the world.
Let me take you through some of these timeless traditions.
Table of Contents
Northeast India: Colours of the Hills
Monpa Tribe of Arunachal Pradesh
Travel into the chill of Tawang and Dirang, and you will find the Monpa people wrapped in thick woollen chubas. These long gowns are tied with cloth belts, simple in form but warm and sturdy for the high-altitude winters. The ornaments here are made of coral, turquoise, and silver. Each stone is believed to bring protection. Women wear headscarves embroidered with Buddhist motifs, so even a piece of fabric becomes a silent prayer.
Apatani Tribe of Ziro Valley
The Apatani women are often remembered for their old practice of nose plugs and facial tattoos. Though that practice has almost faded, their traditional dress is very much alive. The women wear striped skirts in shades of indigo and green, with shawls neatly draped across the shoulder. Their necklaces are long strings of blue glass beads, sometimes ending with silver coins that catch the light when they move. An elder once told me, “Our beads do not belong to us alone. They belong to our ancestors, and we keep them safe until the next generation.”
Naga Tribes of Nagaland
Step into a Naga festival and you will feel the ground vibrate with colour and sound. The warrior shawls of the Angami, Ao, and Konyak tribes are bold and striking, with red, black, and white patterns. Each design announces the wearer’s achievements. The ornaments are just as powerful: boar tusks worn as pendants, brass armlets wound tightly on the arms, and long strands of beads that cover the chest. For the Nagas, ornaments are more than beauty. They are status, history, and strength woven into one.
Tai Khamti of Arunachal
The Tai Khamti, living near river valleys, favour silk skirts called longyi. Women pair them with delicate gold earrings and bracelets. These are not heavy or flashy but finely made and often inherited from mothers and grandmothers. During the Sangken festival, the whole village gathers in bright red and yellow clothing, gold catching the sunlight as water is poured in celebration.
Central India: Grace of the Forest
Gond Tribe
In the forests of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, Gond women wear sarees with natural prints, often in floral or leafy patterns. They adorn themselves with glass bangles, sometimes stacked so high that they cover much of the forearm. Silver anklets create a soft music as they walk through their villages. Gond men keep it simple with white dhotis and turbans, but the bags they carry are embroidered with colourful thread, a little detail that shows pride in daily life.
Baiga Tribe
For the Baiga women, jewellery is not always something you can remove. Their tattoos cover arms, foreheads, and legs, marking each stage of life. These tattoos are seen as sacred and as personal as one’s own name. Along with them, silver nose rings and thick brass bangles add weight and shine. When you meet a Baiga elder, you notice how her tattoos and jewellery seem to merge, becoming one complete form of expression.
Western India: Sparkle of the Desert
Rabari Tribe of Gujarat
In Kutch, the Rabari women are known for their mirror work. Their long black skirts are covered in tiny mirrors that reflect the desert sun. They wear bold silver jewellery — heavy necklaces, spiral armlets, and large earrings that tug at the earlobe. These pieces are not just decoration but also a kind of savings, passed down and treasured. The men dress in plain white dhotis, but their tall turbans make them stand out in a crowd, almost like a crown of cloth.
Bhil Tribe of Rajasthan and Maharashtra
The Bhil women wear bright ghagras and colourful veils, often beaded or decorated with shells. Silver anklets circle their feet, and waist chains shine during their traditional dances. Watching them dance during a festival is like seeing the desert itself come alive with rhythm and colour.
Eastern India: Ritual in Every Thread
Santhal Tribe of Jharkhand and West Bengal
The Santhal women often wear sarees with a simple red border. During festivals and dances, they move in unison, the red and white flowing like a wave. Their ornaments are usually bead necklaces, brass earrings, and sometimes heavier silver for weddings and rituals. What may seem simple is in fact deeply meaningful, as the colours and jewellery mark respect for their community and their ancestors.
Why It Matters
When you travel across India and meet these communities, you realise that clothing and ornaments are not just for show. They carry memory, belief, and belonging. A necklace may be hundreds of years old. A tattoo may tell the story of an entire life. A shawl may signal victory, faith, or simply survival in a harsh climate.
These traditions remind us that fashion can be more than trends. It can be heritage, alive and breathing in every bead, stitch, and stone.
Travel Tip from ShivaTells
If you ever find yourself at a tribal festival, resist the urge to only take photos. Sit with someone, ask about the necklace they are wearing or the cloth on their shoulder. Many will smile and share stories that are far older than any guidebook. And those stories, once heard, travel with you long after you leave the village.