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Gurjars in Uttarakhand

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Gurjars in Uttarakhand
Gurjar tribal girl from Uttarakhand
Regions with significant populations
India Uttarakhand
Languages
Gujari, Garhwali, Kumaoni, Urdu, Hindi
Religion
• Majority: Sunni Islam[1] • Minority: Hinduism
Related ethnic groups
Gurjar, Muslim Gurjars, Van Gurjars

Gurjars in the Indian state of Uttarakhand are mainly found in the Garhwal and Kumaon divisions[2]: 56-70 [3][4] and scattered across almost all districts of Uttarakhand; they are densely populated in Dehradun, Haridwar, Nainital, Pauri Garhwal, Uttarkashi, Tehri Garhwal and Almora districts, while Pithoragarh district has the smallest Gurjar population. In the 1931 census of India, 63.21% of Gurjars in present-day Uttarakhand state were Muslims, while the remaining 36.79% were Hindus.[5] Hindu Gurjars in the state have traditionally been settled, with some being nomads, while Muslim Gurjars are mainly nomads with some settled communities. Amongst the nomadic Muslim Gurjar communities Van Gujjar is a major subgroup.[6]

History

It is generally believed that Gurjars initially moved to the Kumaon and Garhwal regions between the mid 18th and 19th-century, which are now part of Uttarakhand.[7][6][non-primary source needed][8] Many scholars believe Gurjars came to these regions 150 or 200 years ago from Jammu.[4]: 23  Gurjars are believed to have migrated to Garhwal, via Himachal Pradesh, looking for grasslands for their livestock.[6][9] They first moved to Uttarakhand, around the same time as the Rajputs.[2]: 62 [10]

Phoda Singh and Lal Karan Singh from the Chokar clan of Gurjars are said to have established the Timli State in Dehradun in the 15th-century.[11] The state was ruled by their dynasty until it was annexed by Mughals. Their family ruled until the Mughals took over. Later, in 1548, they again took control, founded Timli town and ruled it. Bhagwan Singh, a notable king from the same family, even controlled prices in north India. When took over some areas in Dehradun, Timli State remained independent. After Bhagwan Singh's death, his daughter Satyaditi ruled the state.[citation needed]

During the 1700s, Gurjar and Sikh raiders repeatedly attacked the Doon Valley. In 1775, Sikhs raided the area, looting settlements, killing residents, and setting places on fire. But raiders from the Saharanpur, both Gurjars and Rajputs, caused worse damage in the valley than the Sikhs did.[12][13] In the late 1800s, the Jaunsar-Bawar forest division in Dehradun district was a key spot for nomadic Gurjars. It connected nearby regions, and when summer came, Gurjars would gather there to head to highland pastures with their cattle. Some stayed there for summer, while others moved on to other areas.[14]: 92 

The Panwar Gurjars ruled the Landaura State (containing more than 600 villages) from the Landaura town of Haridwar district for about 375 years. In 1759–60, the Mughal governor gave Nahar Singh, a Gurjar leader of Panwar clan rights to collect revenue in the area of Landaura.[15][16] Many Gurjars joined him, and he became a powerful local leader. Under Mughal rule, Gurjars traded cattle, paying taxes to the Mughals. Nahar Singh switched sides between Mughals and Sikhs, was imprisoned, and eventually lost part of his land. He later worked with the Mughals to drive out Sikhs. After his death, his son Ram Dayal Singh took over.[15][2]: 67  In 1804, Ram Dayal Singh supported the East India Company during a local rebellion. After his death in 1813, a dispute over leadership was settled when Dhan Kunwar paid off her husband's relative, Badan Singh, to keep control of Landaura state for her infant son, Kushal Singh. In 1824, a relative of Ram Dayal Singh, Vijay Singh Gurjar of the Kunja estate in Dehradun tried to take over but failed and was killed.[17] Kushal Singh died in 1829, followed by his mother Dhan Kunwar in 1849. His son Harbans Singh died young in 1850, leaving behind a baby son, Raghubir Singh.[15]

Modern

The Government of India relocated around 1,902 Gurjars families from forests areas of Haridwar, Chila, Motichur, Chilawali, Ramghar and Gohri in Rajaji National Park, to Gaindhikhata and Pathri between 1985 and 1998.[18] Another 400 Gurjar families families were relocated from Jim Corbett National Park to Gaindhikhata in March 2000.[19][20]

