The Maldhari is a occupational term or title used by several herdsmen or animal husbandry castes such as Koli,[1] Kathi, Charan, Rabari and Bharwad in Kutch district of Gujarat, India.[2] The Gir Forest National Park is home to around 8,400 Maldharis as of 2007.[3]
| Maldhari માલધારી | |
|---|---|
| Term, or title of Pastoralist and animal husbandry castes in Gujarat | |
 Maldhari grazing buffaloes | |
| Ethnicity | |
| Location | |
| Population | 8,400 (2007) |
| Language | |
| Religion | |
| Surnames | |
Origin or meaning
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 and cheese to the palaces of rajas.[4]
Culture
Maldharis are descendants of nomads who periodically came from Pakistan, Rajasthan and other parts of Gujarat, and finally settled in the Banni grasslands.[5]
These semi-nomadic herders spend eight months of the year criss-crossing sparse pasturelands with their livestock including sheep, goats, cows, buffalo, and camels in a continual quest for fodder. During the monsoon season, the Maldhari generally return to their home villages as more new grass grows closer to home during the rains.
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.
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 grow vegetables and collect wild honey. Their main sources of cash income are sale of high quality ghee, milk, wool, animals and handicrafts.[5] 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.[3]
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. 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
- ↑ Ganguly, Varsha (2005). "Displacement, Rehabilitation and Resettlement: The Case of Maldhari Families of Gir Forest". Sociological Bulletin. 54 (1): 3–17: The Maldhari in Gir are Kolis who are dependent on animal husbandry and farming for. ISSN 0038-0229. JSTOR 23620582.
- ↑ Chaudhury, Sukant K. (2013-12-31). Readings in Indian Sociology: Volume VII: Sociology of Environment. New Delhi, India, Asia: SAGE Publications. pp. Maldhari is occupational term used for pastoralist and animal husbender castes such as Koli, Kathi, Charan, Rabari and Bharwad in Kutch of the state. ISBN 978-81-321-1841-1.
- 1 2 Rupam Jain Nair (2007-01-21), Rights gained by the Maldhari tribe over the Gir forest, Reuters, retrieved 2012-02-23
- ↑ Dyer, Caroline (2014-05-30). Livelihoods and Learning: Education For All and the marginalisation of mobile pastoralists. New Delhi, India, Asia: Routledge. ISBN 978-1-136-18818-3.
- 1 2 "Banni Grasslands; Kutch Dist., Gujarat", Alternatives to the Narmada Valley Project, Friends of River Narmada, retrieved 2012-02-23
External links
- 27 Photographs Maldhari people