For Van Gujjar families in the Himalayan foothills, milk is more than a commodity. Buffalo husbandry supports household income, food security, mobility and…
Articles
Connecting Van Gujjar Milk Producers With Urban Markets
When the Law Moves: How Land Acquisition Reshapes Van Gujjar Lives
For the Van Gujjar community, the forest is not a backdrop. It is a calendar. Each year, families move with their buffaloes from the foothills in winter up…
Buffalo calf gifting among Van Gujjars: a festival tradition rooted in the Himalayas
In the lower Himalayan foothills, where pine forests meet open grazing meadows, the Van Gujjar community observes centuries-old customs that bind families and…
Designing gender-sensitive livelihood projects for pastoral women
For women in the Van Gujjar and Himalayan village communities of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, daily life moves with the buffalo herd. Their…
Inside the smoke: health realities of cooking fires in nomadic tents
Around the smoky hearths of Van Gujjar families, mornings begin with more than tea. Buffalo milk simmers over twigs and dried dung, while elders fold blankets…
Buffaloes as Bonds in Van Gujjar Marriage Negotiations
The Van Gujjar community, spread across the lower Himalayan foothills of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh, has long viewed buffaloes as more…
SOPHIA Empowers Young Voices Through Leadership and Advocacy Training
Across the lower Himalayas, young people from the Van Gujjar and other forest-dependent communities are stepping into roles their grandparents could not have…
Building with the forest: Van Gujjar shelter construction traditions
In the lower and middle Himalayas, the Van Gujjars have refined a shelter tradition that bends with the seasons rather than fighting them. For centuries, these…
Preserving Van Gujjar Lineages Through Community Oral History
Van Gujjar families move with their buffalo herds between Himalayan meadows and the lower forests of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, carrying…
How Covid-19 reshaped buffalo milk supply chains in the hills
Across the pine-clad slopes of Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, the daily rhythm of Van Gujjar pastoralists has long revolved around their buffaloes. Families…