Himalayan Documentary Project
Bakkarwal Nomads
A visual documentary series on a pastoral nomadic community in the Indian Himalayas. 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.
The work focuses on their annual spring migration — a 350-kilometre journey across the Pir Panjal range of the Himalayas, lasting almost 50 days, on foot and with their herds.
The project explores themes of resilience, marginalization, and climate vulnerability. During the 2023 documentation, an unexpected snowstorm during the crossing decimated their livestock, severely undermining their livelihood.
The work aims to reveal dignity, strength, and vulnerability — not portraying the Bakkarwal as exotic figures, but as human beings facing a fragile and uncertain future.
