Gujjars in Himalyan states
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Gujjars in Himalayan states
Shamsheer Hakla Poonchi , Gujjars in Himalayan states "Daily Excelsior" 28/2/2016
Gujjar is the name of an important community recognized as backward community throughout the country. The past of this community was so bright that it cannot be compared with other communities Centuries ago, after fighting wars against outside invaders, when there was a great setback to this community, it was thought that perhaps in future history, there would be no name as Gujjars. However, these people have withstood the vicissitudes and made sacrifices as to exist for ever. No doubt, Gujjars belong to different beliefs and religions but belonging to different religions cannot weaken their national integrity and blood relations and this is the proof of the fact that the unity of Gujjars is significant. To Gujjars unity of the country precedes all other considerations. Unity of Gujjars is a proof of their greatness. But if we want to have an idea of the greatness of the past of Gujjars then we will have to go through the pages of history of this community. Apart from that in different countries of Asia, various names of cities, towns and localities are based on the names of Gujjars. It shows that wherever these people have gone they gave their names to those places and those places have become famous of their names only.
According to historians, Gujjars are warrior tribes. In this country, Mount Abu is their oldest centre and the present, the people of the community are found approximately in six countries. But majority of the Gujjars is in India who are dwelling in Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Gujarat and Jammu and Kashmir. Anthropologists in India have defined the Gujjars as of fair complexion, long nose, tall, long head and wide forehead. The Gujjars hold fast to their religion but their outlook is secular. The Gujjar community at present living in Himalaya was once the holder of crown and kingdom but now it is roaming in forests and hills. These people are backward in comparison to the developed communities. They are homeless and landless, wandering in the open. Other people live as social beings but these people live around quadrapeds all their life time. They do not have any house but only a tent and that tent is also made of several old pieces of cloth. Inside the tent there is family, tired and burdened by life’s choes. Children are lying naked and crying. They have kept some hand made woolen clothes. One wonders if their hardships are known to the world. The old man weakened due to sickness is lying inside the tent or “KOTHA’’ in old dirty clothes and coughing. The Kotha is all smoke. Eyes are swollen with smoke. Their animals are scattered over the hills and can get killed by harsh climate.
LIFE PATTERN
Geographically, we divide our J&K State into three parts namely Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. Leaving behind occupied places, there are fourteen districts in our State. Apart from Ladakh Division Gujjars are to be found in each and every District of the State. But majority of the Gujjars is dewelling in Rajouri and Poonch Districts.
In overall population of the State, Gujjars are living in lakhs of numbers in J&K State divided in three tribes, settled, half-settled and homeless Gujjars.
The settled Gujjars are those who are settled at one place and staying in villages and they do agriculture pursuits. Half settled Gujjars are those who though live in villages and do agriculture profession but for six months of summer they leave for Peer Panjal with their cattle where pastures are available to graze on. From centuries these people are living in the laps of hills, and on the banks of rivers. Some of Gujjars of Jammu and Kathua are big farmers.
The homeless Gujjars can be divided in two tribes, dodhi Gujjars and Bakerwals Gujjars. In Jammu and Kashmir State one tribe of Gujjars is known as “Dodhi’’ or ‘Banyara’ Gujjars. These people keep buffaloes and lead a nomadic life. In summer season, these people stay in Reasi, Udhampur and Kathua’s lower areas. Some Dodhi Gujjars go upto Pathankot and Gurdaspur also. When the summer sets in, these people start moving to the heights of Himalaya where green grass is available sufficiently for their cattle. They sell milk and ghee for their sustenance. The other tribe of the homeless Gujjars is known as Bakerwal Gujjars. These people mainly keep sheep and goats besides other animals and these are their main sources of livelihood. As this tribe mainly rears sheep and goats, hence it is named as Bakerwal. There are about 16 lakhs Gujjars in J&K State, in which the Bakerwal Gujjars are more than 1.50 lakhs. In appearance these people are well built and handsome and they are also brave and hospitable. Previously, all these were homeless but now, some of them have their own houses and have started to lead a life with permanent settlement at a place. The sub-castes of these Gujjars are also same as the other Gujjars are having like Hakla, Bajjar, Kohli, Chechi, Khatana, Badhana, Bagdi, Goosi, and Kalas etc etc. These people lead nomadic life. For example, when these people move from one place to another place, they form groups in such a way that they will remain together. There will be one group of Khatana, the other group of Hakla and the other one of Kohli and so on. Every person likes to remain with his own tribe. Their feuds and litigations also take place on clan basis. They are full of oneness and friendship.
They are quite confident about friendship and enemity. Bakerwals do not costruct a house to live permanently in them. Whatever may be called their house is tent only. They take their clothes and household articles from one place to another by loading on horses. Mostly, each family keeps about 400 sheep, 100 goats, 6 to 8 horses 4-5dogs and 2-3 hens. Bakerwals oftenly do not keep buffaloes and cows. Women of this tribe wear home stitched caps. These people wear the shoe of quite a strong type which is called ‘Jooti’ fixed with iron keels at the bottom and are quite weighty.
As far as the life of settled and half settled Gujjars of J&K State, is concerned, they
construct their houses permanently and stay in them but they do agriculture and after winter months, they leave for Peer Panjal alongwith their belongings as there they can have sufficient grazing fields for their cattle. These people live different life from Bakerwals. In all fields of life, Gujjars are quite behind. During this period of Science & technology, when communities are taking active part in the developments, these people are lying far behind due to illiteracy and backwardness, because these people are living far away from the life of civilization on the heights of hills. They are also the victims of lack of self confidence, and do not proceed forward in the field of development alongwith other section of society. They benefits of education have not reached them. They are also not well versed with the modern ways of looking after the cattle and agricultural pursuits. Thus the way of living is of olden days and backward.
