The population of HP consists of a medley of tribes,
all speaking their own language. Some of them are the
Gaddis, Gujjars, Kinnauris, Lahulis and Pangwalis. The
majority of the people are of Aryan stock, with exceptions
like the inhabitants of Lahaul and Spiti who are distinctly
of Mongol origin. Perhaps the most exotic among them
are the Kinnauris, known for their extraordinary beauty
and ornate jewellery.
The Earliest Inhabitants
Before the coming of the Khasha Aryans
were the Kols and Mundas. These people are represented
by the various scheduled castes like the Kolis, Halis,
Chamars, Darains, Rehars, Chanals, Lohars, Baris, Dagis,
Dhakis or Turis, and form a considerable part of the
population.
The great social fusion over the centuries,
a process which is still going on, has resulted in many
changes in the appearance and characteristics of these
people. As such, like the rest of Northern India, they
are ascribed to Aryan blood by mainstream historians.
People Had A Simple Living
HP is the least urbanized of states in
India, and so there’s an ‘untouched’
simplicity about its inhabitants. Living in a world
of their own, the people are sometimes quite unaware
of what’s happening in the rest of the country.
Their whole life seems to revolve around high peaks,
near-accessible passes, rivers and deep valleys. All
this makes for people who are essentially simple, honest,
god-fearing and firmly rooted in the bedrock of the
past. Ninety percent of the people live in distant ‘fairy
tale’ villages and small towns, and depend on
agriculture for their livelihood. Many also rear sheep,
goats, and other cattle.
The traditional village house of Himachal
has a rather interesting structure. The lowest storey
is for household cattle, the middle for storing grain
(also doubles as sleeping room for the family in winter)
and the top floor or dafi forms the living area.
The Gaddis of Chamba
The Gaddis are shepherds who move their
flocks of sheep (which may range from a couple of hundred
to a thousand in number!) from lower pastures in winter
to higher ones after snowmelt. Interestingly, the Gaddis
are only found scattered around the Dhauladhars. They
call this area Gadheran or the land of the Gaddis. To
them the Dhauladhars are not just a mountain range but
like their mother.
The Gaddis move freely between Chamba
and Kangra when the passes of the Dhauladhar allow them
to do so. In winter they move down south and can be
seen around Kangra, Mandi and Bilaspur and in the small
villages between Baijnath and Palampur. Marriages between
people living on opposite sides of the Dhauladhar are
common.
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