By Dipti Tanna — Historically, Jats are pastoral communities whose roots are in Haleb, Baluchistan. They migrated to Sindh (Pakistan) and Kachchh (Gujarat) around 500 years ago. Jats in Kachchh are of four sub-communities mainly- Fakirani, Garasia, Hajiani, and Dhaneta. All these communities are known for rearing different animals, such as camels, cows, and…

By, Peter Muiruri The open plains of Northern Kenya are among the most stunning places in Africa. Scattered acacias jut out of the Earth, breaking free of the parched red Earth that has seen little rain for months. Rocky peaks stand out of the expanse, creating the perfect stage for hiking enthusiasts. …

By Shabnam Virmani & Vipul Rikhi, Curators of Music and Poetry, Living Lightly Sumar Kada Jat and Mitha Khan Jat are cousins who live in a small village called Bagadia in Kutch. …

By, Ajinkya Shahane Wardha, a district at the heart of India, just next to Nagpur, is popular for its Ashrams — established by Mahatma Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave. It is home to large swathes of grasslands and forests. Estimates say that the Arvi plains of the region are home to…

By, Prof. S Rajeshwaran Breeders of the Indus valley civilization spread across Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and Gujarat practised meticulous breeding practices. They bred purebred animals over many generations and thus developed many indigenous cow and buffalo breeds. …

By Jacob Jiel Akol Dinka herdsmen of South Sudan have a unique ritual before their bedtime stories. Just before the first story begins, someone shouts out “Our old home!” and in response, the sleeping mates will reply with “All of us! Our old home! All of us!” This, according to…

By, Hamfedhe cAli, 36, Abcalá district, Asangola, recorded by Mulubrahn Balehgn, 4 August 2012. Cattle from upland, cattle from lowland Goats from here, sheep from there Are you (my camels) ever going to have the trees That you once had all for yourselves? In the summer, the floods In the winter, the locusts In the upland, the Christians On the lowland, the sorghum fields In Awash, the woyyane trees (Prosopis julifora)

By, Chhani Bungsut *Clang-dong, clang-dong* The bells reverberated through the calm dawn as we waited for the buffaloes to come home. Forced awake at 3:30 AM, we groggily sat on plastic chairs near a herder’s shed, dozing in and out of conversation. Around 4:30 AM, the bells grew louder and…

Story told by Nadaga Bomma, a Lingayat elder from Bargur Hills, Tamil Nadu “Go to the earth and serve the humans,” the goddess Parvathi told the cow. But there was no one to take care of the angry cow on earth, and she roamed alone for ages. One day, on…