Demographics

Population

Historical population
YearPop.±% p.a.
1891997—    
19011,250+2.29%
19112,148+5.56%
19212,609+1.96%
19312,210−1.65%
source: 1891 census - 1901 census[21] - 1911 census[22] - 1921 census[23] - 1931 census[5]

The current Muslim Van Gurjar population in the state is estimated to be around 70,000 while the number of Hindu Gurjars are not known.[24][25]

Religion

Gurjars in Uttarakhand are divided into two distinct ethnoreligious groups: Hindu Gurjars and Muslim Gurjars. Muslim Gurjars of Uttarakhand predominantly belong to the Sunni sect of Islam.[1] In the 1931 census of India, the total population of Gurjars in the Indian state of Uttarakhand was 2,210, of which 1,397 were Muslims i.e. 63.21% of Gurjars in present-day Uttarakhand state were Muslims, while the remaining 36.79% were Hindus.[5] The Van Gujjars adopted Islam in the 13th to 14th centuries,[26] but other Gurjars of the state mostly adopted Islam in the 17th century.[2]: 62 

Distribution

Map of Uttarakhand, showing the districts found in the Garhwal and Kumaon divisions.

Gurjar and Van Gujjars communities are mainly found in the Shivalik, Kalsi, Jim Corbett National Park and Rajaji National Park forest areas of Uttarakhand.[27][28][4]: 23  The Tons Valley in the Jaunsar-Bawar region of the Garhwal division and Dehradun, Haridwar, Uttarkashi, Roorkee, Nainital, Almora and Bageshwar also have large settlements of Gurjars.[27][29][4]: 36 

The Shivalik region east of Garhwal division has a pastoral area stretching from Kalsi forest to Kotdwar. Gurjars live in many places here, including Gangabhogpur, Gauhari range, Gaendikhata, Dumet, Dhaula Tapad, Pauri Garhwal, Rishikesh, Batoli, Dharmawala, Majri, Kulhal, Simlash, Dudhli, Bhaniyawala, Timli, Kadwapani (Dehradun), Sajanpur, Aamsaut, Katebad, Sherpur, Chidiyapur Rang, South Nlowala, North Nlowala (Haridwar), Shikroda, Khanpur, Laldang, Jakhan, Nastarwari, Dasoywala, Shyampur, Peeli beet, Sidha beet, Mithi beri, Kanswali (Haridwar), Yamuna valley.[30][28][31]

Language

In Uttarakhand, they speak various regional languages, including Garhwali, Kumaoni, Hindi, Urdu, and Gujari. The Garhwali and Kumaoni language mainly spoken by Hindu Gurjars in the state. Muslim Gurjars in the state mostly speak Gujari as their mother tongue. In the 2011 census, there were 3,822 Gujari speakers among the Muslim Gurjars in Uttarakhand.[32]

Clans

Some important clans (gotras among Hindus) of the Gurjars of Uttarakhand include:

Culture

Clothing

Gurjar men typically wear a turban, loose lungis or kurtas with some adding embroidered waistcoats to their outfit especially in winter. Many also go shoeless like the Dhobi people. Some modern Gurjars wear shirts and cheap rubber shoes.[35]

Gurjar women usually wear a long kurta type shirt, pajamas and a jacket. Women of Hindu and Muslim Gurjars in Uttarakhand typically do not cover their faces or practice purdah system.[3] They wear a hill-styled salwar-kameez, similar to the one worn in the plains, with a shalwar featuring many pleats and small floral prints on a green or blue background. Their attire is very similar to salwar-kameez of Gurjar women of Kashmir. They wear minimal silver jewellery.[35]

Festivals

Gurjars in Uttarakhand celebrate various regional and religious festivals. Muslim Gurjars celebrate Islamic festivals like Ramazan, Muharram, Eid al-Fitr, and Eid al-Adha, while Hindu Gurjars celebrate Hindu festivals like Diwali and Holi.[3] Muslim Gurjars practice all Islamic festivals and like to pray in mosques on Fridays but can't often afford to go on Hajj. Hindu Gurjars also used to celebrate seasonal festivals like Lohri and Baishakhi, but these aren't common anymore.[4]: 29 

Housing

Tribal Gurjars in the forest areas of Rajaji National Park traditionally live in deras, simple homes made from forest materials. They move in big family groups to find good grazing land and set up temporary homes for the stay.[18][36]

In the Sivalik Hills, Gurjar winter homes are semi-permanent. They take them apart when moving to higher pastures, but the spots stay the same. The Forest Department takes or auctions off the wood. Gurjars rebuild when they return, often getting materials from the Forest Department. Their homes are usually near water sources like streams, and are named after them (e.g., Munal Sot, Amla Sot).[4]: 32 

