Meena is a major tribal community of
Rajasthan, constituting almost half of the whole tribal population in the state. They are found mostly in the
Jaipur,
Sawai Madhopur and
Udaipur districts. They mostly inhabit the hilly and forest regions.
The Meena tribe dwells in settlement known as Mewasas or Pal. Usually these settlements are named after the clan-name of the prominent family in the tribe. The Meena tribe is made up of two communities, namely Purana Basi and Naya Basi. The Purana Basi is a farming community. Diametrically opposite is the Naya Basi community, whose members are notorious for their petty thefts.
