Close to 35 million pastoralists graze in India’s forests, grasslands and farm fallows.
We might be familiar with their sight on the roadside as they are continuously migrating in all the seasons.
These pastoralists not only live in the mountains, but also in the plains, plateaus and deserts.
Let’s learn about the pastoralists nomads of Plateaus, Plains and Deserts during colonial period
The Dhangars were an important pastoral community of Maharashtra.
Most of them were shepherds, and some were blanket weavers.
During monsoon the Dhangars shepherds lived in the central plateau of Maharashtra.
The central plateau was covered with thorny scrub as it was a semi-arid region with less rainfall.
Dry crops like bajra could be sown here.
During the monsoon, this region became a vast grazing ground for the Dhangar flocks.
By October, the Dhangars harvested their bajra and started on their movement to reach Konkan.
Konkan was a flourishing agricultural region with high rainfall and rich soil.
In Konkan region the local peasants welcome the shepherds as the peasants need sheep for their fields.
The fields in Konkan were made ready for the rabi harvest after the kharif harvest was cut.
The Dhangar flocks manured the fields and fed the lower ends of grain stalks left in the ground after harvesting.
The Konkani peasants gave supplies of rice to the shepherds to take back to the plateau because there was shortage of grains.
Before the arrival monsoon, the Dhangars left the Konkan region and return to the dry plateau region.
They had to return because the sheep could not tolerate the wet monsoon conditions.
Gollas, Kurumas and Kurubas are the pastoral communities found in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
Gollas reared cattle.
The Kurumas and Kurubas reared sheep and goats and sold woven blankets.
They lived near the woods, cultivated small patches of land, engaged in small trades and took care of their herds.
In the dry season, they moved to the coastal region with their cattle and left when the rains came.
The mountain pastoralists decided the seasonal movement based on cold and the snow, but the plains and plateau pastoralists decided on basis of monsoon and dry season.
Raikas were another group of pastoral community living in the deserts of Rajasthan.
Due to low rainfall, cultivation of crops was not possible in this area. So, Raikas combined cultivation with pastoralism.
During monsoons, the Raikas of Barmer, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Bikaner stayed in their home villages where pastures were available.
During October, when these grazing grounds become dry, they moved out in search of new pasture and water.
One group of Raikas known as maru herded camels and another group reared sheep and goat.
Banjaras were another group of nomads found in the villages of UP, Punjab, Rajasthan, MP and Maharashtra.
In search of good pasture land for their cattle, they moved over long distances.
They sold plough cattle and other goods to villagers in exchange for grain and fodder.
Life of these pastoral groups was sustained by a careful consideration of a host of factors.
They had to set up a relationship with farmers on the way, so that the herds could graze in harvested fields and manure the soil.
The pastoral groups needed to calculate the timing of their movements, and ensure that they could move through different territories.
They combined a range of different activities – cultivation, trade, and herding – to make their living.
Revision
The pastoral community Dhangars of Maharashtra resides in the central plateau region during the monsoon.
By October, the Dhangars harvested their Bajra and started on their move west to reach Konkan.
Before the monsoon begins, the Dhangars leave the Konkan region and return to the dry plateau region.
Gollas, Kurumas, and Kurubas are the pastoral communities found in Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
In the dry season, they moved to the coastal region with their cattle and left when the rains came.
Raikas are the pastoral community that lives in the deserts of Rajasthan.
During monsoons, the Raikars of Barmer, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, and Bikaner stayed in their home villages where pastures are available.
Banjaras were a group of nomads found in the villages north, west and central India. In search of good pasture land for their cattle, they moved over long distances.
Life of pastoralists depend on many factors such as the relationship with farmers, their timing of movement and availability of pasture.