Gujjars possess their own panchayat which is called ‘Jerga’. This is a body comprising some old, honest and responsible persons of the community. They decide their matters, keeping in view the welfare and prosperity of their tribe. Most of the litigations are based on grazing fields and women and off and on the incidents of theft and murder are also being reported. For six months of summer, they go to the heights of hills and for winter months they move down to the plains. In this unsettled life it is very difficult for those people to educate their children. So these people cannot compete with other communities in the field of education and are far behind is respect of education for centuries. The position of Gujjars, who are living in Himachal Pradesh and Utter Pradesh is also the same. Ever since Himachal Pradesh accorded the scheduled tribe status to Gujjars, they have started to come out in the field of education, and have also developed. Though they Govt of Jammu and Kashmir State has opened the Mobile School for these nomadic Gujjars but even since Gujjar Sub-Plan and besides other schemes of educational facilities like Gujjar Hostels constructed at district HQ level most of the people have been attracted to engage their children in studies. Apart from this with the efforts of Social Committees and other prosperous people of the Community, people have started to send their children to schools. Now a good number of people are receiving education. Most of the Gujjars, after receiving education have joined good posts. Now-a-days these people can be seen in every department.
Almost same is the story of other Gujjars living in other parts of the country, though variations persist.
In all aspects of life, the position of Himalayan Gujjars is quite pitiable and they are also economically very backward. Though some steps have been taken for the development and prosperity of these people but no economic change has appeared in their lives so far. Their profession is to feed the animals and sell milk and ghee to subsist upon. After doing much hard working these people remain burdened with the debts come down from the time of their forefather. The debts which were taken by their elders from the money lenders have to be liquidated by their children.
To improve their economic position and to change the same to prosperity urgent attention has to be paid to their problems. There is a need of Cooperative Centers which should be opened in their areas from where they could purchase their requirements on reasonable rates and they could also sell their products on proper rates.
Vann Gujjars
Shamsher Hakla Poonchi , An account of Vann Gujjars "Daily Excelsior" 20/8/2017
Although I also belong to Gujjar community, but I had a chance to see the “Vann Gujjars” tribe and was eager to know about them. I came to know from an elderly man of my village that “Vann Gujjars” were residing in the forests of Uttarakhand. On this, I asked the man whether these people were living a life of wild animals therefore they were known by the name of “Vann Gujjars”. The man replied that he had not much knowledge about them. Since then I thought to write about those” Vann Gujjars” time and again, but I could not get a detailed knowledge to write down. I made up many mind to write about them. For this purpose I visited the house of a friend of mine who lives in Saharanpur of Uttar Pradesh. I entreated my friend to take me amid those “Vann Gujjars” tribes, so that I could see their way of life personally and bring those in writing. My friend took me along towards from Saharanpur to Hardwar Uttrakhand state. Both of us reached Nalwala near Hardwar Uttrakhand state at 8P.M. Nalwala is a forest area. We alighted the bus and entered the hut of “Vann Gujjars”. He received us warmly. He did not know me but my friend. No sooner did we enter his hut he sought my introduction from my friend and then entertained us with tea etc. At the very outset of entering that hut, I started looking at everything with exploratory eyes. Their way they spoke, way of living and other situations, I felt as if I were sitting in a typical family of Gujjars & Bakarwals of Jammu and Kashmir. After evening meals, is started talking to an elderly member of the family in connection with the forests coming and settling of “Vann Gujjars” in those. At this the elderly man told me that they were the descendants of their dead elders who lived in Distt. Jammu of J&K state. The old man told me that about 200 years from now the daughter of one of Rajas of Jammu and Kashmir was married to a prince of a Raja of Uttar Pradesh.
After a few days of the marriage the daughter of the Raja came back to Jammu to see her father. On her arrival the father asked his daughter if she had liked the land of her in laws and that she had felt cosy there. At this she replied her father that all was well. However, added that milk of good quality was not available. At this her father assured her that he would make proper arrangement of milk for her.
The Raja summoned some of the Gujjar families and ordered them to move to land of the in laws of his daughter to settle there and produce plenty of milk for his daughter. At this the Gujjars demanded that they should be granted liberty to roam in the forest of UP. Some 150 families of Gujjars agreed to migrate to UP along with their live stock. At this the Raja contacted the Raja of UP to which the Raja of UP acceded the proposal of the Raja of Jammu who dispatched these Gujjar families to settle in Up & sought Raja’s permission to let them roam freely in the forests of Uttar Pradesh. In this way about 150 families of Gujjars settled in the forest of Uttar Pradesh. Language, dress, way of life and social rites are similar as those of the Gujjars of Jammu.
Gujjars” tribes are mostly found settled in Hardwar, Nainital, pilibhit, Bijnor, Phori, Tehri, Chamoli, Garhwal and Utter kasha of UP state. About three lac of their population resedes in these districts. These tribes lead of life of freedom, roaming in the forest with a natural life away artificiality. They like to live away from thickly populated areas, mostly live in jungles and mountains. They are homeless and landless.
They are illiterate. Unlike the people living in the modern way of life, these “Vann Gujjars” like to go and live with animals.
They are in the pits of illiteracy and backwardness. They live in thatched huts inside which there lives a depressed family trampled by the people of worlds. Nude children weep and moan. The house owner is under the stress of depression due to want and poverty. The mother of children under utter poverty. Most of the women folk fell prey to inferiority complex leading the life worse than animals. After giving birth a dozen children, they have spoiled their health. A Gujjar is in the bad habit of marrying four wives at a time which results in producing 10-12 children. Such people are unaware of the benefit of family planning.
