M S Nazki
By M S Nazki
They are continuously on the move! They have been the major sufferers in Indo-Pak conflicts! And they have withstood it all!
-Yes we are talking about the Gujjar and bakerwal women!
-Jammu and Kashmir, one of South Asia’s most geopolitically sensitive regions, has remained central to the territorial dispute between India and Pakistan since 1947.
-This enduring conflict has transformed the region into an insurgent and militarised landscape that has affected both sedentary and nomadic populations.
-Among the latter, the Gujjar and Bakarwal Scheduled Tribes, given their habitation and transhumant mobility across remote areas, have long dealt with uncertainties related to biannual migration, access to resources, and livelihood security.
-Women within these communities bear intersecting burdens of caregiving, gendered exclusion, and conflict.
-Despite these challenges, nomadic women in the conflict-affected Hill Kaka region of Poonch district have emerged as key mediators of peace building through everyday efforts to sustain coexistence, communal harmony, and nomadic livelihoods.
-These efforts are often rooted in collective practices and informal group-based support systems that enable mutual aid, shared responsibility, and resilience in uncertain circumstances.
-Using an intersectional lens, the study’s findings highlight how women’s agency extends beyond survival to shape local processes of reconciliation and the continuity of nomadic life.
-Gujjar Bakerwal women of Jammu and Kashmir are known for their remarkable strength and resilience, acting as the backbone of their nomadic lifestyle.
-They manage strenuous daily tasks—cooking, tending livestock, and migrating vast distances—while facing challenges like illiteracy, lack of rights, and heavy labor.
-Key aspects of their legendary endurance include:
-Nomadic Life & Labor: Known as “people with their house on their back,” these women travel for days with their families and herds, carrying household goods and tending to animals.
-Physical & Social Struggles: Their life involves constant physical labor (gathering fodder, selling milk), often leading to physical and mental exhaustion, further compounded by limited education and superstition.
-Distinctive Identity: They are characterized by traditional attire—embroidered clothes and silver jewelry—and a strong commitment to their traditional way of life.
-Resilience & Role: Despite being victims of structural neglect, they have historically shown great strength in mountainous terrain and are crucial to the survival of their families.
-While many continue to face difficult conditions, recent efforts are being made through educational initiatives and government schemes to improve their literacy and social status.
-This story is laced with interesting stories and here is the first one:
-Zainab, a Gujjar-Bakerwal mother, epitomizes the silent sacrifices of nomadic women in J&K, navigating the treacherous Pir Panjal pass while pregnant.
-During the arduous seasonal migration, she gave birth alone in a tent, then continued riding for days over high mountains to reach summer pastures.
-Her sacrifice ensured her family’s livelihood and cultural continuity despite harsh conditions and minimal health care.
-The biting wind of the mountain pass whipped around Zainab’s modest poshosh (traditional dress) as she guided her horse, keeping a watchful eye on her young children and the flock.
-She was nine months pregnant, yet the migration could not wait. The snow was melting on the Pir Panjal, signalling the time to move from the Jammu plains to the lush meadows of Kashmir.
-Days later, in a makeshift tent perched in a dense forest near Baramulla, Zainab gave birth alone, her husband away securing the herd. She had no midwife, no medication—only her courage. With a newborn in her arms, she resumed the journey just days later, riding through treacherous terrain.
-Zainab’s story is not hers alone. Thousands of Gujjar and Bakerwal women sacrifice comfort, safety, and health, walking hundreds of miles, enduring childbirth on cold terrain, and managing families in isolation. …………….!
-Role in 1947:
-During the 1947 partition, Gujjar-Bakerwal women played a critical role, supporting their families through massive displacement and directly participating in resistance against raiders in border regions of Jammu and Kashmir. Beyond managing pastoral households and migrating under extreme conditions, they helped defend local communities, challenging traditional gender roles during the crisis.
-Key roles and impacts on Gujjar-Bakerwal women in 1947:
-Active Resistance: Women from these communities supported men in resisting armed infiltrators in regions like Poonch-Rajouri, with many participating directly in resistance efforts.
-Resilience in Displacement: As the community was split by the ceasefire line and faced massacres, women were central to maintaining community structure and survival during the chaotic migration to Pakistan or safe areas in India.
-Sustaining Livelihood: Despite the violence, women continued their traditional role of caring for livestock and managing nomadic households, ensuring the survival of their culture and economic base during the conflict.
-Enduring Hardship: Thousands of families were displaced, and women bore the brunt of social, political, and economic challenges, leading to long-term struggles for security, rights, and recognition.
