The Arrival and Origin of Gujjars and Bakarwals of Jammu and Kashmir State

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The Arrival and Origin of Gujjars and Bakarwals of Jammu and Kashmir State

Journal Title: International Journal of Research in Social Sciences - Year 2017, Vol 7, Issue 11

Abstract

The State of Jammu and Kashmir, popularly known as “paradise on earth”, “crown of the Indian union”, “the Switzerland of Asia” and by many more names is inhabited by various ethnic groups, alien races and various religions that have influenced the cultural ethos and mode of life of the people of this region. The Anthropological survey of India has studied one hundred and eleven ethnic communities/ groups in Jammu and Kashmir under its People of India project. The various ethnic groups of the Jammu and Kashmir State though intermingled have their areas of high concentration. For example, Kashmiris are mainly concentrated in the valley bottom; Dards occupy the valley of Gurez; Hanjis are confined to water bodies of Kashmir; Gujjars and Bakarwals are living and oscillating in the kandi areas. The Gujjars and Bakarwals is the third largest ethnic group in Jammu and Kashmir. They are the state‟s most populous scheduled tribes. The Gujjars and Bakarwals make up around 20 percent of the population of the state. Almost all Bakarwals and many Gujjars are nomads. The Gujjar are an ethnic group in India, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Alternative spellings include Gurjara, Gujjar, Gurjara and Gurjara. The spelling Gurjara or Gurjar is preferable to the rest. The Gujjars (Go= Cow) tend cattle (mainly buffaloes) and the Bakarwals (Bakri= Goat) herd sheep. Very large sections of the Gujjars have permanent homes and are not nomads. They are part of an all-India community that is mostly Hindu. However, in Jammu and Kashmir and the neighboring areas of Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir (and to an extent, in Himachal Pradesh, Uttrakhand and north Punjab) all Gujjars and Bakarwals are Muslims. “The Bakarwal” is derived from the gojri/Urdu/Punjabi/dogri terms, “Bakra” meaning goat or sheep and “wal” meaning (one who takes care of). Essentially, the name “Bakarwal” implies high altitude goatherds/shepherds. The Bakarwals (dhangars) belongs to the same ethnic stock as the Gujjars, and inter marriages freely take place among them. The Gujjar and Bakarwal tribes are the most famous, unique and significant ethnic group among the nomadic pastoral tribes prevalent in Jammu and Kashmir State. Gujjars of Jammu and Kashmir are supposed to have come from Rajasthan and adjoining areas of Gujrat and Kathiawar because they became victim of severe famine in their previous homeland. However, it is believed by the researchers that they have entered Jammu and Kashmir into two waves; one directly and other after some spell of settlement on Pathiawar plateau in Punjab of undivided India and Pakistan. Most of them settled along the old Mughal route in Sialkot, Gujranwala, and Jhelum in Pakistan and in Bhimber, Nowshera, Kalakote, and Rajouri to Kashmir via Shopian and over the hills from Poonch to the district of Baramulla and Muzafarabad. Traditionally Poonch has been their citadel, followed by Reasi and Jammu districts. In kathua district the Kandi area is occupied by the Bakarwals during the winter, when they return from the high altitude pastures. They are dependent largely on cattle, goat, sheep and horse keeping. The Gujjars are divisible into two groups, first those who practice transhumance and oscillate with their reward (herds) between the alpine pastures (Margs) and the low altitudes of the siwaliks and the Jammu plains. Secondly, the sedentary Gujjars who settled in most of the villages situated along the annual routes of migration. These sedentary Gujjars claim a common and collateral ancestry. History tells us that these nomadic people used to rule North India at some time. Rajatarangini reveals that Gujjars used to rule over the states and surrounding areas of Kashmir valley. With reference to history of Rajasthan, it has been revealed that Gujjars had been the residents of Jammu and Kashmir since the third century CE to fifth century CE. The Muslim Gujjars‟ Hindu cousins still live in Rajasthan and Gujrat, especially in the Kathiawad.They speak the same language (Rajasthani) and look similar. Therefore, the Himalayan Gujjars could well have migrated from these parts of Western India to the Himalayas, perhaps in the 6th and 7th centuries common era. However, some scholars are of the view that Gujjars entered Jammu and Kashmir in the tenth or eleventh century. History tells us that Gujjar entered India in fifth century CE. Along with Huns, and they are one of the communities of Central Asia. According to English scholar Kennedy, Gujjars used to worship Sun so they entered India from Iran. Mr. V.A.Smith is amongst those scholars who believe that Gujjars are locals. Expert anthropologist Dr. Cornik has said that through research it has been found that there is no major difference between the faces of Gujjars with that of ancient Indian communities. A big chunk of scholars, agree that the Gujjars actually have come from Georgia, which is located in Russia and is often called as Gurjistan. According to some legends, the Gujjars are descendents of Dravidians. The Gujjars have a glorious past. However, there is not unanimity among the social scientists about their origin and arrival in India. Some historians believe that they are the original inhabitants of India, while the other school of thoughts says that they originally belong to Central Asia and were the part of Scythian (uchi) tribes. Due to disturbances in Central Asia in ancient times, they migrated to India in between 3rd to 6th Century CE through Bolan Pass and Koh-Suleiman Range. They were known with the different names from time to time like Gurjara, Kharzera, Khazar, Gujjara, Gurjar and Gujjar.

Authors and Affiliations

Khursheed Ahmad Bhat

Keywords

Oscillating Transhumance Dards Hanjis Bakarwal Chunk Ahirs Scythian Gujjars etc

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