Occupations in British Garhwal

British Administration in Garhwal   -196

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History of British Rule/Administration over Kumaun and Garhwal (1815-1947) -216

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            History of Uttarakhand (Garhwal, Kumaon and Haridwar) -1049

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                              By: Bhishma Kukreti (History Student)

    99 % of people of British Garhwal depended on agriculture and allied acts. Nurturing domestic animals was part and partial of agriculture. Barring places of 8000 feet and above, the people used to crop twice annually. The whole agriculture depended on rain. Irrigation was limited to valleys, on rivulets or from water springs. Big rivers were not suitable for iriigation and even fetching water for daily uses.

               Hemp Dresses

   Bith or upper class Rajput and Brahmins were owners of majority of  land  and they were not interested in crafts industry.

  There was good demand for hemp dresses. However, a few families used to weave hemp dresses in Chandpur. There was demand for hemp fibber from Ramnagar factory. Garhwalis as whole were least bothered for exploiting such opportunities. Garhwalis loved agriculture so much that even after migrating to various cities in British or after independence, they did not leave farming.

                           Ornament Manufacturing

      There were ornament makers from Bith and Harijan . Both were called Shah. Ornament makers were money landers too.

                       Woolen Dress Production

         Bith (sawarn)   Bhotia used to produce woolen dress and those dresses used to sold everywhere in Garhwal. Nearby area of Joshimath was woolen drss production center. Khadwal of Nagpur region used to produce woolen dresses too. Balnket, sheets, thulema, Dumkar, chogta etc were main woolen dresses. Shrinagar was trade center for woolen dresses. Chattis on pilgrim road were also trade centers for woolen dresses.

        Honey Production in British Garhwal

     Every family used to produce honey for own uses and for selling. There used to be Honey behive. On last wall of house, there used to be a hive and opened both end. A small hole at outside wall used to be for going and coming for bees (mwar) and inside there used to be bigger hole which was closed but could be opened when honey is extracted. People also used to extract honey from forest bee hives. Home nurtured Bees were peaceful and lest  stinging bees. Forest bees were more stinger ones.

  Honey production productivity above 5000 feet height was more.  Shrinagar and later on Dugadda were trade centers for honey. Bhotia were bigger producers.

     

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 14/10/2017 History of Garhwal – Kumaon-Haridwar (Uttarakhand, India) to be continued… Part -1050

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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