Bakarwal

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The nomadic Gujjars and Bakerwals of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. In Jammu & Kashmir, these nomadic people are cow/buffalo herders (esp. Gujjars) and goat/sheep herders (esp. Bakerwals). However, the two groups are very closely associated and intermarry, and commonly referred to as the "Gujjars and Bakarwals." Photographed in Rajouri, Jammu & Kashmir, India. Photo by Paul La Porte; from http://laporte.uchicago.edu/india2.htm

Etymology

Bakarwal is derived from the Hindi/Urdu/Punjabi/Kashmiri/Dogri terms, Bakri/Bakar meaning "goat", and Wal meaning "one who takes care of".

Essentially, the name implies "high-altitude goatherds/shepherds".

Although, Bakarwals are a gotra or clan of the Gujjar community, many local shepherds, who may not necessarily belong to the community, are termed as Bakarwal.

Geographical distribution

Bakarwals are spread throughout the northern part of the Himalayan Range. This includes the states of Uttaranchal, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab (India) in India.

In Pakistan, Bakarwals are found in the hilly northern parts of Punjab (Pakistan) as well as parts of the North West Frontier Province.

In the disputed Kashmir region, Bakarwals are found across all areas of the erstwhile princely state of Jammu and Kashmir ruled by the Dogras.

In Jammu and Kashmir in India, Bakarwals are found in all three regions of the state including Jammu (comprising the districts of Jammu, Kathua, Udhampur, Poonch, Rajouri and Doda), the Kashmir Valley (comprising the districts of Srinagar, Baramulla, Kupwara, Pulwama, Badgam and Anantnag) and Ladakh (comprising the district of Ladakh and Kargil).

In Pakistan, Bakarwals inhabit the Northern Areas (Gilgit, the Hunza Valley and Baltistan) and Azad Kashmir (Mirpur and Muzaffarabad).

They are also found in the PRC controlled regions of the state, namely Aksai Chin and the Shaksgam Valley.

Bakarwal Life

They lead a lonely and tough life in the high-altitude meadows of the Himalayas and the Pir-Panjal. Every year, they take their sheep high into the mountains, above the tree-line to graze in the lush meadows.

It may take them as many as sixty days to reach these meadows. During the summer, they move from one meadow to the other. They generally travel in pairs but sometimes they may go alone or in larger groups (depending on how many sheep/goats need to be taken care of).

They are accompanied by their dogs, the famous bhotia or bakarwal dogs, and their pack-animals.

See Also

• Gujjar

Castes and Tribes of the Punjab[Edit]
Kshatriyas> Ancient Kshatria tribes	Abhira | Ahir | Gujjar | Gurjara | Kamboj | Kamboja | Khasa | Khasa | Yadav | Yadava
Brahmin>Brahmin groups	Saraswat Brahmins | Punjabi Brahmins | Mohyal | Bali | Bhimwal | Chhibber | Datt | Lau | Mohan | Vaid
Dalit (outcaste)>Dalit groups	Punjabi Dalits | Balmiki | Chamar | Chura | Chhimba | Kabirpanthi | Mazhabi | Nai | Ramdasia | Rangrehta | Ravidasi
Jat>Jat clans	Jat | Atwal | Aulakh | Bagri | Bains | Bajwa | Bajya | Beniwal | Bhalli | Bhangu | Bharhaich | Bhinder | Bhullar | Brar | Chahal | Chahar | Chatha | Cheema | Chhillar | Deol | Deshwal | Dhariwal | Dhaliwal | Dhillon | Dhindsa | Dosanjh | Dulat | Faujdar | Gandhar | Garewal | Gill | Ghuman | Grewal | Hala | Hayer | Jakhar | Jawanda | Johiya | Kahlon | Kang | Khirwar | Khokhar | Langah | Lehal | Maan | Mahil | Maitla | Malhi | Manes | Mehria | Nijjar | Pannu | Purewal | Randhawa | Ranghar | Riar | Sahota | Sandhu | Sekhon | Shergill | Sidhu | Sukhera | Takhar | Takshak | Tarar | Toor | Virk | Wahla | Waraich / Thathiala
Khatri>Khatris and other groups	Khatri | Arora | Bhatia | Sood | Kukhran | Ahuja | Alreja | Bedi | Dumra | Mehra | Kapoor | Khullar
Rajput>Rajput clans	Rajput | Bhatti | Chadhar | Chauhan | Chib | Dogra | Gheba | Janjua | Jarral | Jaswal | Jodhra | Khakha | Kharal | Mahnike | Manj | Minhas | Mir | Meo | Naul | Noon | Panwar | Parmar | Ranial | Rathore | Salaria | Sial | Tiwana | Wattu | Wejhwa | Wijhalke
Sheikh>Shaikhs and other groups	Abbasi | Alavi | Farooqi | Gardezi | Gilani | Hashemi | Osmani | Quraishi | Sayyid | Shaikh | Shaikh Siddiqui | Siddiqui
Tarkhan>Tarkhans and other groups	Lohar | Ramgarhia | Tarkhan
Others	Ahluwalia | Arain | Awan | Bakarwal | Bania | Bishnoi | Dhangar | Gakhar | Kalal | Labana | Meghwar | Mekan | Saini | Sansi

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