Tribals comprise 62 per cent of the population of Dadra & Nagar Haveli. Shy, simple people, they have a vibrant heritage that they are happy to share with you, in the form of cuisine, customs and culture - arts and crafts, dances and rituals – best seen in capital city Silvassa. Although they use dialects influenced by the languages of bordering areas, many of them also speak Gujarati, Marathi and Hindi.

Most hotels and resorts in Silvassa and throughout the Union Territory arrange, on request or on special occasions, a visit to a tribal village in Silvassa and around Dadra and Nagar Haveli, a meal with the locals or performance of tribal dances – Tarpa and Gherraiya for Diwali, Bhavada on torch-lit summer nights, and Tur and Thali that during marriages. Guests are encouraged to join the dancers. Tarpa has become the theme for a Tarpa Festival held from December 26th to 31st.

The Tribal Museum in Silvassa gives a realistic feel of local culture through a collection of masks, musical instruments, traditional jewellery and hunting tools ... and you can even shop for souvenirs like Warli paintings, bamboo crafts and palm leaf mats handmade by the tribals of Silvassa and the rest of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

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