Bakkarwal — Himalayan Nomadic Life
Documentary Photography Project | India 2023
A visual documentary project on a nomadic pastoral community in the Indian Himalayas, shaped by migration, endurance, and the deep relationship between people, animals, and land.
The Bakkarwal are a pastoral nomadic community of nearly half a million people who move seasonally between the plains of Jammu and the high-altitude meadows of Kashmir. Every spring they undertake one of the most demanding migrations in the world: a 350-kilometre journey across the Pir Panjal range of the Himalayas, lasting almost 50 days, on foot and with their herds.
Despite their resilience and ancestral knowledge of the land, their existence remains increasingly precarious. Long affected by social prejudice and marginalisation, they are now further threatened by climate change. In 2023, an unexpected snowstorm during the crossing decimated their livestock, severely undermining their livelihood.
Through these portraits, the work seeks to reveal dignity, strength, and vulnerability — not portraying the Bakkarwal as exotic figures, but as human beings facing a fragile and uncertain future.
Migration Route (approximate)
From Jammu, across the Pir Panjal range via Banihal Pass, Peer-ki-Gali and the Mughal Road, to the alpine meadows near Sonmarg and Pahalgam in the Kashmir Valley.
Duration: ~50 days | Distance: ~350 km with livestock.
