Major Races in the world

Term sometimes applied to a physically distinctive group of people, on the basis of their difference from other groups in skin colour, head shape, hair type, nasal index and physique. Formerly, anthropologists divided the human race into three hypothetical racial groups: Caucasoid, Mongoloid, and Negroid. Others postulated from 6 to 30 races. Scientific studies, however, have produced no proof of definite genetic racial divisions.

Isolation in Homo sapiens has never lasted long enough for the establishment of the isolating mechanisms that prevent interbreeding and lead to speciation. Humans do, however, follow many of the rules that apply to animals; for example, pigmentation is more intense in the humid tropics than in arid, cooler regions. Body extremities and body surface as a whole are reduced in animals in very cold climates; this principle is demonstrated by the Inuit. It has proved impossible to measure mental differences between groups in an objective way, and there is no acceptable scientific evidence to suggest that one race is superior to others. The attempt to categorize human types, as in South Africa for the purposes of segregation, is inevitably doomed by the absence of any straightforward distinction. Since humans can all interbreed to produce fertile offspring, they must all belong to the same genetic species.

Caucasoid

Former racial classification used for any of the light-skinned peoples; so named  because the German anthropologist J F Blumenbach (1752-1840) theorized that they originated in the Caucasus.

Mongoloid

Former racial classification, based on physical features, used to describe people of E Asian and North American origin.

CHARACTERISTICS OF MAJOR RACES 

DISTRIBUTION OF RACIAL GROUPS IN INDIA

The people of India are largely the descendants of immigrants from across the Himalayas. It is still debated whether any native race evolved on Indian soil.

We know that the species known as Ramapithecus was found in the Siwalik foothills of the north-western Himalayas. The species believed to be the first in the line of hominids (human family) lived some 14 million years ago. Recent researches have shown that a species resembling the Australopithicus   lived in India some 2 million years ago. Even this discovery leaves an evolutionary gap of as much as 12 million years since Ramapithecus.

Very little research has been done regarding the ethnic origins of the Indian population perhaps it is of little importance now. The fact is that the Indian population is polygenetic and is a confusing mixture of various racial strains. Few, if any, can claim to belong to any particular stock.

We are giving below descriptions of the various races in India according to the classical pattern.

The population of India is derived from the following racial groups and sub-groups :-

1.         The Negritos.

2.         The Proto-Australoids.

3.         The Mongoloids .

            i)          Palaeo-Mongoloids :

                        a)         long-headed type

                        b)         broad-headed type

            ii)         Tibeto-Mongoloids

4.         The Mediterranean :

            i)          Palaeo-Mediterranean

            ii)         Mediterranean

            iii)        The so-called oriental sub-type of the Mediterraneans.

5.         The western broad-headed people of Brachycephals

            i)          Alpinoids

            ii)         Dinarics

            iii)        Armenoids

6.         The Nordics

The Negritos

Negritos are a short statured type of human race, believed to have entered India in the earliest times. Tribal groups such as Kadars and Puliyans living in the hills and forests of the Indian Peninsula and Andaman Islands constitute the Negrito race in India. Their characteristic features are :

i)          Woolly hair    

ii)         Bulbous forehead       

iii)        Broad flat nose                      

iv)        Slightly protruding jaws.

The Proto-Australoids

It is believe that Proto-Australoids entered India soon after Negritos. The Indus-Valley Civilization was built by them. This has been established by the skeletons discovered from the burial grounds both at Mohen - jo - daro and Harappa.

Hilly and forested tracts of central, south and north India are the major parts where this type of race has settled down. In North India, they form the lower stratum of the society.

Their characteristics include the following traits and resemble the negritos except that there is absence of woolly hair in them:

i)          Bulbous forehead

ii)         Broad flat nose                      

iii)        Slightly protruding jaws.

The Mongoloids

The original home-land of the Mongoloid race was China from where they were pushed southward into the Malaya peninsula and Indonesia. They entered India through the passes in the northern or eastern mountains. Presently, they occupy large areas of Laddakh, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland and Mizoram.

The Mongoloid racial stock of India can be dived into two sub-groups as follows :-

i)    Palaeo-Mongoloids                

ii)  Tibeto-Mongoloids.

i)   Palaeo-Mongoloids are further divided into broad-headed and long-headed sub-types. They settled mainly along the fringes of the Himalayan in Assam and the Myanmar border.

ii)  Tibeto-Mongoloids have come from Tibet as their name suggests. They are mostly living in Bhutan and Sikkim, as well as in the north-western Himalayas and Trans-Himalayan regions.

The Mediterraneans

The Mediterraneans came to India from south-west Asia. It is from this region that during the third and second millennium B.C., the Mediterranean race gradually spread over the surrounding areas. They are divided into three distinct sub-groups :

i)   Palaeo-Mediterranean

ii)  Mediterranean

iii) So-called Oriental Type

i)   Palaeo-Mediterranean- Palaeo Mediterranean is the first sub-type of the Mediterranean human race which entered India in the most ancient times. They first settled down in north-western India and are believed to have started agricultural practice there. Later on subsequent immigrations forced them to move to central and southern India. Now - a - days the bulk or population living in southern and northern India are of Palaeo-Mediterranean type of human race. Their characteristics are :

a)         Medium stature

b)         Long head

c)         Dark skin

ii)  Mediterranean This sub-type is considered to be the main stream of the Mediterranean race which entered India a little later. They also settled in the north-western parts of India and are believed to be the builders of Indus-Valley Civilization along with the Proto-Australoids. They introduced the first metal or bronze cultures in India roughly between 2500 to 1500 B.C. Later immigrations of human races pushed them into the Ganga plains and even beyond the Vindhyan mountain ranges.Now-a-days, the bulk of Scheduled Castes in North India is constituted by this race.

iii) So-called Oriental Type This type of the Mediterraneans entered India in the last. Now-a-days, they constitute the majority of the population of Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Western U.P. According to anthropologists, the mediterraneans came to India with a fair high level of Civilization and believed to be the bearer of earliest form of Hindustan into India.

Brachycephals

Brachycephal groups of races of India are characterized with broad heads. Coorgis and Parsis are representatives of the Brachycephals in India. These races are sub-divided into three major groups. They followed three different routes to enter India :

i)          Alpinoids

ii)         Dinarics and

iii)        Armenoids.

i)    Alpinoids. Alpinoids came to India along the route passing through Baluchistan, Sind, Kathiawar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

ii)  Dinarics. Dinarics followed the Ganga valley and its delta as their route to enter India.

iii) Armenoids. Chitral, Gilgit, Kashmir and Nepal formed the third route for the Armneids of the Brachcephal group of races to enter India.

The Nordics

The Nordics constitute the last wave of migration into India. They spoke Aryan language and migrated to India sometime during the second millennium B.C. The main concentration of these people is in the north-western part of the country. They are a predominant type in the North Western Frontier Province of Pakistan, Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan. They are mostly represented among the upper-castes of North India particularly in Punjab. The characteristics of this race are as under:-

i)  Long head

ii)  Fair complexion

iii) Well-developed nose.

iv) Well - built strong body.