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Ethnographic Profile Of Chaupan(Shephered) Community

ETHNOGRAPHIC PROFILE OF CHAUPAN COMMUNITY IN

INTRODUCON

 

The ‘Chaupans’, in the context of Kashmir, refers to the community of shepherds that also are known as ‘Pohl’. Domiciled in almost all hilly sub-regions of the valley, this community possesses distinctive socio-economic and ethno-cultural characteristics that are similar to many tribal communities in India. In the absence of sufficient official data on the community it is difficult to give the precise size of their population. According to un-official sources (mainly communities own estimation) their population in the valley is approximately 3 lac. However, as per the objective assessments their number would actually be lower any where between two to three lacs.  In terms of the social stratification this community is placed among caste/tribal communities (ie. Taifdars’ including market gardeners, herdsmen, boatmen, leather-workers and Chaupans) that are ranked at the bottom of the social hierarchy within the geographical peripheries of the Kashmir valley.  In terms of the possession of the socio-economic resources this community is placed along the secluded and the dispossessed. In comparison to other, socio-economically better placed, communities this community suffers deprivation and social exclusion in matters of marriage etc.

As said above this community possesses the distinctive characteristics in their socio-economic profile that are different from the main stream. They are simple, nomadic/Semi-nomadic, socially excluded, living in difficult terrain under hard and challenging conditions .They live in mountains and in adjustant areas while rearing the livestock of their agriculturalist clients. This is feature of their social life is reflected in a proverb, “Koh kotwal yaare subehdar” that means that for them the “mountain is the magistrate and the pine, the policeman”.  This is testimony of their social seclusion. The whole of the great mountain grazing lands and pastures are partitioned among the families of Chaupans and each part is considered as “Ilak” ( areas of gazing jurisdiction just as summer quarters of the Persian nomad tribes) where the livestock is grazed and no one is allowed to violate the set limitations.

            The livestock economy is indispensable to the agrarian economy. Sheep rearing is one of the essential components of economic structure in Kashmir and it is not possible for the livestock holders to look after them throughout the year as being involved in multiple agricultural activities. So when the days become warm and the sheep seek shelter of trees which abound in every village, the professional shepherd Chaupan makes his appearance and leads the village flocks away to high slopes of the valley. So, this community is entirely engaged to sheep rearing, thus determines their occupational activity to manage their survival.      

       In return of these services rendered for more than six months in highlands, Chaupans receive food grains (maize, paddy etc)or money in order to make their bread and butter. In this way Chaupans are isolated from the society and have to live a nomadic/Semi-nomadic life, even family members are also involved in the follow up, communication with the owners of livestock. Secondary sources reveal that this community currently has merely 10 % literacy leaving 90% of them are completely illiterate. Although few families do attain the social mobility by way of tenancy of arable land or resort to other occupations, but find difficult to avoid the stigma of inferiority of their inheritted social position. So the major proportions of the Chaupan community continue experiencing social –exclusion and socio-economic backwardness. In this way Chaupans are more likely to have lower income, poorer physical conditions, less access to health care, education and a range of other services, worse little  access to remunerative labour, land and capital markets, services. This is coupled with their weaker political representation. The poverty and Social exclusion experienced by these people are largely due to discrimination at social and institutional level.

 

Ethnographic features:

 

1. Group: - Chaupan “Pohl” an endogamous group with primitive and traditional socio-cultural traits and identity is engaged in pastoral activities in high mountainous terrain. Mostly the family is mobilized to graze and look after the live stock. They don’t possess a permanent social setting but live a nomadic/semi-nomadic life. This group possesses distinct identity and experiences inferior treatment from the other groups of the society
2. Language:- The community speaks Kashmiri-with local dialect. Their linguistic structure of their language is limited and simple which results in their inferior language resources, because of which they reflect shyness while interacting with the other members of the society.
3. Physical Environment:-Mostly living in the forest for their occupational activities they are dependent on the physical conditions of meadows, pastures and green grass land, so they don’t have a systematic and permanent physical atmosphere. In adjacent areas of highlands they live in Kachha houses or Kothas(Mud & wooden houses). While on grazing activity either they put up in ordinary Tents or live under the shades of big tress and rock.
4. Habitant  and Status ;-Chaupan community is not involved in active social participation within the domiciled areas due to their temporary migratory nature, and on completing the grazing activities they resort to collection of grains and communication with the clients for next grazing sessions. This in -activeness in society results in their social “disadvantage” and “exclusion” from the society.
5. Occupation: - Like ‘GADDIES’ of Jammu province and Himachal Pradesh, Chaupans are engaged in pastoral activities although their subsistent earnings (grains) help them to meet up the basic amenities of life. However their occupation is not risk free .While assessing the occupational security it has been found that many of them have suffered losses at the hands of nature, like heavy rainfall, accidental death of cattle, thunder storms etc. They are unable to compensate the clients so they some time have to work as bonded labour for longer durations.
6. Population:-Unofficial sources reveal that the population of Chaupan community in Kashmir is approximately three lacs. Since no data is available is on this community so other variables could not be presented. Chaupans are spread in almost all the Districts of J&K, in a village they are settled in Mohallas ranging from 5-15 families in each Mohalla.

