Maldharis
Why in News?
The Maldharis is in the news because the Gujarat Government announced a scheme for their voluntary relocation from Barda Wildlife Sanctuary in Porbandar and Devbhumi Dwarka districts, being developed as a “second home” or satellite habitat for Asiatic lions.
Identity and Profession
- Meaning of the Name: The word "Maldhari" translates literally to "keeper of livestock" (mal meaning animal stock, and dhari meaning keeper).
- Occupation: They are traditional, semi-nomadic pastoralists and dairymen. Their livelihood revolves around herding cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, and camels.
- Primary Income: They rely on selling milk, high-quality ghee, wool, and artisanal crafts. Historically, they even supplied milk and cheese to the palaces of local kings.
Habitat and Lifestyle
- Geographic Presence: They primarily live in Gujarat (notably the Banni Grasslands of Kutch and the Gir Forest), though some branches extend into parts of Rajasthan.
- Settlements (Nesses): When living inside forests like Gir, they reside in small clusters of mud and thatch huts known as "nesses" or nestes. These are fenced with timber logs to protect their cattle from lions.
- Nomadic Cycle: They routinely migrate for up to 8 to 10 months of the year across pasturelands searching for fodder, returning to their home villages during the monsoon when fresh grass grows.
Demographics and Culture
- Religion: The community is religiously diverse; roughly 90% are Muslim (predominantly in regions like Banni), while about 10% are Hindu (such as the Charan and Rabari communities in Gir).
- Language: They predominantly speak Kachchhi in the Sindhi dialect.
- Cultural Crafts: Maldhari women are highly skilled in unique, intricate styles of embroidery that vary by caste and are passed down through generations.
- Gender Roles: Women manage livestock rearing and textile arts, while men handle foraging, herd migration paths, and selling milk to commercial dairies.
Challenges and Socio-Political Context
- Land & Grazing Disputes: The Maldharis have faced long-standing friction with forest departments over formal land titles. They have actively asserted their collective community forest resource rights under India's Forest Rights Act (FRA) of 2006 to preserve their customary grazing areas.
- Ecological Threats: Encroachment by agriculture, the spread of the invasive weed Prosopis juliflora, and rising ground salinity have heavily depleted the native pastures they rely on.
- Urban Conflict: Rapid urbanization has squeezed them out of traditional areas. A previous attempt by the state government to pass a "Stray Cattle Control Bill" to regulate livestock on urban roads faced intense protests from the community, leading to the bill being withdrawn.
