The Saharia, Sehariya, or Sahariya are an ethnic group in the state of Madhya Pradesh, India.

The older generations of the Saharia tribes people fail to give any account of their history, and written records of ancestry are virtually nonexistent.

The story goes that an annoyed Brahma chided the Sahariya for his inability to cope with the pressure and decreed that he would henceforth live in forests and such other out of the way places.

Folk Hindu gods and goddess that they worship and celebrate in major festivals include: Veer Teja, thakar Baba, Durga, Hanuman, Lalbai, Bejasan, Savni Amavasya, Janmashtami, Raksha Bandhan, Deepavali, Holi and Teja Dashmi.

[citation needed] The Sahariya community considers every adult member part of a governing council which is headed by a patel.

A patel's appointment is based on heredity criteria but found to be unfit or unsuitable is basis for removal.

It imposes fines and ostracism on guilty offenders committing rape, elopement or adultery.

The main business is gathering & selling of forest wood, gum, tendu leaf, honey, mahua and medicinal herbs.

Joshi, Vibha 1987 'A Primitive Tribe of Madhya Pradesh: Social Organization and Religion of the Sahariya'.

Anthropological Survey of India.Kolkatta Also see: Srivastava, Vinay Kumar 2016 'Speaking of Caste: Merit of the Principle of Segmentation', Sociological Bulletin.

Joshi, Vibha 1987 'A Primitive Tribe of Madhya Pradesh: Social Organization and Religion of the Sahariya'.

Anthropological Survey of India.Kolkatta Also see: Srivastava, Vinay Kumar 2016 'Speaking of Caste: Merit of the Principle of Segmentation', Sociological Bulletin.