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Tribes
The tribal population constitute the Kinners or
Kinnaure, the Lahules, the Spitians, the Pangwalas, the Gaddis and the Gujjars. Their permanent and
semi-permanent dwelling places are in Kinnaur, Lahaul. Pangi and Gadderan (Chamba and
Bharmaur). They have their own customs, traditions, religious beliefs, dances
and music. Most of these tribes are nomadic but they are immensely popular due
to their open and friendly temperament.
Most tribals love to drink although the higher castes consider drinking
sinful. There are three main meals in the morning (Nuhari), noon (Dhupahari) and
evening (Sanhiyalu). The wedding feast is known as Datayalu. A traditional meal
consists of boiled rice, Roti (unleavened bread), curried dal, buttermilk and
vegetables. In the hill areas Roti made of barley or corn is popular. The Kangra
people eat more rice. Sweet fritters (Gulgule) are made for birthdays and
savouries (Polu Pakodu) during the Shradhas. There are special courses for
special occasions. All these tribes are very fond of silver ornaments. The women wear strings of
beads and corals.
Kinnaure
The Kinners or Kinnaure inhabit the border district of
Kinnaur. Physically
they are closer to the Aryan races in their tall well-built bodies, their high
foreheads, large eyes and fair complexions. Temperamentally they are a gentle
and soft-spoken people, quite content to live in poverty. Their main occupation
is rearing sheep and goats and raising wool. Some are engaged in agriculture and
horticulture. They live in joint families and men and women have more than one
mate.
Their marriage customs are very interesting. All the brothers in a family
share a wife. They call it the Pandava marriage. Due to this a lot of girls
remain unmarried. But these systems are being abandoned in the changing
socio-economic conditions. Some say they are the descendants of the Kinners
of Mahabharata fame but others believe them to be remnants of Kirats who were
first defeated by the Aryans and then pushed by the Khasaa to remote areas in
the trans-Himalayan region. Their mongoloid features are evidence of the
intermixing of ideas on the borders.
Kinnaur women are beautiful, modest and homely and spend most of their time
in the fields. A Kinnaur girl unable to find suitable match becomes a Jomo ( a
Buddhist nun). Men wear long coats (chubha) and woolen pyjamas (chamu sutan) and
women Dhoru ( a kind of woolen saree). Their shoes are made of wool and goat
hair. They wear Bushahri cape. They are fond of meat and drink home-distilled
wine 'Angoori'.
Lahule
The word Lahule means the dwellers of
Lahaul. The aboriginal Lahaules are a
mixture of the aboriginal Munda tribe and the racially intermixed Tibetans.
Lahules are enterprising. Besides farming they are engaged in trade. Their
valley lies on the traditional trade routes to Ladakh, Sinkrang and beyond. They
carried wheat from the plains, and their own barley to Tibet. Now that Tibet is
closed to them, they export 'Kuth' (a herb used in medicine) to Kolcuta for
onward dispatch to foreign markets. Lahules are divided into upper and lower
classes. Their higher castes are those of Brahmins and Thakurs. They also have
Lohars and Dagis. Their chief religion is Buddhism. Each well-to-do family has
its own shrine with a statue of the Buddha in it. Their chief temple is
Trilokinath. They are a colourful people and their women adorn their dresses
with ornaments. They marry within their tribe and a woman can have more than one
mate. Divorce is recognised and simple.
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