Bakarwal, Bakerwal, Nomads, Kashmir, India: Bakarwal (or Bakharwal) is a nomadic tribe of India and Pakistan based in the Pir Panjal and Himalayan mountains of South Asia. They are mainly goatherds and shepherds. The term Bakarwal is derived from "bakra" meaning goat or sheep, and "wal" meaning "one who takes care of". Essentially, the name "Bakarwal" implies "high-altitude goatherds/shepherds". Bakarwal (or Bakerwal) belongs to the same ethnic stock as the Gurjars which is a pastoral ethnic group with populations in India, Pakistan and a small number in northeastern Afghanistan. Inter-marriages freely take place among Bakarwal and Gurjars. Although, Bakarwals (Dhangars) have same gotra or clan like Gujjars, many local shepherds, who may not necessarily belong to the community, are often termed as Bakarwal.
Bakarwals are spread throughout the northern part of the Himalayan Range. This includes the states of Uttarakhand, 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 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 District), the Kashmir Valley (comprising the districts of Srinagar, Baramulla, Kupwara, Pulwama, Budgam 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.
In the winter as snow falls begins and the Bakarwal Or Bakerwal migrate with their herds to the lower altitude of Himalayan foothills, and in summer, they migrate to pastures high up in the mountains and even cross the Indian border goes to Pakistan. This cycle happens every year.
This video of Bakarwal Or Bakerwal was recorded during our trip to Kashmir, India in the month of May, 2014.
As of 2001, the Gurjars and the Bakarwals in Jammu and Kashmir were classified as Scheduled Tribes. According to the 2001 Census of India, Gurjar is the most populous scheduled tribe in J&K, having a population of 763,806. Around 99.3 per cent population of Gurjar and Bakarwal in J&K follow Islam.But according to the Tribal Research and Cultural Foundation, Gurjars constitute more than 20% of total population of the state. The Muslim Gurjars are considered to be a major tribe in Pakistan; in fact, they compromise as much as twenty percent of the country's entire population. In 2002, some Gurjars and Bakarwals in J&K demanded a separate state (Gujaristan) for Gurjar and Bakarwal communities, under the banner of All India Gurjar Parishad.
Source: Wikipedia and other online sources
Edited By: Somjit Bhattacharyya
