Surrounded by the scenic beauty of Himachal Pradesh, Kanol village is home to one of the prominent tribal communities, Gaddi. Sheep rearing is their primary occupation. Historically, they have been semi-pastoral, semi-agrarian, semi-migratory, semi-nomadic, transhumant, and semi-sedentary. At the beginning of March, they start their journey with sheep and continue through July with the permission granted by the Forest Department.

Over the years, their traditional livelihood witnessed a negative trend. The younger generation, particularly those who have completed their secondary education, are migrating out of the village in search of manual labour opportunities. Even the majority of village households used to own sheep, but nowadays no one is willing to take up the profession actively. A prominent icon of the Gaddi culture is their traditionally designed woollen cap, which is now a rare sight.

Despite these cultural changes, life in Kanol village is still calm and intertwined with nature. Particularly in the winter, they gather fuelwood and timber from the forest. From raising cattle to gathering medicinal herbs and mushrooms to even obtaining their drinking water, the community depends on commons on a daily basis. However, in the village, the Sangharsh Committee, comprising around seventeen members, manages these resources in collaboration with the Forest Department. One respondent expressed that this collective approach helps in sustainable resource management.

Over the past two years, the community has been experiencing the effects of climate change, including no snowfall, which has impacted their agricultural productivity and reduced water availability. 

Though privatisation and modernisation put their roots at risk, the present lifestyle in the village portrays the intense connection with commons and their desire to preserve cultural identity with economic support.

Chandrima Biswas, a research scholar at the School of Economics, University of Hyderabad.

Prof. Gummadi Sridevi, a Professor at the School of Economics, University of Hyderabad