 

 

1. Division of Labor:-Gender and age, prevalent in Chaupan community, is reflected in the division of labour within the community. Male members including adolescents, youth and elderly are supposed to drive the live stock in high altitudes and collect the grains from livestock holder. Women are engaged in cooking, spinning and in most of the families they too accompany the male members to support them in highlands.
2. Religious beliefs: - Their belief in Islam, is limited to their following certain rituals, customs and ceremonies. Since they are always engaged in challenging living conditions they don’t exhibit punctuality in religious practices.
3. Marriage, Family and Kinship:-Endogamous marriage practices with monogamous pattern. Their marriages are simple and less expensive and the participation mostly confined to their own community. They mostly live in Joint family system with adherence to patriarchical patterns. Kinship terminology and rules are simple and short.

1. Political representation and Leadership:- Their occupational seclusion results in their isolation and ignorance from politics. They possess Less political awareness and consciousness, so resultantly have not been in position to create a political representation and build up a leadership structure within the community. With little political participation, their access to and share in social resource set up minimal thereby reinforcing  social ‘disadvantage’ and ‘exclusion’.

 

11.Distinct Culture: The sub-cultural pattern of the Chaupan community being  distinctive includes woolen clothes, rearing of livestock, stick in hands, unique whistle trait, petting of dogs and know how of flora and fauna of forest. The community possesses simple pattern of habitation and are mostly inter-community integrated in terms of marriage, cooperation, resolution of disputes. Their food habits are quite simple and women folk apart from cooking duty are involved in wool spinning. As such, Chaupan community is not found to be more concerned about the proper socialization and education  of  their children as all the family members, young and old, are involved in rearing of sheep and collection of grains from the clients.

12. Primitive Traits: Nomadic character, simple life style, simple food habits, less communicative with the rest sections of the society and less social participation are the primitive traits present in this community. Since these people are un-educated and isolated usually they feel inferior and reflect shyness while being in social interaction outside to their community.

13. Backwardness: Less awareness about the avenues of social mobility and administrative provisions, lack of economic assets, poor social participation, least literacy, non-political involvement and isolation are the causes of backwardness among this community.

Therefore, on the strength of their social characteristics, there is a stong case for this community to be granted  the status of the Schedule Tribe.    Similar communities like the Gaddis in the context of the Himachal have been granted such status.

 

 

WORLDWIDE TABLES OF PASTORAL PEOPLES

 

India and the Himalayas

Branch

Group

Location

Main pastoral species

 

Gaddi

Himachal Pradesh

Yaks, small ruminants

Tibetan

Chang Pa

Ladakh

Yaks, small ruminants

 

Ahar

Uttar Pradesh

 

 

Gadariya

Uttar Pradesh

Small ruminants

 

Ahir

Uttar Pradesh

 

 

Gwala

Bihar, Bengal

 

 

Gaura

Orissa

 

 

Gowari

Madhya Pradesh

 

 

Bharwad

Gujarat

Small ruminants

 

Dhangar

Maharashtra

Small ruminants

 

Gavli

Maharashtra

 

 

Golla

Andhra Pradesh

 

 

Kuruba

Mysore, Tamil Nadu

Small ruminants

 

Idaiyan [Yadava]

Tamil Nadu

 

 

Toda

 

 

 

Bhopa

 

 

 

Chopan

Jammu and Kashmir

Small ruminants

 

Bakkarwal

Jammu and Kashmir

Small ruminants

 

Gujjar lGojar]

Rajasthan, Kashmir

Cows, buffalos

 

Banih‚r‚

Rajasthan, Kashmir

Cows, buffalos

 

 

References:-

1. Lawarance R. Walter The Valley of Kashmir-1992 .
2. J&K Chaupan Association,Chanapora Srinagar.
3. Kumiko Moiehi &Fujita  Kashmir (Romantic India).
4. E.P Stebbing The forests of India 1983 PEBA.
5. Sonowall C.J, Indian Tribes and Issues of social Inclusion and Exclusion TISS India.
6. Dhar Somnath,Jammu and Kashmir..NBT India 1977.
7. www.tribal.nic in.

About the Author

riyaz Ahmad dar

Resarch scholar  university of kashmir

Herding of the Sheep