-1965 war:
-Gujjar and Bakerwal women, along with their families, played a critical, often informal, yet highly significant role in the 1965 Indo-Pak war by acting as the “eyes and ears” of the Indian Army in the high-altitude regions of Jammu and Kashmir. Their, and their community, contribution was vital in thwarting Pakistan’s Operation Gibraltar.
-Intelligence Gathering & Reporting: Nomadic Gujjar-Bakerwal women, along with their families, observed the movement of Pakistani infiltrators (disguised as locals) into the valley from high-altitude pastures. They passed on this crucial intelligence to the Indian Army.
-Preventing Infiltration: Their vigilance in the mountainous terrains meant they often identified unknown faces or disguised Pakistani raiders trying to enter Kashmir, allowing the Indian Army to launch counter-operations early.
-Unwavering Loyalty & Support: The community, which often works as shepherds, was praised for standing by the Indian security forces and refusing to aid Pakistani soldiers. This solidarity was crucial for maintaining security in the Jammu & Kashmir region.
-Frontline Support: They lived on the frontlines during the conflict, facing the immediate danger of infiltration. Despite these threats, they supported the Army’s operations.
-While many individual male members, like Mohammad Din Jagir from Tangmarg, are frequently cited for alerting the authorities, the entire nomadic community, including women, was recognized as part of this intelligence network.
-While specific awards for women in 1965 are not highlighted in the provided text, a nomadic woman named Mali Bi was specially recognized in the 1971 war for similar intelligence work.
-The Story of Zareena
Zareena, a 30-year-old Gujjar woman, never stayed in one place long enough to attend school. She, like her mother before her, learned to navigate the treacherous Pir Panjal ranges, her life dictated by seasons and the needs of her goats. The Kashmir conflict was not a distant headline, but an unpredictable force.
In the 1990s, when militancy was at its peak, her family often had to abandon their dera in the middle of the night, forced to flee between the pressures of security forces and armed groups. During the harsh winters, they faced shortages of food and blankets, with Zareena forced to use old rags for menstrual hygiene, a secret kept due to deep-seated taboos.
In 2019, the fear hit home. The brutality against a young girl in their community made Zareena hide her own daughters when the men came to ask for directions. Now, the conflict has taken a new shape: forced eviction notices from forest officials, threatening to snatch the temporary pastures that have sustained her family for generations.
Despite constant fear and lack of healthcare, Zareena persists, her strength forged by the mountains, embodying the untold resilience of tribal women in a land of conflict.…………!
-1971 War
-Gujjar and Bakerwal women played a critical, albeit often unchronicled, role in the 1971 Indo-Pak war by serving as intelligence gatherers and guides for the Indian Army, particularly in the border districts of Jammu and Kashmir. Living on the frontlines, these nomadic women used their intimate knowledge of the terrain to provide vital information about enemy movement.
-Key Contributions in the 1971 War
-Intelligence and Reconnaissance: Gujjar and Bakerwal women often served as the “eyes and ears” of the Indian Army, informing security forces about infiltration routes, Pakistani guerrillas, and troop movements in the treacherous hilly terrain of the Pir Panjal region.
-Guiding the Army: They guided Indian troops through snow-covered and difficult paths, enabling surprise attacks on Pakistani positions.
-Resistance to Infiltration: The community, including women, stood firm against Pakistani aggression, refusing to assist infiltrators and protecting Indian border territory.
-Key Example: Smt. Mali (Padma Shri Awardee)
-The most notable example of the bravery of Gujjar women in 1971 is that of Mali from the Poonch sector.
-Saving Poonch: Mali spotted Pakistani guerrillas moving through jungles to attack Poonch from the rear.
-Brave Action: She traveled over dangerous, snow-covered terrain to inform the nearest Indian Army unit (a Sikh Battalion).
-Impact: Her tip-off led to the neutralization of a platoon-sized force of Pakistani soldiers, saving numerous lives and securing the district.
-Recognition: In recognition of her bravery, she was awarded the Padma Shri on March 25, 1972, becoming the first woman from J&K to receive this honor.
-Gujjar and Bakerwal women in Jammu and Kashmir, predominantly nomadic pastoralists, have played a complex, often involuntary, yet critical role in the ongoing conflict in the region. Entrenched between armed militants and security forces during their seasonal migrations, these women have functioned as vital intelligence sources, active resistors to militancy, and victims of the conflict’s violence, while managing household survival.
-Key Roles and Experiences:
“Eyes and Ears” of Security Forces: Due to their migratory lifestyle in the high-altitude regions, Gujjar-Bakerwal women are often the first to notice unusual activity in remote terrain. They have historically passed crucial information about infiltrating armed militants to the Indian Army, acting as a crucial intelligence network for security forces.
