INDIGENOUS TRIBES OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR - GUJJARS & BAKERWALS

 Jammu and Kashmir is located in the northern part of India. Northern side is known as Kashmir and Southern side is known as Jammu. Since the partition of the subcontinent in 1947 the region has been the subject of dispute between India and Pakistan.

Gujjars, Bakerwals(Shepherds) is an indigenous tribes of Jammu and Kashmir. They are not different communities, but one community. Gujjars rear cattle and Bakerwals rear goat, sheep, and horses. It is an occupation-based categorization. Gujjars is one of a nomadic tribe of herders who traditionally spend summer in mountainous forests across the Kashmir valley in India and migrate to either the plains of Jammu or the foothill villages of Kashmir during winter.

It is believed that they migrated to Jammu and Kashmir from Gujrat where they were known as Pratiharas. While some historians say that Gujjars have come from Georgia. From Georgia, they settled in Afghanistan. After that, they started migrating to un-partitioned India and settled in Gujarat. In 1991 Gujjars and Bakerwals of Jammu and Kashmir were declared as Scheduled Tribe (ST). Despite this historic reality, these aboriginals are forced to live like refugees in their own territories. They have little or no political say, no financial security, and social equality in the mainstream. This scheduled tribe is Ignored, excluded, discriminated, and silenced in every aspect.