Gaddis
Indian community
title: "Gaddis" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["scheduled-tribes-of-jammu-and-kashmir", "scheduled-tribes-of-himachal-pradesh", "transhumant-ethnic-groups"] description: "Indian community" topic_path: "general/scheduled-tribes-of-jammu-and-kashmir" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaddis" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0
::summary Indian community ::
::data[format=table title="Infobox ethnic group"]
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| region1 | Himachal Pradesh |
| pop1 | 178,130 |
| region2 | Jammu Kashmir |
| pop2 | 46,489 |
| languages | Gaddi |
| related_groups | Pangwals, other Indo-Aryans |
| :: |
| region1 = Himachal Pradesh | pop1 = 178,130 | region2 = Jammu Kashmir | pop2 = 46,489 | languages = Gaddi | related_groups = Pangwals, other Indo-Aryans ::figure[src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5c/Gaddi_shepherds_having_a_good_time_(16260304116).jpg" caption="A group of Gaddi shepherds"] ::
The Gaddi is a semi-pastoral community living mainly in the high remote areas of Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir in India.
History
Population
According to the 2011 Census of India, the Gaddi population was 178,130 in Himachal Pradesh and 46,489 in Jammu Kashmir. The Gaddis of Himachal Pradesh had an adult sex ratio of 1014 and literacy rate of 73.3, whereas those of Jammu and Kashmir had a sex ratio of 953 and literacy of 53.5. reservation system.
Classification
The Gaddi community includes people from multiple castes. The castes within the community are variously categorised as Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes and Other Backward Classes by the Government of Himachal Pradesh. The castes that are not listed as Scheduled Tribe, especially the Brahmins, Rajputs and Khatris, fall under Other Backward Classes, with the remaining lower castes, including the Sippy, Halli, Dhogri, Daggi, Rhadey and Baddi, fall within Scheduled Castes category. The Gaddis are dominant in the districts of Kangra, Chamba and Una districts, having significant hold on the local politics.
Tradition
Gaddis' traditional practices and habits are changing rapidly with India's modernisation. In 2024, an exhibit "Journey across the Himalayas" was held in New Delhi, sharing about Gaddis' way of life and modernity.
Gallery
File:Gaddi woman cutting grass c. 1980.jpg|Gaddi woman mowing, Alfred Hallett File:Gaddi village men with hookah, on mountain path, 1980.jpg|Gaddi men near Dharamshala, 1980 File:Gaddi artisans at Suraj Kund fest.jpg|Gaddi artisans at Suraj Kund fest File:Gaddi_Couple_1940.jpg|alt=Gaddis in bharmour|Gaddi Couple
References
References
- "Himachal Competition Focus - Half Yearly 2020 - January to August". Sarla Publications Private Limited.
- "Statistical Profile of Scheduled Tribes in India". Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Statistics Division, Government of India.
- "LIST OF BACKWARD CLASSES".
- (17 October 2012). "Gaddis, OBCs hold key to Kangra, Chamba". Hindustan Times.
- (26 June 2022). "Cong promises ST status to 6 Gaddi sub-castes in Kangra". The Tribune.
- Simpson, Nikita. (29 May 2023). "Ghar ki tension: domesticity and distress in India's aspiring middle class". [[Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute]].
- Jha, Aditya Mani. (20 December 2024). "In 2025, look to the Himalayas". The Hindu.
- Aastha D.. (14 December 2024). "Journeying Across the Himalayas spotlights the region's layered society and culture".
- Singh, Dharmendra. (20 December 2024). "Know About Himachal Pradesh : विरासत और संस्कृति को सहेजे हैं गद्दी जनजाति के लोग". Tv 9 Bharatvarsh.
::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::