Gaddi,the itinerant tribe of shepherds,has been around for ages.simple and homespun in appearance but highly protective of his flock,to the point of being absolutely unyielding.

Nobody quite knows when and where the gaddis came from.There are several theories and according to one,towards the close of Mughal rule,Gaddis used to live around Lahore.They led peaceful life till one day Aurangzeb ascended the throne and launched an era of religious persecution.Some Gaddis accepted Islam,others fled to the inner Himalayas,But there was no arable land,no means of earning.

Finally the Brahmins among them sat down and recited the Gayatri Mantra, seeking a way out.As if in answer to their prayers,a thick black length of rope appeared before them.It was meant to pull sheep and goats out of crevasses,which pointed to a life of herding flocks for the uprooted Gaddis.

The rope,known as dora, is vitally important to a Gaddi.It is worn by both men and women as symbol of their tribe.The dora is 25yards long.It is a circle wound around the waist,two coils at a time.No wonder dora is sacred to Gaddis. There are,of course,clear sunny days and the deep folded mountains hide open meadows dotted with flowers nad sparkling mountain springs.

Gaddi shears his sheep for wool and sells his goats for meat,earning from both sources are enough to support a modest lifestyle.

Efforts to save up the Gaddis have to be stepped up or something highly picturesque and romantic may be lost for ever.