Without Any Certain Destination

BOOKING OPEN 2BHK/3BHK FLATS at Gurgaon, Noida, Noida Extension, Greater Noida Cont: 9419101229, 94191-76665 ENTRUST REALTORS & CONSULTANTS SUNDAY, JANUARY 19, 2014 INTERNET EDITION : www.dailyexcelsior.com/magazine www.jammuproperty.com Without any certain destination Ashutosh Sharma Some half a million nomads in Jammu and Kashmir are losing the battle to maintain their way of life amid conflict, scarce development opportunities and a changing climate Every year, as winter gives way to spring in the Jammu region, the nomads of the Bakarwal and Gujjar tribes set out on their seasonal migration, a tradi- tion they have practised for centuries. Basharat Ali, a Bakarwal, remembers how one evening, two decades ago when he was 15, as the caravan of nomads was trekking through the lofty Peer Panjal mountains on its way to the Kashmir valley to escape the scorch- ing summer, an unseasonal snowstorm hit their camp. Their livestock, including hundreds of sheep and horses, perished in the hostile weather conditions. Tribal nomads traditionally move with their livestock to the upper slopes of the northern Himalayas during the summer, and return to the plains in winter after covering hundreds of miles on foot along serpentine tracks. According to official statistics, there are about 2.5 million Gujjar and Bakar- wal in Jammu and Kashmir state. Of these, around 500,000 are nomads who rear buffalo, sheep, goats and horses for their survival. At his home in Mansar in Udhampur district, nearly 65 km from the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir, Ali described the long-term impact of the freak snowstorm: "We spent the whole night under a tree. All we had to protect our- selves were hand-made woollen blankets. About 50 families gave up seasonal migration thereafter." Other disasters have also affected his relatives in the past decade, he said. In 2010, three died in a landslide near Kukarnag in Kash- mir, while eight were killed at Daksum in an earthquake. And yet more have lost their livestock, forcing them to quit seasonal migration and work as migrant labourers or on construction sites, he added. Ali is afraid he may be ordered to evacuate his present home, which stands on government land, any day. "The government has a rehabilitation policy for surrendered militants but not for us," he lamented. His 28-year-old neighbour, Mohammad Adris, nodded in agreement. "My livestock died of an unknown disease which broke out following unseasonal rains, six years ago. Then I worked as an ajhardi (livestock assistant) before A Gujar family relaxing after a tiresome journey. settling here," said Adris who lives in a tarpaulin tent with his wife and two chil- dren. Tribal nomads who tend to the livestock of others are called ajhardi - in Dr Javed Rahi, the foundation's national secretary, said that 37 percent of livestock," Rahi added. lieu of their services, they receive food, money or shelter for their families. nomadic tribal people have abandoned their traditional lifestyle in the last 25 Choudhary Bashir Ahmed Naaz, vice-chairman of the State Advisory Board IDENTITY CRISIS years. "I fear that tribal migration will become history in the next few decades," for Development of Gujjars and Bakarwals, said his body had recommended Rahi warned. the government should formulate and implement an insurance policy for The local media report on nomadic tribes getting stranded in the northern "While hundreds have died in armed conflict, nomads are also suffering nomads' livestock losses. Himalayas by bad weather every year. But the combination of worsening cli- because of natural hazards like landslides, forest fires, unseasonal rain, snow- Other measures are already underway, he said. Of 290 mobile schools for mate stresses, border conflict with Pakistan - which also claims the territory fall, hailstorms, sudden rises and falls in temperature and man-animal con- the migratory population, many have been turned into stationary facilities, as of Jammu and Kashmir - and the Kashmir insurgency against the Indian gov- flict. Unfortunately, the government does not have any disaster management around 30 percent of nomads have stopped moving. But a further 100 mobile ernment has pushed the tribes into an identity crisis, with adverse impacts on policy for them," Rahi added. Jammu and Kashmir has three distinct geo- schools have also been proposed to meet education needs. And the govern- their economy and culture. "Six members of my family were shot dead by mil- graphical regions with different climates: Jammu is sub-tropical, Kashmir tem- itants while we were on our way to Kashmir, a couple of years ago. We stopped ment is giving scholarships to tribal students and providing hostel facilities for perate, and Ladakh cold and arid. A 2010 study by Indian researchers and them, the official said. As the security situation has improved thanks to a decline migrating