Marriages

Gurjars practice various marriage customs in Uttarakhand. Hindu Gurjars mostly practice polyandry marriages.[37][38][better source needed] Muslim Gujars practice cousins marriages and exchange marriages (where families swap a boy and a girl).[37]

Monogamy

Most Gurjars are monogamous, having one wife at a time. Islam allowed maximum four marriages for Muslim Gurjars, but they still prefer one marriage. More common is remarrying after a wife dies or divorces. If a Gurjar guy has multiple wives, they often live separately with their kids, and he splits time with them.[39]

Exchange marriages

Muslim Gurjars in Uttarakhand often choose exchange marriages, where two families swap kids (a son and daughter from one family marry a daughter and son from another). This way, they avoid paying bride price or dowry, keeping their animals and wealth within the families.[39]

Widow-remarriage

Gurjars allow window remarriage, but the new husband might have to pay the dead man's family. Hindu Gurjars often practice junior levirate (marrying the window to her husband's brother). Buffaloes are exchanged as bride-price or dowry, but money's becoming more common now. If a couple sets up their own home after a service marriage, the girl's father usually gives them some buffaloes.[39]

Service marriage

Gurjars also practice "service marriage". A guy works for a family with a daughter, and if they like him, he gets to marry her. Poor guys without sisters often choose this option, avoiding bride price or dowry.[39]

Ghar Jamai

Gurjars sometimes do 'ghar jamai' marriages. A rich Gurjar with a daughter brings a guy to live with them and marries him to her. The couple lives with the girl's family.[39]

Traditional veterinary medicine

Gurjars have good knowledge about animal diseases. They've kept their traditional remedies alive. In the past, vets were scarce, but now there are more options in towns like Dehradun and Haridwar. Still, Gurjars usually try their own treatments first, turning to vets only if that doesn't work.[4]: 44 - 45 

Occupations

Many people in Uttarakhand were herders, farmers, or both. They mainly raised cattle, which was a big part of their economy. Some groups in Uttarakhand like the Gurjars and Bhotiyas, relied entirely on livestock.[14][10]: 84  In Uttarakhand tribal Gurjars earn around Rs. 4,500 monthly per family (Rs. 450 per person), but they're stuck in debt. This debt is a big obstacle to improving their lives. They can't move forward or change how they live until they pay off what they owe.[4]: 28 

Affirmative action

In Uttarakhand Hindu Gurjars are socially classified as Other Backwards classes (OBC) in the state.[40] However, Muslim Gurjars in state are not included in the OBC list.[41] In 2012, the Government of Uttarakhand promised to give Schedule Tribe (ST) status to Gurjars of Uttarakhand and Muslim Van Gujjars, but this promise hasn't been fulfilled. The Van Gujjars, a semi-nomadic pastoral community, have been fighting for this recognition, which would grant them rights to forest land and other benefits.[42]