-Active Resistance and Protection: Unlike passive observers, some women from these communities have taken active roles in resisting militants. Some incidents involve women picking up arms alongside men to defend their families and communities from harassment and forced compliance by insurgent groups, particularly in the Poonch-Rajouri region.
-Active Participation in Defense: Some women have played an active role in defending their country and their people. Malli or Mali Bibi, a women from the Poonch district, played a significant role in the 1971 Indo-Pak war by identifying suspicious activity by Pakistani soldiers and informing the Indian army.
-Involuntary Victims and Human Shields: Being on the move, these nomadic communities often face harassment and threats from militants demanding shelter, food, and passage, placing women in a precarious position. They have been caught in crossfire during encounters.
-Custodians of Culture Amid Conflict: Despite the security challenges, these women work to maintain their unique nomadic traditions and identity, such as wearing traditional attire and headgears in the face of ongoing societal, cultural and economic changes.
-Challenges and Socio-economic Impact:
-Exploitation and Safety: Gujjar and Bakerwal women have faced severe exploitation and trauma, including instances of sexual violence used as a tool of fear, exemplified by the 2018 Kathua incident.
-Loss of Life and Livelihood: The persistent conflict has interrupted their traditional migration routes and endangered their livestock, which is their primary source of livelihood, leading to significant economic deprivation.
-Neglect and Lack of Access: These women suffer from high illiteracy rates, lack of access to healthcare, and a lack of proper education for their children. They are often overlooked in mainstream security and development discussions.
-Socio-political Marginalization: While they contribute to the security of the region, these women often have minimal influence on local decision-making and are marginalized within the broader Kashmir political discourse.
-Despite their significant contributions to peace and security, they face a lack of recognition and continue to struggle for basic rights and security, navigating the complexities of both traditional patriarchy and regional conflict.
-In Op Sarp Vinash:
-Gujjar-Bakerwal women played a critical, often frontline role in Operation Sarp Vinash (2003) by acting as intelligence “eyes and ears” for the Indian Army, detecting terrorist hideouts in the Hilkaka mountains of Pir Panjal. They were key members of early Village Defence Committees (VDCs), directly assisting in operations and facilitating the elimination of 78 terrorists, as described in Daily Excelsior and by the National Herald.
-Key roles of Gujjar-Bakerwal women during this period included:
-Intelligence Gathering: As nomadic herders familiar with high-altitude terrain, women identified suspicious movements and terrorist hideouts, providing vital intelligence to the Indian Army.
-Active Defense: Women from these tribes were part of the first Village Defence Committees (VDCs) in the Murah Kalalli village of Surankote, directly countering insurgent threats, according to a report from National Herald.
-Logistical Support: They helped in transporting goods and aiding security forces through difficult terrain.
-Resilience and Sacrifice: Despite facing extreme threats from militants, they, alongside their families, supported the security operations, with the community suffering losses in their efforts to aid the Army.
-This cooperation was pivotal in clearing the Hilkaka area, transforming them into a vital line of defense in the region!
Gujjar-Bakerwal women in Jammu and Kashmir navigate a silent crisis, caught between migration, immense poverty, and the Kashmir conflict. Living in temporary deras (huts), these women manage livestock, rear children, and face severe health struggles, often without education or access to medical care. Their nomadic lives are disrupted by violence, causing displacement, fear of sexual violence, and loss of grazing rights.
-So we come to the last few lines which I will end up with a story:
-Mali Bibi (or Mali Bi), a Gujjar woman from Arai village in Poonch, is a celebrated hero who saved the town from Pakistani intrusion in 1971. She spotted troops, crossed treacherous terrain, and guided the Indian Army, resulting in a successful operation. She was honored with the Padma Shri in 1972.
-Key Aspects of Her Story:
-The Discovery: On December 13, 1971, while gathering fodder near the mountainous area of Jabbi and Pallanwali, she saw smoke and recognized the presence of intruders, as she was familiar with the area.
-The Heroic Action: Despite her family and initially the local ITBP men dismissing her fears, she persisted in reporting the threat, says Awaz The Voice. She guided a Sikh Battalion through knee-deep snow and intense cold at night to reach the spot, allowing the army to neutralize a platoon-sized troop of Pakistani soldiers, according to DE.
-Significance: Her actions saved many innocent lives and protected the Poonch area from falling into enemy hands.
-Recognition: She was awarded the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, on March 25, 1972, for her immense courage.
Mali Bi’s story remains a testament to the bravery of common citizens living along the Line of Control………!
Author
The Kashmir Dialogues
