The people living in the mountains of Himachal Pradesh are primarily agriculturists and their secondary occupation is rearing of sheep and goats. The people are marginal farmers as the land holdings are small. Agriculture is done on terraced fields and is totally dependant on rainfall. The production from the fields is enough to meet their own demand. The rearing of cattle was thus the other source of food and dairy. The shepherd community in the Pradesh is called as Gaddi. The Gaddies are the nomadic tribes who rear cattle and migrate with the flocks to alpine pastures in the summers and to the low lying areas of the Shiwaliks in the winter for grazing their cattle. The gaddies are the tribals who reside mainly in the districts of Kinnaur and Tehsils of Bharmaur and Pangi of the Chamba district.
Gaddis are the tribes residing in the Bharmour tehsil of district Chamba in Himachal Pradesh of northwestern Himalaya. The old name of Bharmour was Brahmpura which was founded by King Meru Barman and made Brahmpura the capital of Chamba state. The Gaddis are ‘semi nomadic’, ‘semi pastoral’ and ‘semi agricultural’. Some of the Gaddis are also found in the lap of Dhauladhar range of Kangra district. The word “Gaddis” seems has been derived from the word “Gadar” a Hindi term for shepherd and ewe; or form ‘Gahar’. Gather is an alpine pastures grazed in spring. Gaddi is also described as Kailash. Kailash is considered as “Gaddi” connoting seat or throne of their God, Lord Shiva. Those who pray the “Gaddi” of lord Shiva were known as Gaddis. Lord Shiva is the principal God of Gaddis. The entire area is called Gather where Gaddis are inhabited and Bharmour is called the abode of Gaddis and the entire Tehsil is named as Gather or Gaudier region.
Gaddis are simple, strong and honest. They are hard working and keep concern with their job only. Sheep rearing is the main occupation of the Gaddis. Gaddis live close to the nature and spend most of their time living under the open sky. Environment is their best friend for them because they have spent most of the time with their animal in the open sky. They are familiar with the environment and know the worth to them and their animals. The source of food and shelter to them and their animals is these pastures. They have conserved the environment of these pastures for centuries. In the present days there were very few Gaddis in the region who maintain their traditional occupation and culture because of the developmental pressures. They now follow the roads and seldom cross the passes from one valley to the other valleys which were the traditional silk routes of trade as well. Gaddis are also engaged in horticulture and other tertiary sector for there living and most of the Gaddis are now migrated and settled in the lower hills of Kangra and Chamba district due to the lack of facilities in the Bharmour.
‘Chula’ and ‘Dora’ are their popular dress and are worn on the most of the festivals and fair. Now most of Gaddis are wearing modern dresses and now they are not recognised with their dresses, now very few people those who are in old age wear traditional dresses in some area of Bharmour. ‘Dora’ is most important dress of Gaddis men, women and children. The maximum length of ‘Dora’ of adult male is 60 meter, the adult female wear Dora about 50 meter whereas Dora worn by children range from 10-50 meter. Both cap and turban were used by male to cover head. They have a strong belief that keeping head and trunk warm keeps one away from any disease. The chola is also made up of crude wool with the hair of the cattle which not only makes it warm but also water proof. They stick ‘Kali’ which is a plume of Monal or Tragopan on cap and keep flowers on their turban especially during marriage and fair. But in present time these dresses were seen occasionally in fair when people were gathered to dance.
Gaddis played a very important role for the management and conservation of the surrounding environment. All festivals like Bashikhi or Bisu, Minjar, Sair, Patrora and Manimahesh Yatra, Lohri, Holi, Janamshatmi and Dushera are directly or indirectly linked with the environmental management and conservation. Gaddi community are mainly depending upon the natural resources like forest, minor forest produce, water sources and pastures for their livelihood. These resources formed the part of common resources of the people and were managed and utilised by the Gaddis or village communities. Their local deities were placed near the water bodies and in the forest. Gaddis have their religious faith and respect to the natural sources. They ensured to keep the water bodies clean and trees were not allowed to cut near the villages or around the temples.
Gaddis are the tribes residing in the Bharmour tehsil of district Chamba in Himachal Pradesh of northwestern Himalaya. The old name of Bharmour was Brahmpura which was founded by King Meru Barman and made Brahmpura the capital of Chamba state. The Gaddis are ‘semi nomadic’, ‘semi pastoral’ and ‘semi agricultural’. Some of the Gaddis are also found in the lap of Dhauladhar range of Kangra district. The word “Gaddis” seems has been derived from the word “Gadar” a Hindi term for shepherd and ewe; or form ‘Gahar’. Gather is an alpine pastures grazed in spring. Gaddi is also described as Kailash. Kailash is considered as “Gaddi” connoting seat or throne of their God, Lord Shiva. Those who pray the “Gaddi” of lord Shiva were known as Gaddis. Lord Shiva is the principal God of Gaddis. The entire area is called Gather where Gaddis are inhabited and Bharmour is called the abode of Gaddis and the entire Tehsil is named as Gather or Gaudier region.
Gaddis are simple, strong and honest. They are hard working and keep concern with their job only. Sheep rearing is the main occupation of the Gaddis. Gaddis live close to the nature and spend most of their time living under the open sky. Environment is their best friend for them because they have spent most of the time with their animal in the open sky. They are familiar with the environment and know the worth to them and their animals. The source of food and shelter to them and their animals is these pastures. They have conserved the environment of these pastures for centuries. In the present days there were very few Gaddis in the region who maintain their traditional occupation and culture because of the developmental pressures. They now follow the roads and seldom cross the passes from one valley to the other valleys which were the traditional silk routes of trade as well. Gaddis are also engaged in horticulture and other tertiary sector for there living and most of the Gaddis are now migrated and settled in the lower hills of Kangra and Chamba district due to the lack of facilities in the Bharmour.
‘Chula’ and ‘Dora’ are their popular dress and are worn on the most of the festivals and fair. Now most of Gaddis are wearing modern dresses and now they are not recognised with their dresses, now very few people those who are in old age wear traditional dresses in some area of Bharmour. ‘Dora’ is most important dress of Gaddis men, women and children. The maximum length of ‘Dora’ of adult male is 60 meter, the adult female wear Dora about 50 meter whereas Dora worn by children range from 10-50 meter. Both cap and turban were used by male to cover head. They have a strong belief that keeping head and trunk warm keeps one away from any disease. The chola is also made up of crude wool with the hair of the cattle which not only makes it warm but also water proof. They stick ‘Kali’ which is a plume of Monal or Tragopan on cap and keep flowers on their turban especially during marriage and fair. But in present time these dresses were seen occasionally in fair when people were gathered to dance.
Gaddis played a very important role for the management and conservation of the surrounding environment. All festivals like Bashikhi or Bisu, Minjar, Sair, Patrora and Manimahesh Yatra, Lohri, Holi, Janamshatmi and Dushera are directly or indirectly linked with the environmental management and conservation. Gaddi community are mainly depending upon the natural resources like forest, minor forest produce, water sources and pastures for their livelihood. These resources formed the part of common resources of the people and were managed and utilised by the Gaddis or village communities. Their local deities were placed near the water bodies and in the forest. Gaddis have their religious faith and respect to the natural sources. They ensured to keep the water bodies clean and trees were not allowed to cut near the villages or around the temples.
No comments:
Post a Comment