Chamoli: Glimpses of village life

Walking on the trail from Lohajung to the little village of Didana on a bright summer morning, the fields on terraced mountain slopes, with houses scattered in between look pretty. They give the impression of prosperity. The little patches of land, irregular in shape have standing crops of wheat, munger (maize) and alu (potatoes).

Narrow water channels can be seen leading down the slopes to storage tanks near the fields – constructed from NREGA funds, we learn.

The patch of wheat (brown) is nearly ready for harvest

A double storied house – made of stone, with wood windows and doors and rafters and slate roof, a style commonly seen in these parts 

The beauty however conceals the low productivity and the harsh natural conditions of agriculture here. Retired army man J S Dana of Didana says his potato crop has been severely damaged by hail stones - the stones puncture the leaves of the plant leaving it frail. A few days later, we have first hand experience in Lohajung of a sharp hail storm.

J S Dana stands in front of his house in Didana village. Behind 

him to his right is his field of Alu that has been severely 

damaged by hail

A closer look at the wheat standing in the fields near Wan village shows the sparseness of the grains on the stalk. Government statistics also bears out that Uttarakhand has low food grain productivity, lower then the India average. The grains & pulses meet just local consumption needs. Only the pahadi alu which is highly valued in the plains is exported via the local market in Lohajung to Haldwani and onward. An 85kg bag of alu fetches a price of between Rs 1000 to 1500, we are told. But this year has been dismal for the local alu farmers. 

Tussar Silk

The low returns from agriculture means that people must look for other ways to supplement their farm income. Rearing silk worms is one option people have taken up. The Tussar worms reared here feed on Oak leaves (rather than mulberry) and these are available in plenty from the nearby Oak forests.

A Didana villager with his silk worms

An NGO – Appropriate Technology India - supplies eggs and buys the cocoons from the farmers. (See this Times of India report on why ATI they promote Tussar silk in Chamoli )

Jhoola


Some other ways to supplement income also depend on the forest. While making the steep climb through Oak and Rhododendron forest above Didana, we come across groups of girls sometimes accompanied by an older woman, all with sacks on their shoulders. Invariably, the girls greet the stranger with a namaste and politely converse, but decline to be photographed. The girls have rosy cheeks and unblemished skin and wear colorful clothes, earrings, nose studs and other trinkets. They are all collecting lichen from the ground - and sometimes even climbing trees for it - that they call Jhoola. One little collector, Lakshmi from Mandoli looks barely to be 8 years – but I could be mistaken as the people here have a slight build. Lakshman from Didana is also collecting. He studies in the 10^th standard and this is vacation time for his school.

He shows me a handful of jhoola pulled out from his bag. Descending to Wan village through an Oak forest a few days later, we see another group of collectors. A woman leading the group explains that lichen is available only at certain periods and that they come for collection when they are free from agriculture related activities.

Later, looking at some literature on the subject I gather that lichens are used in the preparation of perfumes, dyes as well as masala’s. Didana forest and Kuling forest are among the ‘hot spots’ for lichen in Chamoli district. The brown Oak tree of these forests plays the host to the lichen.

60% of the land in Chamoli district is classified as forest. The villagers depend on the forest for their daily fuel, for timber for their homes, for fodder for their cattle and for other forest produce that can add to their income. But the forests are also the major source of raw materials for industry and income for the state. The appropriation of the forests goes back to the colonial period. The forest department exercises a strong control over the lives of the people here by being able to deny then access to the forest. For example, it can prohibit people from collecting lichens – as it has done so in certain other parts of Chamoli. Large tracts of Oak forest between Wan and Lohajung look diseased - that does not speak highly of the state of forest management.

The bugyal of Ghesh-Balan (in the distance) seen from
Ali Bugyal

Some villages have managed to retail control over their common pastureland – we learn of the villages of Ghesh and Balan who have a bugyal for their exclusive use.

Sheep advancing in formation in Bedni Bugyal

The public-use bugyals are host to various quadrupeds – herds of buffaloes and sheep.


The shepherds live and move with the flocks along with their sheep dogs – Himalayan mountain dogs – resembling a black Labrador but more shaggy and with a curled tail. The dogs are apparently sometimes hunted by leopards (Baag or Baguwa) and wear metal collars - with jagged edges – and an attached bell. We are unable to spot the shepherds.

Dual homes

The villagers of Didana also maintain homes in Kuling village. There are about 60 families in Didana. They move seasonally – we fail to find out which season and why. When not in use, homes are left locked and unoccupied. I later learn that people in Mundoli also have homes in Kuling. Is Kuling a temporary residence for farmers to access their land on the hill slopes, perhaps in winter, I wonder.

The Keeda Jadi

Near Wan village, we meet Umrao Singh who has been on an expedition to the higher reaches of the bugyals to collect the Keeda Jadi. He allows us to examine one from the precious handful he has collected.

I learn that other names for the Keeda Jadi are Yartsa Gunbu (Tibetan) and the colloquial term of Caterpillar fungus; that it is a kind of caterpillar killed and mummified by a fungal infection and most commonly found at altitudes between 3500 and 4500m – that means in the higher reaches of the bugyals and up to the permanent snow line. (See this current science article written by an Indian researcher for more details) It is highly prized in China because of its use as an aphrodisiac and in traditional Tibetan and Chinese medicines. We are told that it somehow finds its way across borders and that it fetches a fantastic price (in the region of Rs 100000 / kg or more). The value of Keeda Jadi, it seems, has become known to the local villagers in this area for last 8-10 years. Villagers spend days out in the alpine meadows looking for the jadi and come back perhaps with 200 gms of the fungus.

Umrao Singh and his solar panel on backpack

Story of the Khacchar

The mule – Khacchar as it is known locally – is an indispensable for transporting goods in these parts. Raju, a tailor Lohajung who is ferrying our supplies for the last week owns two Khacchars and they are his pride and joy. Bunty and Babli are 15 and 20 years old and respond to their names.

The Khacchar is a cross between a female horse and a male donkey and does not breed. Raju tells us that his Khacchars will work up to the age of 40. A good Khacchar can cost up to Rs 60,000. It takes time to train them – as much as 4-5 years – before they become productive. They are loyal and can find their way on the trails even without guidance. Raju has lovingly put colorful collars on his two mules – but he is not an exception. All the mules that cross our path are colorfully decked and seem to be the pride of their owners.

The Guide

Pradhyuman Singh who accompanies us for the entire week is from Mandoli and has been working as a tourist guide for some years. He has an earnest look about him, a dignified presence, and is always helpful. We ask him if the villagers object to the rude intrusions of tourists. He believes otherwise. They are desperate for another source of income. Those employed – as porters, guides, cooks etc – get paid between Rs 250 - 300 per day. 

We find out that our porters may well be poor, but they wish to give their children the best education available - an English medium private school at Lohajung (fees 160/pm) rather than to the government school. Interestingly, Chamoli has a high literacy rate – nearly 90% among men and over 60% for women – far higher than the all India averages.

Just before we leave Wan village, I manage to take a photo of Bina and Deepa. They have not yet learnt that they must keep photographers at bay.