Maldharis are herdsmen community in

Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

. Originally nomads, they came to be known as Maldharis after settling in

Junagadh district Junagadh district is a district of the Indian state of Gujarat. Its administrative headquarters is the city of Junagadh. Geography The district is located on the Kathiawar peninsula in western Gujarat. It is surrounded by Rajkot District (N ...

(mainly Gir Forest). "Maldhari" is an occupational term which refers to people from a variety of castes and communities. The literal meaning of ''Maldhari'' is keeper (''dhari'') of the animal stock (''mal''). They are notable as the traditional dairymen of the region, and once supplied

milk Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals (including breastfed human infants) before they are able to digest solid food. Immune factors and immune-modulat ...

and cheese to the palaces of

raja ''Raja'' (; from , IAST ') is a royal title used for South Asian monarchs. The title is equivalent to king or princely ruler in South Asia and Southeast Asia. The title has a long history in South Asia and Southeast Asia, being attested ...

Etymology

The word "Maldhari" can be loosely translated into English as "herdsman". derives from the Gujarati language words ''maal'' (animal stock) and ''dhari'' (owner/keeper). Hence, the one who owns animals, breeds them and/or herds them is called Maldhari.

Culture

Maldharis are descendants of nomads who periodically came from ttarpradesh

Rajasthan Rajasthan (; lit. 'Land of Kings') is a state in northern India. It covers or 10.4 per cent of India's total geographical area. It is the largest Indian state by area and the seventh largest by population. It is on India's northwestern ...

and other parts of

, and finally settled in the gir grasslands.P Their major communities include Bharvad, rabari,ahir ,charan . These semi- nomadic herders spend eight months of the year criss-crossing sparse pasturelands with their

livestock Livestock are the domesticated animals raised in an agricultural setting to provide labor and produce diversified products for consumption such as meat, eggs, milk, fur, leather, and wool. The term is sometimes used to refer solely to ani ...

including

sheep Sheep or domestic sheep (''Ovis aries'') are domesticated, ruminant mammals typically kept as livestock. Although the term ''sheep'' can apply to other species in the genus '' Ovis'', in everyday usage it almost always refers to domesticate ...

goat The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a domesticated species of goat-antelope typically kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the a ...

s, cows, buffalo, and camels in a continual quest for fodder. During the

monsoon A monsoon () is traditionally a seasonal reversing wind accompanied by corresponding changes in precipitation but is now used to describe seasonal changes in atmospheric circulation and precipitation associated with annual latitudinal oscil ...

season, the Maldhari generally return to their home villages as more new grass grows closer to home during the rains. For villages in some areas, weddings are traditionally held just one day each year, on Krishna Janmashtami (Lord Krishna’s birthday), which falls in the midst of the monsoon. Some girls in some regions are kept from going to school and expected to spend the early years of their life stitching elaborate garments for their wedding day, or, if they have been married off as children, as many are, for the ceremony performed when each moves in with her husband, normally when she is in her early twenties.

Communities

In different regions, the Maldharis belong to different castes. The Gir Forest National Park is home to around 8,400 Maldharis as of 2007. The majority of the Maldharis in Gir belong to Charan, Bharwad and Rabari castes. Minority castes include

Koli Koli may refer to: Places * Koli, Finland, a hill in Finland * Koli National Park, a national park in Finland * Koli, Iran (disambiguation), several places in Iran * Koli Airfield, a former airfield in the South Pacific Other uses * Koli peopl ...

, Kathi, Bawa,

Meghwal The Meghwal (also known as Megh and Meghraj) people live primarily in northwest India, with a small population in Pakistan. Their traditional occupation was agricultural farming, cattle-herding and weaving. Meghwals are known for their cont ...

and Makranis. The Maldharis of Gir, Alech and

Barda Barda or BARDA may refer to: Geography * Barda District, a district in Azerbaijan *Barda, Azerbaijan, a town in Azerbaijan *Bârda, a village in Malovăț Commune, Mehedinți County, Romania * Barda, Russia, several rural localities in Russia * ...

have included among the Scheduled Tribes since 1956, although these castes are not classified as Scheduled Tribes outside the forest areas.

Lifestyle

The pastoral Maldhari community live a simple life. They live in small mud houses deep in the forests, with no electricity, running water, schools or access to healthcare. They earn a living by producing

from their cattle. They have developed a local breed of buffalo that is well known in India for its high productivity and strong resilience to the harsh conditions of the Banni. The Banni Buffalo was recognized as the 11th breed of buffalo in the country in 2010, the first one to be registered post independence. The breed registration process was carried out through the Maldharis themselves. They grow vegetables and collect wild honey. Their main sources of cash income are sale of high quality ghee,

, wool, animals and handicrafts. They trade their produce in the local market for essential items like food grains. Most are unable to count or use money and are illiterate.

Jewelry

Their jewelry and clothing portray the Maldharis' sense of identity and tradition. It symbolizes their beliefs and ideals. Men wear gold hoops and buttons in their ears. On their milking hands, many wear silver rings embossed with the

Siva lingam Siva may refer to: Film and television * Siva (director), Indian cinematographer and director * ''Siva'' (1989 Tamil film), a film starring Rajinikanth as the title character * ''Siva'' (1989 Telugu film), an action film Music and dance * "Siv ...

. The milk that dribbles over the ring is an offering to the god, replacing the need to make oblations at a temple. Maldhari women's ears are folded and stretched with a large amount of hanging silver. Their wrists are sheathed in heavy, hourglass-shaped bracelets, carved from elephant tusks. However, many wear plastic replicas for everyday use. They keep the more precious ivory originals stored in cans filled with vegetable oil. The oil keeps them from cracking and makes them easier to slip on. Such ornamentation disguises the poverty in which they live. It is worn as a status symbol to impart an impression of wealth upon which their family honor depends.

References

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External links

27 Photographs
Maldhari people * Indigenous peoples of South Asia Social groups of India Modern nomads