Labor demand and supply in British Garhwal

British Administration in Garhwal   -200

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History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaon and Garhwal (1815-1947) -220

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            History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -1053

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                              By: Bhishma Kukreti (History Student)

          Villagers were knowledgeable of all crafts but master of none. Villagers used to do many works by themselves or through cooperative basis for making craft items as ropes, making plough appliances etc. There was no taboo for Brahmins plowing the field (only on higher upper class the taboo was there). Therefore, there was least demand for labor as was necessary in plains villages. For example, every farmer knew carpentry. Sewing, shoe making etc were not done by upper caste people.

     The land owners require labor for works as Dola –Palki carrying, repairing farm walls, plowing , building or repairing houses, hair cutting, making stone, wood  or earthen appliances etc. 

   After British rule started, the economic conditions brought many changes in labor market in Garhwal. Slowly, barter system changed into cash paying economic system. The materials need increased and people needed cash for their need satisfaction. Therefore, urge for earning additional cash apart from farm output increased too.

      British started offering jobs for road construction or forest administration and other types of labor jobs. The people started migrating temporarily for cash. Trail started road construction and people started going for road construction in winter and summer.

       There was need for labor in forests too. People started migrating Bhabhar for wood cutting or other related jobs.

 The need for carrying pilgrims or their goods started with newer economy on pilgrimage roads.

 Initially, the daily wage for road construction was one ana that increased in later stge for one and half anas.

          Arrival of Dotiyals in Garhwal

        Arrival of Dotiyals from Nepal brought revolutionary changes in Garhwal and Kumaon villages.  Dotiyals started coming to Uttarakhand around 1850. Dotiyals were more hard workers and risk takers than Kumaon and Garhwali workers. In road construction, Dotiyals could climb and break high steep mountains. Dotiyals used to be in Uttarakhand for road construction works from November to June. Officials used to deal for Dotiyals with their labor contractors. Today, too, the situation is same as for as Dotiyals as labor force is concern.

  Dotiyals were very hard workers and within twenty thirty years, Dotiyals snatched major road construction works from Garhwali –Kumaoni workers. Normal Dotiyal labor used to put on a woolen jhaba and had a metal vessel for cooking food. It was enough for a Dotiyal to live in Garhwal. The Dotiyal used to take all savings to Nepal for his family for whole year.

                          Faltu (फाल्टू) Labor

   Since, Dotiyals were perfect labor for road construction, there was less work for lesser hard works for Garhwalis in hills. Therefore, Garhwalis and Kumaoni started fleeing from hills to plains Dehradun, Nainital, Ranikhet, Mussouri for less hard works as coking, looking after old people, or carrying Mem sab through Jhanpan or Dola type carrier. Such labor was called ‘Faltu’ labor. Wherever they used to stay in any street in abundance, people named that street as ‘Faltu Line’.

References  

1-Shiv Prasad Dabral ‘Charan’, Uttarakhand ka Itihas, Part -7 Garhwal par British -Shasan, part -1, page- 343-456

2- Atkinson, Himalayan Districts Vol.2

3-Moorcrft et all, Travels in Hindustan Vol 1 page 9-56

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Copyright@ Bhishma Kukreti Mumbai, India,bjkukreti@gmail.com 18/10/2017 History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -1054

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*** History of British Rule/Administration over British Garhwal (Pauri, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli1815-1947) to be continued in next chapter

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(The History of Garhwal, Kumaon, Haridwar write up is aimed for general readers)

 History of British Garhwal, History of Devalgarh Garhwal; History of Badhan Garhwal; History of Barasyun Garhwal; History of Chandpur Garhwal; History of Chaundkot Garhwal; History of  Gangasalan Garhwal;  History of Mallasalan Garhwal;  History ofTallasaln Garhwal; History of Dashauli Garhwal; History of Nagpur Garhwal; Sociity  in British Garhwal. History of British Garhwal, History of Social Structure and Religious Faith in Chamoli Garhwal, History of Social Structure and Religious Faith of Pauri Garhwal ,  Social and Culture History of Rudraprayag Garhwal