Halba (tribe)
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| c. 750,000 (2011 census) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha | |
| Languages | |
| Halbi, Hindi | |
| Religion | |
| Hinduism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Bhunjia, Indo-Aryan peoples |
The Halba are a tribe in Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Odisha in India. They speak the Halbi language and mostly farm. Linguistic evidence indicates they are an aboriginal tribe who adopted Hinduism and an Indo-European language.
The Halba ancestors were cultivators and farm servants who lived south of the Raipur district, or Kanker and Bastar State; from here small numbers spread to Bhandara district, parts of Berar Province and into the Koraput district of Odisha.