The Tribal People Who Showed Me the True Meaning of Life

How a Visit to a Remote Tribal Community Changed My Perspective on Life

A shop in Khasi tribal village. Photo by the author

All of us reading this right now come from a society we call “civilized.” We are born into families, protected by the structures around us, sent to school by our parents, and educated by our teachers. We grow up learning from books, technology, and literature. Yet, we often carry an underlying worry about what the future holds.

A typical house in a tribal village of Northeast India visited by the writer. Photo from the Author

My recent journey to the remote forests and villages of Northeast India, where most people live in tribal communities, truly opened my eyes. These communities have little access to education, hospitals, or formal infrastructure. Yet, to my surprise, they were healthy, respectful, and carried a sense of dignity in their interactions with each other and with the land.

A small baby sleeping at the back of mother like an angel. Photo clicked by the author

The people there live joyfully. They don’t worry about their children’s futures as we do, nor do they feel the need to limit family size. They labor with their…