Gaddis

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

“Gaddi” redirects here. For other uses, see Gaddi (disambiguation).

The Gaddis are a tribe hailing from the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. They are Hindu and belong to several castes including Brahmin, Rajput, Dhangar, Khatri, Rana and Thakur. They are widely respected for their honesty, friendliness and peaceful lifestyle. Crime is almost unknown in Gaddi villages.

1 Domicile
2 History
3 Gallery
4 See also
5 External links
6 References

[edit] Domicile

The Gaddis are traditionally domiciled on both sides of the Dhauladhar Range in Himachal Pradesh. They reside mostly in the Brahmaur region of Chamba District, in the upper reaches of the Riva river and the valleys of the Budhil river. They are also found in the Kangra district, particularly in the villages like Khaniyara,near Dharamsala.

The Gaddis are not really nomadic, since they have homes in villages, but transhumance is a traditional practise: they generally travel with their flocks to higher pastures in the summer.

[edit] History

The early history of the Gaddis is unclear. According to their own traditions, the Gaddis are descended from migrants who fled the plains of India for the relative security of the hills during times of trouble. It is thought that the Chauhan Rajputs and Brahman Gaddis emigrated to Chamba, their present domicile, as early as in c.850-70 CE. Most of the other castes of Gaddis are thought to be descended from people who fled to the hills to escape the mughal emperor Aurangzeb's persecutions in the 17th century CE.