Ship of desert facing rough weather

By Ranbir Singh

A warning. Those who care and love camels may not see them in sufficient numbers in the semi-wild state and in an extravagant decor on special occasions, a century hence. Worrisome indicators convince us of a gradual fall in their number and quality. Since 1978, the state of Rajasthan alone has lost over 85,000 camels. Two decades ago in the arid and semi-arid territories of Rajasthan, there were nearly eight lakh camels of four prominent native species — Jaisalmeri, Bikaneri, Marwari and Mewari. Even a small state like Haryana had 1.35 lakh camels just two decades ago. Today, Haryana does not have more than 35,000 camels.

Camel is not just an obedient and lovable creature but is the backbone of the multicoloured and charming desert culture and traditions whose vestiges are still seen in abundance not only in the Indian Thar desert but also adjoining districts of Haryana.

Camel has become an essential part of culture promotion activities of many tourism development corporations. It certainly enhances their corporate image abroad. Its tourism potential is being fully exploited nowadays, sometimes to the level of exhaustion as was evident when news broke that camels were dying due to excessive humidity and poor nutrition at several beaches of Mumbai. Indian as well as foreign tourists enjoy camel rides during special safari tour programmes in the Thar desert in winter months. Trained camels are pressed to perform entertaining activities like competitive races and acrobatics. It is, however, more pleasurable to watch them grazing, moving and marching in their natural habitats. It is also astounding to behold the largest annual camel congregation in the sand dunes of Pushkar, a small ancient town 5 km from Ajmer, the traditional seat of the Chauhans.

Camels of various Rajasthani breeds are regularly brought here in marching columns at least a week before Kartik Poornima, the day of the full moon on which innumerable Hindus take a holy dip in the lake at Pushkar in the wee hours.

There is hardly any specific information available on the origin of the fair. About this cultural event everyone seems to know everything, though vaguely, and would swear that it is taking place here regularly since many centuries. Regrettably, the local Chauhan historians did not record its significance in the way they faithfully penned down and later sang Chauhans’ valourous feats and defeats. Local legends about camels do exist but do not give enough information. Herdmen’s traditional knowledge about camels and the nature of their wild habitats was also not documented. The efforts of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) were marred by bureaucratic hurdles and poor interest. With the exception of an Australian woman researcher, who documented the life and travails of keepers of camels, Raibarees, a decade ago and published a book, no other serious effort by Indian investigators was ever made in this direction. So far, only G.S. Rathore’s book on camels, published in 1986 by the ICAR, provides some scientific information about our camels. Although, the book contains a bibliography of select scientific studies carried out in respect of camels, the lack of socio-cultural history about camels leaves one disappointed. No good accounts of Raikas and Raibarees, the traditional keepers of camels, are available to us. Even the Muslim invasions into and across Rajpootana and its subsequent Mughal subjugation did not deter herdsmen to assemble with their camels at Pushkar. In fact, the Mughals also realised the strength and utility of camels during their military campaigns against local rajas and deployed them to their advantage. The number of camels brought at Pushkar every year for the grand assembly fluctuated between 20,000 and 80,000, depending upon the monsoon that year. Old herdsmen say that once one lakh camels had assembled in Pushkar. Across the large sandy dunes are mountain passes : one of which opens towards Nagaur and Bikaner, another towards Pali; Marwar; Jodhpur and Jaisalmer and the third towards Bhilwara; Chittorgarh and Udaipur.

Perhaps until a century ago, the sand dunes around Pushkar must have been really sandy, with little vegetation. Later, due to perceived threat to the ecology around Pushkar, the operation for fixing sand dunes and covering hills around Pushkar with grass and trees began, little realising that the transformed character of the vast sandy valley could cause discomfort to the camels. Intensive plantation on the Nag Pahar and the Savitri Hill range has been protected with barbed wire fencing. No doubt, the watershed and catchment area of the Pushkar lake is protected from erosion but the free movement of the camel herds during the grand assembly has been hampered.

