| People
& Culture
Garhwal
Garhwal resembles other parts of the Himalayas
where various ethnic groups live side
by side. Following chiefly the agrarian-pastoral
way of life, native Garhwalis make their
living from the hilly land the best they
can. Some, like the Bhotia traders, migrate
far and wide, although the ancient trade
routes with Tibet have been closed since
1950. Most of the indigenous people like
Jaunsari, Bhotia, Buksha, Tharu, and Raji
are heterodox Hindus and Buddhists, while
Sikh migrants from West Punjab have settled
in the lowlands since 1947. A few Muslim
groups are also native to the area, although
most of them have settled recently. The
Muslim Gujjar herders also migrate to
the hills.
Kumaon
The inhabitants of the Kumaon hills are
commonly known as the Kumaonese. They
belong to a predominantly patriarchal
society, which recognizes the superiority
of men over women. The social structure
is based on the extended family system,
the eldest male member being the head
of the family. Women are respected in
society but they usually confine themselves
to household activities. No religious
ceremony is considered complete without
the wife joining the husband. Women also
work in the fields and forests alongside
the men. In Kumaon, bigamy or polygamy
has religious sanctions but polyandry
is prohibited. Widow marriage and re-marriage
by divorced women is permitted except
in certain sections of high-caste Brahmins
and Rajputs. Child marriage is still practiced
in all classes of society despite legal
restrictions on it. It has all but disappeared
from the educated society.
The
peace and tranquility of Uttaranchal laid
the foundation for a treasure house of
paintings and art. Out of the two major
art forms, the art of stone carving and
woodcarving are fairly well known. The
art of stone carving gradually died down,
but woodcarving continued. Woodcarving
could be seen on almost every door of
a Garhwali house until only half a century
ago. Woodcarving can still be seen in
hundreds of temple all over Garhwal. The
remains of architectural work have been
found at the Chandpur Fort, temple of
Srinagar, Pandukeshwar (near Badrinath),
Devi Madin (near Joshimath), and Devalgarh
Temple.
The
Himalayas have inspired generations of
singers, balladeers, and musicians throughout
the ages. The natural beauty of the mountains-which
inspires a deep spirituality-and the harshness
of life-which darkens the heart with adversity
and anguish-have invigorated Uttarakhandi
music, heightening its poignancy and enriching
its lyrical texture. Although, increasingly
influenced by trends in Hindi film music
(with Garhwali songs set to film-style
music), the more traditional forms of
Himalayan music have remained deeply popular.
This has been especially true of the Pahari
penchant for folksy values, biting humor,
raw honesty, loving devotion, and soaring
spirits that shines through each song.
Indeed, in face of other homogenizing
trends in India , Uttarakhandi music has
distinguished itself in retaining its
cultural uniqueness and vibrant sound,
while remaining popular among the masses.
Major dance forms of the region are Langvir
Nritya, Barada Nati folk dance, Pandava
Nritya, Dhurang, and Dhuring. The people
of Garhwal wear a wide variety of dresses.
Upper Garhwal
This zone consists of the tracts lying
above an elevation of about 2300 mts.
and extends to the upper limit of human
habitation. The upper reaches of Garhwal
are inhabited by tribes such as the Bhotias
and Gujars. The cold season is very severe
and heavy snowfall is received in this
tract. The Bhotias wear clothes made of
goat/sheep wool which is locally woven
by them. The menfolk wear loose trousers
over which they put on a loose gown, girt
around the waist with a woollen cloth
called patta and a cap of wool on the
head. A loose undergarment of wool is
worn by the women instead of trousers.
The upper garments resemble those of men.
The womenfolk also put on woollen skirts
with a white woollen waist coat. Woollen
clothes are rarely washed and the clothes
are worn till the end of their useful
lives. Clothes made of cotton are not
worn. Nowadays, in large Villages, one
may come across people wearing synthetic
trousers, shirts and coats.
Middle
Garhwal
This zone covers the middle hills of Garhwal
between elevations of 1000 and 2300 mts.
Wool, hemp and cotton are used for clothing
in the middle valleys of the rivers Alaknanda,
Bhagirathi and Yamuna. The males put on
close fitting trousers and a buttoned
up long coat or achkan. They may sport
a Gandhi cap on their heads. The women-
folk put on a long skirt or ghaghrai;
a type of blouse, and a scarf like cloth
is tied around their heads. The grazer
communities of middle Garhwal put on a
type of sleeveless unstitched gown that
extends to just below the knee. It is
made of goat wool. In the recent past,
clothes like shirts, trousers and coats
have been adopted by men. The sari and
blouse, or the pyjama and kurta suits
are now being worn by women in the urban
and semi-urban centres of Garhwal.
Lower
Garhwal
This zone includes all areas below an
elevation of about 1000 mts. Lower Garhwal
is relatively more developed and the people
have adopted dresses worn in the plains
and western countries. The men-folk put
on shirts, trousers, coats, bush-shirts,
and safari suits. The women wear the sari
and blouse, as also pyjama-kurta suits.
The impact of western dresses is more
in this zone. The younger generation has
taken to jeans and other western clothes
in a big way. |
