Gujjars
Also called: Gujjar herders · Topic: Primary Activities: Gathering, Pastoralism, Agriculture and Mining · NCERT: Class 12, Ch 4 "Primary Activities"
Meaning
Gujjars are a pastoral community who rear buffaloes. They live in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, where they are called Van Gujjars ("forest Gujjars"). They practise transhumance, which means moving with their herds every season. In winter they stay on the plains or in the foothills. In summer they climb to the cool, grassy pastures high in the Himalaya. Their way of life links to debates on pastoral rights under the Forest Rights Act.
Example
In Uttarakhand, Van Gujjar families spend winter in the Shivalik foothill forests with their buffaloes. In summer they climb to high Himalayan meadows.
Don't confuse with
- Bakarwals: they are goat and sheep herders of Jammu and Kashmir. The Gujjars mainly keep buffaloes.
Related concepts
- Pastoralism
- Nomadic herding
- Regions of pastoral nomadism
- Transhumance
- Bakarwals
- Bhotiyas
- Commercial livestock rearing
- Carrying capacity of pasture