Question

In which state of India are the Gujjar Bakarwals found?
A)Rajasthan
B)Jammu and Kashmir
C)Maharashtra
D)Gujarat

Answer 1

HintThe Gujjars and Bakarwals are one tribe only popularly known as Gurjar. They claim ancestry from the Gujjar tribe, which is an ethnic pastoral, agricultural community of India, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Complete answerAbout 1127-1154 AD, Gujjar Bakarwal tribes entered the territories of Jammu and Kashmir and settled in the mountains of the state during the empire of Maharaja Bijay Singh. Their nomadic lifestyle has kept them educationally and economically backward. They prefer to live in areas with lush green pastures as they rely on cattle folk for their livelihood selling milk, ghee and other dairy items. They are bound by tribal customs and follow religions diligently. They offer namaz( religious prayer) collectively and regularly but Friday prayers are more important. These nomadic tribals are organized in Kabilas (clan) and Deras (Units). They can communicate well in Kashmiri and Punjabi.
PHYSICAL TRAITS OF THE TRIBE: Bakarwal women have a strong and sturdy physical build up, they have a different hairstyle with twelve to fifteen braids called Gundani and they wear traditional Kashmiri costumes. Whereas for many folk, they too are well built and they wear colorful waistcoats, leather footwear with turbans.
BIOLOGICAL FACTORS: Gujjar Bakarwals inhabit high mountain ranges of Jammu and Kashmir. They travel higher up the mountains and lower down to plains according to seasonal variation to rear large numbers of sheep and goats for livelihood.
So, the correct answer is Option B.

Note:The word “gur” means enemy and “ujjar” means destroyer in Sanskrit texts. However, Gujjar Bakarwals have founded various cities, towns and villages but still they are believed to be nomads with no land of their own.