Notable

References

  1. 1 2 Sharma, Man Mohan (2005). Yātrā: Pilgrimages in the Himalayas. Trishul Publications. p. 211. ISBN 978-81-85384-92-4. The Gujjars are met all along the sub - Himalaya from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. They are Sunni Muslims.
  2. 1 2 3 4 David Emmanuel Singh. Islamization in Modern South Asia: Deobandi Reform and the Gujjar Response. 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 Rawat, Ajay Singh (1993). Man and Forests: The Khatta and Gujjar Settlements of Sub-Himalayan Tarai. Indus Publishing. pp. 105–165. ISBN 978-81-85182-97-1.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Saraswati, Baidyanath (1998). Life-style and Ecology. Indira Gandhi Centre for the Arts [and] D.K. Printworld. pp. 3–60. ISBN 978-81-246-0103-7.
  5. 1 2 3 Census of India, 1931. Vol. XVIII United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. pp. 509 & 525
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Sharma, Vijay Paul; John Mortan, Kohler-Rollefson (2020). Pastoralism in India: A Scoping Study (PDF). Natural Resources institute, University of Greenwich, UK. pp. 5–7.
  7. ↑ "TRIBAL LIVELIHOOD MIGRATION IN INDIA: Situational Analysis, Gap Assessment & Future Directions in 12 States of India" (PDF). Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India. Disha Foundation. 2019. p. 77.
  8. ↑ Nomadic Peoples. Berghahn Books. 2009. p. 92.
  9. ↑ Kothari, Ashish (1997). Building Bridges for Conservation: Towards Joint Management of Protected Areas in India. Indian Institute of Public Administration. p. 195. ISBN 978-81-86641-07-1. Information about the origins of the Gujjars in the Shivaliks is sketchy. According to some sources (Khati nd, Vikalp nd) these Gujjars are originally from the Jammu region and were brought to the Doon Valley (Uttaranchal).
  10. 1 2 Degen, A. Allan; Dana, Léo-Paul, eds. (2024). Lifestyle and Livelihood Changes Among Formerly Nomadic Peoples. Ethnic and Indigenous Business Studies. pp. 194–195. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-51142-4. ISBN 978-3-031-51141-7. ISSN 2948-1635.
  11. ↑ Handa, O. C. (July 2009). Art & Architecture of Uttarakhand. Pentagon Press. ISBN 978-81-8274-417-2.
  12. ↑ Lal, Prem Hari Har (1993). The Doon Valley Down the Ages. Interprint. p. 72. ISBN 978-81-85017-64-8.
  13. ↑ Thadhani, Prem K. (1993). Chronicles of the Doon Valley, an Environmental Exposé. Indus Publishing. p. 228. ISBN 978-81-85182-84-1. Gujjars either raided or ruled the Doon to plunder its forest wealth. 1803 The Gorkhas conquered the Doon. Heavy taxation led to an exo- dus of the people.
  14. 1 2 Dangwal, Dhirendra Datt (2009). "The Lost Mobility: Pastoralism and Modernity in Uttarakhand Himalaya (india)". Nomadic Peoples. 13 (2): 84–101. doi:10.3167/np.2009.130206. ISSN 0822-7942. JSTOR 43123852.
  15. 1 2 3 Dirk H. A. Kolff. Grass in Their Mouths: The Upper Doab of India Under the Company's Magna Charta, 1793-1830. p. 453-493
  16. ↑ Rawat, Ajay Singh (1989). History of Garhwal, 1358-1947: An Erstwhile Kingdom in the Himalayas. Indus Publishing Company. p. 73. ISBN 978-81-85182-18-6.
  17. ↑ Mutiny at the Margins: New Perspectives on the Indian Uprising of 1857: Documents of the Indian Uprising. Vol 1, p. 35-39.
  18. 1 2 Joshi, Ritesh; Ranbhir, Singh (2009). "Gujjar Community Rehabilitation from Rajaji National Park: Moving Towards an Integrated Approach for Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) Conservation". Journal of Human Ecology. 28 (3). SERC Division, Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India: 203. doi:10.1080/09709274.2009.11906240. S2CID 126816795.
  19. ↑ "Uttarakhand Gujjars being ousted without compensation". indiatogether.org. 5 September 2008.
  20. ↑ Down to Earth: Science and Environment Fortnightly. Vol. 16. Society for Environmental Communications, Indiana University. 2008. p. 19.
  21. ↑ Census of India, 1901. Vol. XVI A: North West Provinces and Oudh. Part II p. 201
  22. ↑ Census of India, 1911. Vol. XV North West Provinces and Oudh. Part II pp. 252 & 282
  23. ↑ Census of India, 1921. Vol. XVI United Provinces of Agra and Oudh. Part II pp. 204 & 222
  24. ↑ Bhalla, Vineet (2024-04-18). "Ground report: Why this Muslim nomadic tribe in Uttarakhand has little to gain from elections". Scroll.in. Retrieved 2025-10-04.
