Who Are the Chenchu?
The Chenchu are an indigenous Dravidian tribal people numbering approximately 50,000-70,000 inhabiting the Nallamala Hills of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states in southern India. Traditionally, the Chenchu practiced nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle in dense forests, hunting with bows and arrows, gathering honey, roots, and forest products. The Chenchu speak Chenchu language, a Dravidian language related to Telugu. Traditional Chenchu beliefs centered on animistic spirituality and forest deities. Government policies have encouraged settlement and agricultural transition, though some Chenchu maintain traditional forest-based lifestyle. Modern Chenchu face challenges from deforestation, land rights issues, poverty, and cultural erosion while working to preserve their heritage through indigenous rights advocacy.