A Comparative Study of Pre- and Post-Migration Patterns among Bhil Migrants in Bhopal, India

Abstract

Urban migration among indigenous populations in India is frequently examined through structural lenses of economic marginalization and displacement. Far less attention has been devoted to systematic examination of how migration reorders everyday cultural practices. This paper presents a comparative domain-based analysis of pre- and post-migration cultural patterns among Bhil migrants residing in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. Drawing on survey data collected from 100 respondents, the study evaluates transformations across ritual participation, linguistic practices, dress norms, social networks, and identity articulation. Findings demonstrate that cultural change under urban transition is neither linear nor uniform. Public and institutional domains show marked adaptive shifts, while domestic and ritual spaces exhibit significant continuity. The results challenge homogenizing narratives of tribal assimilation and instead highlight selective, structurally mediated cultural reconfiguration. The study contributes to migration sociology and indigenous urban studies by operationalizing domain-specific comparative measurement within a South Asian context.