Transition in Transhumance: Socio-Economic Challenges in the Livelihood of Gaddi Tribe in Kullu Valley, Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

The present research is based on an ethnographic study of the Gaddi tribe of Kullu Valley, Himachal Pradesh. According to the Census of India, the total population of the Gaddi tribe in Himachal Pradesh is 1.78 lakhs. The Gaddi tribe has been practising transhumance since time immemorial, which has significantly shaped the socio-cultural and economic structure of the gaddi livelihood in Kullu Valley. The rugged topography and extreme climate limit the production of food crops; as a result, rearing herds was Gaddis' only source of livelihood since time immemorial. The dependency of Gaddis on herds for food, clothing and shelter made transhumance the primary source of livelihood for Gaddis. With the passage of time, the influence of modern economic activities, the hardship nature of the jobs, shift in the occupational structure and cultivation pattern and impacts of climate change in pastureland are the main reasons for the declining of transhumance practice by the gaddi people in Kullu Valley. These changes have decreased the dependency of Gaddis on transhumance practice; which is leading to a decline in Gaddis's transhumance culture. Taking these issues into concern, this paper emphasises exploring the various socio-economic parameters of the Gaddi community, the historical connections of Gaddis with transhumance, to understand the nature of dependency on transhumance and future prospects of this ancient practice have been highlighted in this work.