How did the Kulhs in Himachal Pradesh become dysfunctional? (The sustainable management of our natural resources)
Answers
Explanation:
Ranjit Singh is elated that someone has come to his village enquiring about his work. He says not many people recognise the worth of traditional occupations like his. “This is especially true of government officials and policy makers who feel everything old is useless”, he points out.
Ranjit is the kohli of Mjately village in Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh.
His title may not have legal and executive powers but it offers substantial social influence, especially in summer. Kohlis are the traditional water masters of Himachal, supervising allocation for irrigation of fields and settling disputes among farmers.
What does a Kohli do?
A kohli is so designated because he is the master of a ‘kuhl’, the channel which carries glacial melt through gravity from nearby streams to the fields. The title is passed on through generations in a family. “My grandfather was a kohli and I took over the role after my father was unable to perform the functions due to ill health 12 years ago. Though there’s no substantial benefit of this position, you do get the respect”, says Ranjit Singh.
This respect was ingrained in earlier societies because a kohli was believed to possess miraculous powers as the point man of deities who provide water. For all the voluntary work he does, the kohli is paid in kind. Each farmer offers a small share of the produce as a form of gratitude. But over a period of time both the kuhl and the kohli have stopped being important.