a documentary.

During many of my numerous walks, deep inside the Himalayan valleys, I became fascinated by the lone figure of the shepherd. Every part of the high-ranges in these areas is frequented by many different tribes of shepherds. They go where nobody else does, climbing up to the most desolate slopes where the grass is succulent.

In the areas of Garhwal and Kumaon the shepherds are called ‘Bakarwal’ by the locals. Every year, as spring begins, the bakarwal start their long trek from the foothills to the high-altitude meadows. The soft grass that grows here, along with the cold climate, are essential for good quality sheep-wool. Often the meadows are over the tree-line at altitudes ranging from 3500m to 5000m above m.s.l. As slopes near villages are used by the locals for their cattle, the shepherds have to find areas away from habitation. Every 10-15 days they go down to nearby villages to replenish supplies.

The shepherd and his herd are accompanied by bhotia dogs and a few khachchar, pack-mules. The bhotia are legendary Himalayan shepherd dogs, renowned for their faithfulness. At night they protect the herd from snow-leopards, wolves and bears. The khachchar, a cross between a horse and a donkey, is extremely sure-footed and can carry loads of over 35kgs.
Although sometimes the shepherd owns most of the herd, usually the majority of the sheep/goats are given to the shepherd by village-folk to graze for the summer months. In exchange for taking care of the sheep for 6 months the shepherd is either paid money (ranging from Rs. 50-100 per sheep) or given an equivalent amount in food-grain, etc. A herd is usually managed by 2-3 shepherds, but sometimes a shepherd works alone.

This is a document of one such Bakarwal camp at an altitude of around 3900m above m.s.l.

Director’s Note: This film does not have a narrative or any dialogue. Instead of giving information, like most documentaries try to, I have tried to show life: the moments in the life of a shepherd. I feel that today we are flooded with information. Try to find something on the internet today and you will be flooded with facts about more or less everything. There is a screen in front of us that we are reluctant to look beyond, perhaps because we think we know (everything). The experience of life is often neglected in favour of knowledge, words and dialogue.
The few dialogues in the film are to be heard as sounds and not words, and therefore there are no subtitles.

Credits:
Cinematography, Editing and Sound: Asim Waqif

A film by Asim Waqif.

Shot on mniDV 3ccd Panasonic, on the Chechni-Binayak Ridge above Jhinji-Pani village in the Birahi-Ganga Valley, Chamoli district, Garhwal.

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