The best known pastoral and hunter-gatherer tribe in history were the Mongols. They inhabited the grasslands (steppes) of Central Asia and the forested areas further north. By 1206, Genghis Khan had united the Mongol and Turkish tribes into a powerful military force and expanded the empire. His successors also maintained a vast empire. It included parts of Russia, Eastern Europe and also China and much of West Asia. The Mongols had well-organised military and administrative systems which was supported by different ethnic and religious groups.

Rani Durgawati was born in the family of famous Rajput Chandel Emperor Keerat Rai of Mohoba in 1524. Her father was Salbahan, the Chandel Rajput raja. In 1542, she was married to Dalpat Shah, the eldest son of king Sang ram Shah of Garha Katanga. The Chandel and Gond dynasties were allied because of this marriage. Rani gave birth to a son. When her son was five years old, her husband died. Rani took the reigns of the Gond Kingdom in her hand. In 1565, the Mughals under Asaf Khan attacked her kingdom. Rani maintained that it was better to die respectfully than to live a disgraceful life. She fought bravely and died in the battle field. Her son, too died fighting with the Mughals.

Garha Katanga was a rich state. It earned wealth by trapping and exporting wild animals to other kingdoms. In 1565, the Mughal forces under Asaf Khan attacked this state.
The Mughal forces were resisted by Rani Durgawati and thereafter by her son. The Mughals annexed part of Garha Katanga. By defeating the Gonds the Mughals looted huge quantity of precious coins and large numbers of elephants. From this fact, we can assume that Garha Katanga is a rich state.

The tribes were the societies who did not follow the social rules and rituals prescribed by the Brahmanas nor were they divided into numerous unequal classes. The area and influence of a tribe varied at different points of time. They loved to settle away from towns and civilisation and usually lived in forests, hills, deserts and places difficult of reach.The tribes retained their freedom and preserved their separate culture in various ways.

History of the Gonds was different from the Ahom in the following way

Nomadic pastoralists moved over long distances with their animals. They lived on milk 'and other pastoral products. They bought and sold these goods as they moved from one place to another. They carried them on the back of their animals. The Banjaras were the most important trader nomads.
Sultan Alauddin Khalji and Mughal Emperor Jahangir used the Banjaras to transport grain to the city markets.
Many pastoral tribes reared and sold animals like cattle and horses, to the prosperous people. Different castes of petty pedlars travelled from village to village and sold ropes, seeds, straw matting and coarse socks. Mendicants acted as wandering merchants.

There were several other societies in the subcontinent which did not follow the social rules and rituals prescribed by the Brahmanas. Such societies are called as tribes. Tribal people were found in every region of the subcontinent. In Punjab, the Khokhar tribe was influential during the 13th and 14th centuries. In Multan and Sind, the Langahs and Arghuns dominated extensive regions. The Balochis were large and powerful tribe, Gaddis. The Nagas, Ahoms lived in the North Eastern part of the subcontinent.
Chero, Mundas and Santhals were in Bihar, Jharkhand Orissa and Bengal.
The other tribes were the Kolis, Berads Koragas, Vetars, Maravars, Gonds etc.
The Bhils By the late 16th century many of them had become settled agriculturists and some even zamindars. So, now they considered forests, deserts and difficult places to reach as their home. They do not want to be treated as unequals as it is being practiced in varna system of society.

Several tribes live in different parts of India. See the map given below

These tribes settled temporarily at the places which suited them as per their need and livelihood. Whenever, they found the environment or their mode of living unfavourable, they migrated to other suitable places.
(i) The Khokhar tribes are from the Punjab region of Pakistan and North Western India. They were designated as an agricultural tribal and were usually classified as Jat and Rajput. There were several subdivisions of the Khohhan bribe, e.g., Bandial, Bhachan, Dhaulka, Ganjial, Jalap etc. All of them were mainly dependent on their fertle land for livelihood.
(ii) The Gaddia are people who normally reside in the Mandi, Kangra and Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh. Their main occupation is Shepherding. They make their livelihood by rearing and selling sheep, goats, mules and horses. They spent their winter in the low hills of Siwalik range, grazing their flocks in forests. By April, they moved on to higher mountain meadows when the snow melted. By September, they again began their return movement.