Most herdsmen during their stay here refrain from taking camels out for grazing in the open, even in unprotected zones, during the cool nights. Instead they curtail their stay on the sandy grounds and leave disappointed with starving camels. In fact, there were reports of camel deaths due to starvation since the khejri or khaar camel feed was sold at Rs 4 per kg. Every year several camel carcasses can be seen around the fair grounds. In spite of these pressures, the pull of the charming fair is irresistible for herdsmen, and they return....every year.

For centuries, Hindus have been coming to Pushkar to take a holy dip. Besides, those interested in buying and selling camels also arrive with their herds. The camel fair must be at least 15 centuries old. Camels were bought and sold here. In the fair, a good and healthy Bikaneri camel can easily fetch for its owner Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000.

Many legends are associated with the endurance and deployment of this ship of the Thar desert. The famous escapades of lovelorn Dhola-Maroo of Marwar and Moomal-Mahendrea of Bhati kingdom of Jaisalmer could never have taken place had it not been for specially trained runner female camels. To see this fine animal gradually inching towards extinction due to human neglect or say evolutionary pressures, is painful. It is doubtful whether even the scientific management at breeding centres like the Bikaner Institute can give a cent per cent guarantee for its survival. There is not much interaction between traditional camel breeders and veterinary scientists. Herdsmen face unprecedented hardships these days in keeping large camel herds. Most herds do not have more than 60-100 camels and the number is gradually declining. Each such herd requires at least three, four persons to look after it.

The new problems in rearing and keeping camel herds have arisen mainly due to conversion of traditional camel grazing areas to agricultural lands. Owners of agricultural estates not only shoo away herds but also assault herdsmen. As the density of the bush and vastness of the wilderness have shrunk, they have to cross interstate boundaries, especially those of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Gujarat has its own camel herdsmen. Local inhabitants and village headmen in Gujarat object to regular entry of ‘foreign’ camel herds into their secure territories. "People in our traditional pastures who were once friendly have now adopted hostile attitudes towards us", says Buckshooji, a semi-modern keeper of camels who has walked all the way to Pushkar from Chittorgarh with fellow herdsmen. It took them 14 days to traverse the difficult terrain and the 800-km long distance. These herdsmen who lead a nomadic life are sincere, wise and knowledgeable. Buckshooji emphatically conveyed his viewpoint, supported by his clansmen, that both the state and the central governments should earmark reserved pastures for semi-wild camels. Since camel is a creature that roams, the pressure of fodder alone compels it to undergo many travails throughout its life. It becomes doubtful whether confinement of large camel herds within the designated territories would not end up in more misery than what is being faced by them now. It may have an adverse impact on the genetic as well as physical health of the Indian camel species. Experiments on other captive wild animals and their selective breeding in confinement have not been as fruitful as they were when the breeding of wild strains occurred naturally. Certainly, the traditional keepers of camels in Rajpootana understand it. Which is why they have been enlarging their beat areas year after year. The herdsmen of Rajpootana have, however, no complaints against the Jats and Ahirs of neighbouring Haryana and Punjab with whom they have age-old links. Keepers of camels from Udaipur, Bhilwara, Pali, Jalore, Jodhpur, Nagaur, Bikaner, Hanumangarh (Bhatner), Karauli, Chittorgarh, Barmer, Siroi and Jaipur have been bringing camels to Pushkar since ages. This provides them brief but good opportunities to select genetically superior stock for selective breeding.

Besides environmental pressures, increase in human population has affected the fate of the Indian camel. The only plus point is that Indian herdsmen and entertainers are largely kind to this animal. In some countries of Africa and the Middle East, the camel is killed and roasted to be served during feasts.

If one looks at the innocent faces of thousands of camels and hundreds of their keepers who assemble at Pushkar in their colourful garbs and twisted headgears, one can feel their joys and agonies. Both, the camel and his man, face an uncertain and bleak future. Once the camel gets eliminated in the process of the ‘survival of the fittest’, the herdsman’s life becomes more miserable. He will hardly be left with good options, other than that of migrating and becoming an unskilled labourer in an urban area. Poor resources and life in a slum will further seal his fate. Eventually, a part of our rich cultural heritage will also perish with them. This has already happened in Haryana with the obsolescence of oxen. However, this frightening scenario may be another 50, or say a 100 years away.