after that tragedy," said Mohammad Aslam, who lives in Surankote government officials pointed to a rise in minimum and maximum temperatures, block in Poonch district. in the intensity of the insurgency and a 10-year ceasefire along the border as well as the number of rainy days by 2030 in the Himalayan region, which with Pakistan, the government has opened veterinary units and health cen- Mohammad Sagir, a Gujjar and former resident of Manjakote in Rajouri dis- encompasses Jammu and Kashmir. trict, described how, in his childhood, his family's livestock would get strand- tres along all traditional migration routes, Naaz added. Annual rainfall is likely to increase by 5 to 13 percent by 2030 compared ed in the landmine fields along the Line of Control with Pakistan and be killed Meanwhile the trappings of modern life are putting other nomads like by the explosive devices. to 1970, with some areas of Jammu & Kashmir showing a rise of up to 50 per- Choudhary Fazal off their annual trek. "Due to the growing number of vehi- "During migration, we would suffer immensely due to untimely rain and cent, the report said. cles on the roads, it's getting increasingly difficult to move with huge herds of snowfall," he added. "Eventually, my family abandoned the pastoral-nomadic GOVERNMENT SUPPORT sheep and cattle," he explained. life and my father worked very hard to ensure our education." Sagir has just Nomads have the lowest literacy rate in the state, at just 5 to 7 percent In addition, forest officials won't let nomads inside forest areas as grazing passed the Kashmir Administrative Services exam to qualify for an elite job compared with 28 percent among settled members of their tribes. "Only 2 to land is fast depleting, and local residents "also have an aversion to us", Fazal as a state bureaucrat. 3 percent of people belonging to nomadic tribes are in government jobs. Oth- said. "Given the sudden changes in weather conditions in the middle of migra- But he is an exception. In general, nomads suffer from a lack of education, ers mostly do menial or unskilled work for survival," Rahi said. tion, it seems even nature wants us to discontinue nomadic life," he said. "If health and communication facilities. Many animal species have also suffered with the changing times, accord- the government helps us, we would also settle permanently." Nomadic tribes in the northern states of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pardesh ing to the foundation's study. Some traditional breeds of sheep, goats and Whatever the state does, it is clear that the complex web of factors thwart- face similar problems, according to a study by the Tribal Research and Cul- horses have gone extinct, and others - including the Bakarwali (shepherd) dog ing the nomads' once simple way of life will make it tough for them to find an tural Foundation. Nomads who usually live in isolation in high-altitude mead- - are on the verge of doing so, it said. "No genetic study has ever been con- alternative model that is both sustainable and suits their particular needs. ows have struggled to settle on the plains, it found. ducted for the preservation of the primitive traditional species of (nomads') (The writer is an independent journalist and media fellow with National Foundation for India) Restoration of ruined Sun Temple Surinder Kaul tourism in their tourist brochures, books and other tourist literature or in some major advertisement from time to time, On entering the premises of Martand Sun temple two and have to make tourist aware about this Sun temple. It kilometers up the plateau from Mattan, Anantnag, Kash- should not be set aside or ignored by the State governing mir one gets aghast on seeing such a huge temple struc- body. It is an essential part of Kashmir's heritage and every ture, and most impressive in the very first look . Though, Kashmiri should be proud of such marvellous architectur- the destroyed and crumbled structure of Martand temple al achievements of Kashmiris in past. Kashmir does not remained neglected , unprotected for five centuries to the have natural beauty only to attract World tourism, but its vagaries of nature and is subject to all types of geograph- rich cultural heritage, literature, philosophy, poetry, music, ical phenomenon during this long period yet it still exhibits dramas , art and craft for which Kashmir had reached to visible impression of that grandeur and splendour which it zenith once upon a time, could be absorbing for the tourist. had in past, before it was burnt and dismantled by Sikhan- Moreover, possibilities of new job avenues for the local der Butshekan in fourteenth century, while spreading Islam people will brighten by introducing this chapter in Kashmir in Kashmir. tourism. The Martand temple is most important and famous for ASI Kashmir office is only giving cosmetic touch by lay- many reasons.

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