Adaptive Mobility and Mountain Livelihoods: Transhumance Among the Gaddis of the Western Himalayas

Abstract

Abstract

This paper examines the environmental history of transhumant pastoralism among the Gaddis of Chamba and Kangra districts in present-day Himachal Pradesh, India. It explores how Gaddi transhumance functions as an adaptive ecological strategy that supports sustainable resource use, climatic resilience, and livelihood security. The study further investigates the historical evolution of Gaddi pastoralism from the early to the contemporary period, the role of mobility in shaping social organization and trade networks, and the effects of colonialism, modernization, and climate change on traditional transhumant practices. The study adopts a historical and ecological approach. It draws on environmental history, historical records, ethnographic literature, and ecological interpretations of transhumance systems in the Western Himalayas. The analysis focuses on seasonal migratory patterns, livelihood adaptations, sacred geography, and changing land-use systems, with emphasis on the relationship between environmental conditions, pastoral mobility, and socio-economic transformations across time. Findings reveal that Gaddi vertical transhumance represents a sophisticated ecological adaptation to mountain environments. Seasonal migration between low-altitude winter pastures and high-altitude summer grazing grounds enabled efficient use of natural resources in fragile mountain ecosystems. The study also shows that Gaddi mobility facilitated trade linkages between hill communities and lowland markets, strengthening regional economic integration. However, colonial land policies, forest regulations, and the promotion of sedentary agriculture disrupted traditional grazing systems and altered perceptions of land ownership. Contemporary pressures from modernization, shrinking pasturelands, and climate change have further weakened the viability of transhumant livelihoods. The study recommends the recognition and integration of indigenous transhumant knowledge into contemporary mountain development.