Van Gujjar people

Last updated

Van Gujjar
Van Gujjar
Taukeer Alam.jpg
Taukeer Alam a Van Gujjari
Regions with significant populations
Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, West UP
Languages
Van Gujjari
Religion
Sunni Islam Allah-green.svg
Related ethnic groups
Gaddis • Bakarwal • Gujjars • Muslim Gujjars

The Van Gujjars ("forest Gurjars") are an Van Gujjari-speaking nomadic Muslim ethnic group and a sub-tribe of the larger Gujjar community. [1] [2] [3] [4] They are traditionally herders and live mainly in the Shivalik Hills region of Uttarakhand. [4] They follow Islam and are traditionally a pastoral semi-nomadic community, known for practising transhumance while having their own ethnic clans. [5] Van Gujjars migrate with herds of semi-wild water buffaloes to the Shivalik Hills at the foot of the Himalayas in winter and migrate to the alpine pastures higher up the Himalayas in summer. Van Gujjars are known to be lactovegetarians due to sole dependence on animal-herding and milk delivery as a livelihood opportunity.

Contents

Etymology and origin

Etymology

The term Van Gujjar, is a combination of two Van Gujjari words "van" and "Gujjar", translating to "forest-dwelling" "Gujjars". The community added the prefix "van" in the 1980s to distinguish itself from other Gujjars, particularly the Hindu Gujjars of north western India, historically, the Van Gujjars were referred to by various names, including Jammuwallahs and Dudh Gujjars , while within their own community, they simply identified as Gujjars. [2]

Origin

The Van Gujjars are believed to have originally migrated from the Kashmir region, passing through Sirmaur before settling in the Bhabar tracts of the Shivalik Hills approximately 1,500 years ago. Traditionally forest-dwelling pastoralists, they adopted the prefix "Van"—meaning "forest"—to distinguish themselves from other Gujjar communities. However, many who have recently settled in villages have since dropped the "Van" and now refer to themselves simply as "Gujjars." [6] [7]

Demographics

The Van Gujjars are traditionally found around the Himalayan states such as Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, [4] which both border the Chinese state of Tibet.

India

The Van Gujjars are a forest-dwelling, pastoral Muslim community primarily residing in the Himalayan foothills of northern India.

Uttarakhand

In Uttarakhand, Van Gujjars are primarily found in the southern districts, particularly Nainital and Dehradun. They traditionally migrate with their buffalo herds through forested regions and have longstanding seasonal routes between winter and summer pastures within the state. [8]

Himachal Pradesh

In Himachal Pradesh, Van Gujjars are predominantly located in the southern and northern districts. Key areas of settlement include Kangra, Bilaspur, Sirmour, Shimla, and Chamba. Their presence in the state is characterised by transhumant pastoralism and a deep dependence on forest resources for livelihood and cultural practices. [9]

Religion

The Van Gujjars are completely Muslim and adhere to the Sunni sect of Islam, similar to other Muslim Gujjar communities such as the Bakarwals. [10] [11]

Clans

They share similar clans with Gujjars, Muslim Gujjars and Bakarwals. Some of their notable clans include. [12]

Culture and traditions

Taukeer Alam sharing the Van Gujjar wedding rituals and clothings in Van Gujjari

Van Gujjars adhere to Islamic law, which doesn't restrict family planning. But, their nomadic lifestyle, dependence on herding, and women's physical demands likely contribute to limited birth rates. Divorce is rare among Van Gujjars families. They use local Panchayat system to resolve disputes and marital issues. [13]

Both men and women are deeply invested in their animals, which play a significant role in determining relationships. [13] Men of the Van Gujjar community wear a traditional embroidery cap called 'Topi' in cultural events and rituals. [14]

Like Hindu Gujjars, they also neither slaughter nor sell their buffaloes for meat. [15]

Social status

The Social status of the Van Gujjars varies by location; In Himachal they are classified as Scheduled Tribes (ST) and as Other Backwards classes (OBC) in Uttarakhand. [16]

