As temperature soars, Gujjars start seasonal migration

JAMMU: With the temperature beginning to rise in the plains of the Jammu region, nomadic Gujjar and Bakerwal tribes have started seasonal migration towards the upper reaches of the Shivalik, Pirpanjal and Trikuta mountains in the north-western Himalayas.

Tribune News Service

Jammu, May 2

With the temperature beginning to rise in the plains of the Jammu region, nomadic Gujjar and Bakerwal tribes have started seasonal migration towards the upper reaches of the Shivalik, Pirpanjal and Trikuta mountains in the north-western Himalayas.

“The tradition of seasonal tribal migration has been surviving since centuries and nomadic tribes, mainly Gujjars and Bakerwals, migrate to their summer destinations in April every year. They reach their destinations after 40 to 45 days of travel,” said Dr Javaid Rahi, a Gujjar scholar, while interacting with the tribes during a programme organised by the Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation (TRCF), an organisation working on different aspect of the Gujjars.

The migratory tribal groups told Dr Rahi that the main migration routes, including Jamiya Gali, Gora Batta, Nanansar, Ropadi Dharhal Pass, Mughal Road and others, were badly damaged due to heavy snowfall and rain during the last winter and required urgent repairs.

Meanwhile, the foundation has impressed upon various institutions working for tribal development in the state to mobilise resources for providing necessary logistics to tribes like mobile animal dispensaries, health facilities on migration routes so that they don’t suffer.

While interacting with the migratory nomads, senior functionaries of the tribal foundation said the matter regarding restoration of all restricted pastures and ‘dhoks’ near the Indo-Pak border and in the Ladakh area of J&K was taken up with the Defence Ministry.

“We have written a number of letters to the Defence Ministry through the foundation and pleaded to revoke all orders restricting nomads to migrate seasonally in the state, especially to border ‘dhoks’ located in Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora, Ladakh and Kargil areas,” said the spokesperson of the TRCF and added, “We have urged for free movement of all migratory communities towards the upper reaches, which are under the control of the security forces”.