Bakarwals - The Shepherds From The Valley

It was the spring of 1999 when a motley group of shepherds, who were doing their daily work in the mountainous Drass, saw a handful of men moving with guns towards Kashmir. Without losing a second, they ably passed on the information to the Indian Army with the help of their closely-knit network of people. The shepherds were none other than the Bakarwals.

Each year as the winter wanes in the meadows in the valley, a timeless journey sets itself in motion on the plains of Jammu. Families of Bakarwal nomads and their livestock—sheep, goats, horses, and buffaloes—are ready to set out for alpine pastures and good grazing; it’s a journey that continues from spring, through summer, and until the onset of winter. Despite careful planning and ample rations, these migrations are daunting, taking the shepherds across raging streams and snow-covered passes. Bad weather and wrestling wild animals are part of the course, but it’s nothing that quick thinking and a sure-footed stride can’t handle.

There are other problems though. Roads now intersect several of their migratory routes, with convoys of trucks and taxis carrying tourists taking a toll on their animals. Once revered for the spartan lives they led, the Bakarwals today have been reduced to fight for grazing rights in meadows. Being forced to contend with habitation more than ever before, they often run the risk of their sheep being stolen, their dogs being poisoned, and other, much worse, outcomes. Like so many of India’s nomadic communities, the Bakarwals too are being gradually squeezed out of their niche. Many have already embraced a more sedentary life, working as unskilled labour for road builders.

Have made a small attempt through this reel to peek into their lives from afar!