Shepherds Head to the Hills as Temperatures Rise in the Plains

Shimla, April 23 – With the mercury climbing steadily in the lower regions of Himachal Pradesh’s Sirmaur district, local shepherds have begun their seasonal migration toward the cooler climes of the high-altitude mountains. In keeping with their age-old tradition, these pastoralists reside in the plains during the winter months and move to the hills during summer.

Despite the challenges posed by extreme weather—be it scorching heat, heavy rains, or biting cold—these nomadic shepherds, known as Gaddis, continue to live in open pastures alongside their flocks. During summer, many of them make their way to forested highlands such as Narkanda, Kinnaur, and Dodra Kwar, where they set up camp for the season.

Tsering, a shepherd from Chitkul in Kinnaur, shared that sheep and goat herding has been his family’s livelihood for generations. “It’s a difficult life, no doubt,” he said, “but we’ve grown used to it.” He also noted that the tradition is slowly fading, as younger generations are becoming educated and turning toward other careers.

Another shepherd, Ramdas from Dodra Kwar, highlighted a more pressing concern: a lack of grazing land in the plains. “Earlier, it was easy to obtain grazing permits from the government,” he explained, “but now, due to illegal encroachments on community lands, finding pastures has become increasingly difficult. Many have been forced to abandon this occupation.”

Nomadic herding continues to be a way of life in several parts of the state, including Kinnaur, Dodra Kwar, Chamba, and Pangi. According to the Animal Husbandry Department, sheep farming is prominent in six districts—Chamba, Kangra, Kullu, Shimla, Kinnaur, and Sirmaur—with an estimated 1.9 million sheep and goats. Of these, approximately 60 percent are reared by nomadic shepherds.

To support this traditional livelihood, the Himachal Wool Federation regularly organizes awareness camps. The Federation provides essential items such as solar lights, first aid kits, and tarpaulins free of cost, and also purchases wool from shepherds at fair rates through collection centers set up across the state.