Though the Indian Forest Rights Act of 2006 grants them forest land rights for being "traditional forest dwellers", they experience conflicts with the local state forest authorities that prohibit human and livestock populations inside reserved parks. [15] [17]

References

  1. ↑ Rahi, Dr Javaid (1 January 2018). "The GUJJARS Vol -04 History and Culture of Gujjar Tribe : Ed. Dr. Javaid Rahi". The Gujjars Vol 04.
  2. 1 2 Srivastava, Raghav (24 October 2022). "The making of pastoralisms: An account of the Gaddis and Van Gujjars in the Indian Himalaya". Pastoralism. 12 (1): 42. Bibcode:2022Pasto..12...42S. doi: 10.1186/s13570-022-00259-z . ISSN   2041-7136. PMC   9590384 . PMID   36311345. In this sense, they are not only 'othered' from the majority of the Hindu-dominated states between which they move (Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh), but also from the other Gujjars of north-western India, who are predominantly Hindu.
  3. ↑ Tandon, Aditi (28 May 2021). "Van Gujjars: People of the forest or nowhere?". Mongabay-India. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
  4. 1 2 3 Gujjar, Rahim Bhatti (1 January 2025). "The Gujjar People: An Ethnohistorical and Linguistic Survey with a Focus on Central Asian Origins and Gojri's Hindko Affinities". Independent.
  5. ↑ Radhakrishna Rao (4 September 2000). "Outside the jungle book". The Hindu Business Line . Archived from the original on 28 May 2007. Retrieved 31 May 2007.
  6. ↑ Srivastava, Raghav (24 October 2022). "The making of pastoralisms: An account of the Gaddis and Van Gujjars in the Indian Himalaya". Pastoralism. 12 (1): 42. Bibcode:2022Pasto..12...42S. doi: 10.1186/s13570-022-00259-z . ISSN   2041-7136. PMC   9590384 . PMID   36311345.
  7. ↑ Lapinski, Valerie (7 October 2009). "Showcase: Traveling With the Van Gujjar Tribe". Lens Blog. Retrieved 13 June 2025.
  8. ↑ Seshia, Shaila (2005). Traditional Wisdom in Natural Resource Management: The Only Way to Conserve. Rural Litigation & Entitlement Kendra. p. 13.
  9. ↑ Pathways: In Search of Exemplary Practices on Environment and Sustainable Development in Asia. Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement for the International Conference of Asian Foundations and Organizations. 2000. p. 37. ISBN   978-971-8817-18-6.
  10. ↑ Rana, J. P. Singh (1998). Marriage and Customs of Tribes of India. M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. p. 88. ISBN   978-81-7533-087-0. Van Gujjars are Sunni Muslims, as might be expected from their origins.
  11. ↑ Seshia, Shaila (2005). Traditional Wisdom in Natural Resource Management: The Only Way to Conserve. Rural Litigation & Entitlement Kendra. p. 38.
  12. 1 2 3 4 Pathways: In Search of Exemplary Practices on Environment and Sustainable Development in Asia. Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement for the International Conference of Asian Foundations and Organizations. 2000. p. 37. ISBN   978-971-8817-18-6. Van Gujjars have many clans such as the Kushan (Kasana), Chechi, and Lodha.
  13. 1 2 Rana, J. P. Singh (1998). Marriage and Customs of Tribes of India. M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. p. 91. ISBN   978-81-7533-087-0.
  14. ↑ Karlsson, Bengt T.; Subba, T. B. (28 October 2013). Indigeneity In India. Routledge. p. 91. ISBN   978-1-136-21922-1. One detail that is interesting for identity formation was the symbolic importance of the embroidered cap, topi, traditionally used by Van Gujjar men.
  15. 1 2 Michael Benanav (2018). Himalaya Bound: One Family's Quest to Save Their Animals - and an Ancient Way of Life. Pegasus Books.
  16. ↑ "Van Gujjars help conserve forests, but are deprived of rights | Climate-Diplomacy". climate-diplomacy.org. 20 March 2024. Retrieved 27 May 2025.
  17. ↑ Michael Benanav (31 July 2009). "Is there room for India's nomads?". Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved 8 November 2020.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.