Uttarakhand 59
Darma, Vyas and Chaudans is inhabited by Bhotias. They are
also known as saukiyana. The principal castes amongst them are
Pangti, Jangpangi, Rawats and Dhammasattus, rest of them add
the name of their village after their surname e.g. Gunjiyal,
Martolia, Burfal and Netwal. Bhotias are short statured, sturdy
and honest people, usually moving around in tight fitting pants
with a loose garment fastened arround the waist with a cord and
topped by a wool cap over the head. The men plough the land
at the beginning of the season, tend cattle or sheep, trade in wool*
shilajeet, herbs and kasturi. They while away leisure time in
drinking chakti or chang—a local variety of liquor. Women keep
the house economy supplemented by collecting grass, fuelwood
and herbs. They never sit idle and can always be found weaving,
carpets in their spare time. With the beginning of winter they
come down to their lower settlements and go up at the start of
summer season. The scene of a Bhotia family moving up and
down with their household apparels loaded on the back of yaky
jhaboos and goats presents unique sight. The caravan is normally
led by the women in their best attire and migration is announced
with the beat of drums.
Keeping pace with the changing time and advancement in
education the Bhotias also changed their outlook and aptitude.
They began to work with the survey parties and won laurels the
most remarkable figure being Pd. Kishan Singh and Nain Singh.
From this illustrious family in our times, we have Harish Rawat as
one of the foremest mountaineers who climbed Everest.
We have numerous castes and sub-castes inhabiting Kumaon,
prominent being Joshi, Pant, Pandey, Thulgharia, Shah, Rautela,
Manral, Pal, Rajbar, Chand and Bist. Most of them trace their
origin from Maharashtra, Marwar, Gujarat, Central India, Nepal
and even Bengal Their belief does not seem unfounded since
their height and complexion arc unusual as compared to an aver-
age Kumaoni. They are intellectually much advanced and have
been pioneers in the field of politics, literature, administration,
science and social work. The greatest amongst them are
Pandit Gobind Ballabh Pant, Badri Dutt Pandey, Mohan Lai
Shah Thulgharia, Badri Shah Thulgharia, Dr. Hem Chandra
Joshi, Sumitranandan Pant, Dan Singh Bisht, P.C. Joshi, Narayan
Dutt Tewari, K.C. Pant and Chandralal Shah Thulgharia, who