  25. ↑ Hamilton-Jones, Phoebe; Gabrys, Jennifer; Westerlaken, Michelle (2024). COMMUNITY-LED FOREST TECHNOLOGIES: A SMART FORESTS INTERIM REPORT. UK: University of Cambridge. p. 44. The Van Gujjars, who identify as Indigenous to South Asia, follow Islam and practice transhumance and semi-nomadic activities in the states of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. Within Uttarakhand, where this case study is located, about 70,000 Van Gujjars are spread out across various constituencies in forested landscapes.
  26. ↑ Srivastava, Raghav (2022). "The making of pastoralisms: An account of the Gaddis and Van Gujjars in the Indian Himalaya". Pastoralism: Research, Policy and Practice. 12 (1) 42. Bibcode:2022Pasto..12...42S. doi:10.1186/s13570-022-00259-z. ISSN 2041-7136. PMC 9590384. PMID 36311345.
  27. 1 2 Sharma, Man Mohan (1978). Through the Valley of Gods: Travels in the Central Himalayas. Vision Books. p. 248.
  28. 1 2 Johnsingh, A. J. T. (2006). Field Days: A Naturalist's Journey Through South and Southeast Asia. Universities Press. pp. 187–193. ISBN 978-81-7371-552-5.
  29. ↑ Bedi, Freda (1979). Social Welfare. Publications Division. pp. 4–32.
  30. ↑ Shah, Giriraj; Sharma, Man Mohan (1992). The Valley of Flowers. Trishul Publications. p. 90. ISBN 978-81-85384-08-5.
  31. ↑ Kumar, Pradeep (2000). The Uttarakhand Movement: Construction of a Regional Identity. Kanishka Publishers, Distributors. p. 40. ISBN 978-81-7391-357-0.
  32. ↑ "India - C-16: Population by mother tongue, Uttarakhand - 2011". censusindia.gov.in. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
  33. 1 2 3 4 5 Patil, A. M. (2018). "Demographic Study of Dode Gurjar Community of Khandesh A Geographical Perspective: (Chapter 5)". University: 89. hdl:10603/350175. Gurjars in Uttaranchal: They consist of mainly Khubad (Pawar), Aamre, Daape (Chauhan), Solanki, etc. Gotras.
  34. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Saraswati, Baidyanath (1998). Life-style and Ecology. Indira Gandhi Centre for the Arts [and] D.K. Printworld. p. 27. ISBN 978-81-246-0103-7. Symbiotic Relationships Between Man, Animal and Nature A Study of the Gujar of Garhwal: The Gujar are divided into various gotras, (clans) which are the same as among the Hindu Gujar. Some of the clan names of the Gujar inhabiting the Siwaliks and the lower Himalayas are Kushan, Khatana, Chechi, Chauhan, Theckari, Dhinda, Pathan, Poshwal(d), Vania/Bania, Maisi, Lodha and Kaalas. They follow gotra exogamy, although there may be exceptions as in cases of elopement. Parallel cousin marriages may take place.
  35. 1 2 Pandhe, M. K. (1976). Bonded Labour in India. India Book Exchange : [exclusive distributors, K. P. Bagchi]. pp. 34–37.
  36. ↑ Rawat, Ajay Singh (1993). Man and Forests: The Khatta and Gujjar Settlements of Sub-Himalayan Tarai. Indus Publishing. p. 109. ISBN 978-81-85182-97-1.
  37. 1 2 Bisht, B. S. (2001). Ethnography of a Tribe: Study of Anwals of Uttarakhand Himalaya. Rawat Publications. p. 52. ISBN 978-81-7033-663-1.
  38. ↑ Raha, Manis Kumar (2023-01-01). Marriage in Human Society: Global Perspective (Volume 2). Concept Publishing Company. p. 524. ISBN 978-93-5594-637-9.
  39. 1 2 3 4 5 Saraswati, Baidyanath (1998). Life-style and Ecology. Indira Gandhi Centre for the Arts [and] D.K. Printworld. pp. 26–27. ISBN 978-81-246-0103-7.
  40. ↑ "Central List of OBCs - Uttarakhand". National Commission for Backward Classes.
  41. ↑ International Journal of Human Development and Sustainability Vol.4, No.1. Universal-Publishers. 2011-09-28. p. 95. ISBN 978-1-61233-519-3. The Muslim Gujjars of Uttaranchal are not included in the list of Other backward classes. This implies that State governments of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh have owned up the responsibility of their Muslim Gujjar population, while the development of the nomadic Gujjars in Uttaranchal has been the sole responsibility of the forest department which has wanted to re-strict the grazing of the Gujjars buffaloes in the forests of the area.
  42. ↑ "Gujjars to get tribal status, other facilities". Legal India. 2012-07-26. Retrieved 2026-02-18.
  43. ↑ "Champion urges ired Gurjars to stall Mahapanchayat". Garhwal Post. 29 January 2025.
  44. ↑ "हरिद्वार: पूर्व विधायक प्रणव चैंपियन ने जेल से लिखा पत्र, गुर्जर महापंचायत स्थगित, कोर्ट में सुनवाई के बारे में जानिए". Navbharat Times (in Hindi). Retrieved 2026-03-03.
  45. ↑ "Rudki Khedajat village visit Kartar Singh Bhadana development promise for the region". Dainik Bhaskar.
  46. ↑ "हरिद्वार लोकसभा सीट पर बसपा को बड़ा झटका, करतार सिंह भड़ाना ने ज्वाइन की बीजेपी". ETV Bharat News (in Hindi). 2024-03-10. Retrieved 2026-03-03.

Bibliography

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