This study seeks to understand the dynamics of economic transformation and cultural adaptation among the Bhotia tribals. 'Bhotia' is a generic term used to designate several socially unrelated groups of Indo-Tibetan borderland in the Himalayan and trans-Himalayan regions. In the eastern Himalayas the term includes groups of people living in the Nepalese-Tibetan border areas, the Tibetans staying in the vicinity of Darjeeling and the inhabitants of Bhutan. In the Central Himalayan regions of Garhwal and Kumaon the northern non-Tibetan highlanders are referred to by this generic term. Bhotia is an exclusive community, different both from the Hindus and the Tibetans. Traditionally the Bhotias were connected with trade and from times immemorial they carried it on between India and Tibet. Trade with Tibet has been the mainstay of the Bhotia economy. The impact of the physiographic environment and trade with Tibet had been so great on the Bhotias' sociocultural life that they had sought to seasonal nomadism which forced them to build a distinct socio-economic structure. The trans-Himalayan trade of the Bhotias had influence not only on their day-to-day activity but it also determined and shaped their entire course of socio-cultural life. But, due to extraneous factor, the Indo-Tibetan trade of the Bhotias was suddenly disrupted. This sudden disruption of the Indo-Tibetan trade, which was the mainstay of Bhotias' economy, and an adjunct to their socio-cultural life forced them to seek alternative sources of livelihood and modify the socio-cultural life in conformity with the changed environment. How the Bhotias have reacted to this sudden gust of change in the core of their economic system, and how far they have been able to adapt themselves to the changed socio-economic situation, is the central theme of this study.
The study has been spread over a very large and wide compass, beginning from the emergence of trading activities of the Bhotias, its impact on their socio-cultural life, and then finally to the consequences of decline in trade, and the adaptive processes geared to cope with it. This has been done to understand the magnitude and process of change activated by the influence of exogenous factor on the economic system which has its effect on the web of the interacting pattern of social, religious, political system and subsistence strategies. A longer spread of time has provided a more meaningful and analytical perspective. Thus, the study which covers a vast period of growth and development of Bhotia society is calculated to provide a better insight into the dynamics of change in tribal community and the various socio-cultural processes which facilitate a community in adapting to such changes.
In undertaking this study, I have received assistance from a number of individuals and organizations. While it is difficult to acknowledge all of them individually, I would like to acknowledge my profound gratefulness to the following persons who have been particularly helpful in this work.
At the outset I acknowledge my sincere sense of gratitude to Prof. S.C. Tiwari, Head, Department of Anthropology, Delhi University, Delhi for allowing me to use the data collected from the U.G.C. sponsored research project "Socio-biological study of the three endogamous ethnic groups of Indo-Nepal and Indo-Tibetan Borders" in which I worked as Junior Research Fellow for three years, for my doctoral dissertation. I am also very thankful to Dr. J.S. Bhandari, Reader, Department of Anthropology, Delhi University for his valuable guidance during the project work. I was greatly facilitated in my work by my colleagues S/Shri A.K. Kapoor, R.N. Katayayan, and Naresh Vaid. I am grateful to them.
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