Livestock Traditions Fade In Ladakh’s Hanle Amid The Last Echoes Of A Vanishing Past

By Rinchen Angmo Chumikchan

Leh, Ladakh: As the vast high-altitude pastures fall silent, and the gentle grunts of yaks and the bleating of sheep fade, Hanle seems to be witnessing winds of change - a gradual transformation that seems unacceptable to many. The sounds that echoed across the valleys like an ancestral song for centuries, the rhythm of hooves and the voices of herders, all seem lost in the mountains. As animals vanish one by one and the sound of silence weighs heavier, the way of life in this part of Ladakh turns barren for many.

“I feel empty without animals,” says 65-year-old Ishey Gyatso from Hanle Khaldo, eyes moist with memories of yesteryears. “But I had no choice. The children study now and I am getting older each passing day,” he adds.

For generations, people in Hanle have raised yaks, sheep, goats and cows. The herders are traditionally divided into groups based on the type of animal they rear: Ma-khu for female sheep, Ra-Khu for goats, both male and female, De-Khu for yaks, Kar-luk for male sheep and Yulba for cows. Each group has its own designated pastures for grazing.

Seasonal migration kept happening and herders moved their animals from one pasture to another during spring, summer, autumn, and winter so that they could ensure sustainable grazing and the health of their livestock. But as youths wanted to pursue education, take up tourism-related works and modern jobs, fewer families remained with the herds. But happiness seems lost as some express sadness, others resign to fate.

Sonam Tashi, 76, who has spent all his life in the high mountains of Hanle, rearing yaks started pretty young. Probably he is the one who began at the age of 13 and continues the tradition till date. He says, “I still rear yaks. Right now, I have 20 yaks. We take them to Hanle Phu for grazing. Only about 17 families at Hanle Phu take their yaks there. Altogether, we have around 530 yaks left."

Sonam Tashi has spent most of his life in the high mountains of Hanle rearing yaks (ETV Bharat)

The changes are stark. “Most children prefer going to school and the elderly like me have to stop some day. The tradition of rearing livestock is slowly dying and I can foresee more decline in the near future,” Sonam says as his voice drops. He says as he ages, he is even unable to find people to hire for herding anymore. However, he says yak rearing has not declined much in Hanle village. “There, many people are rearing yaks in good numbers,” he adds.

Gyatso, who has spent his entire life in livestock rearing says, “When I was a child, I would stay with sheep and goats. I have worked with livestock for 50 years now.” But now, he says, that chapter has come to an end. “I have sold all my sheep and goats. I stay at home now. I feel sad. Earlier, there were 35 families rearing sheep. Now only four or five families are left,” he says dipped in memories.

Ishey Gyatso from Hanle sharing his concern about the slowly dissaperaing tradition of livestock herding (ETV Bharat)

Gyatso reminisces the hard work behind herding but asserts that it was rewarding. "The output from livestock was good. In winters, we had to face challenges but summers proved good for grazing. There were times when people owned 700 animals but today, the most a family owns is around 300. In the next 5–6 years, livestock rearing may completely disappear,” he adds. But the younger generation no longer wants this life, he makes a passing remark.

Tsering Dorjay, 64, who once reared goats, says, “We were 12 to 13 families in our group, and each owned 200 to 300 animals. Now, only three families are left. Many have sold their livestock." As per his estimates, there are hardly around 1,000 goats in the community but the figures could drastically come down soon. “Earlier, when wolves attacked, the loss spanned many families. But now that we are only three families, if wolves attack, the loss will be much bigger,” he quickly adds.

Tsering Dorjay from Hanle, who used to rear goats (ETV Bharat)

Most of these herders attribute the trend to growth of tourism. “The landscape changed. Many youths from the herders' families now drive taxis or work in tourism sector. So they are not keen on hard work like grazing.” However, he warns that tourism might help earning money in short-term basis. "But who knows how long it will last? At least in livestock, we did not depend on anyone. We worked at our own pace, on our own terms. Tourism does not run as per our whims,” he says.

Paljor Tharchin, former Naib Sarpanch of Hanle, believes livestock rearing in Ladakh is rooted deep into the cultural and spiritual fabric. “Hanle comes under the Hemis Monastery which owned many goats, sheep, yaks, and cows. That’s how the five types of pastoralists came into being,” he explains. Even today, Hemis Monastery owns vast tracts of land across Changthang. “The monastery divided the roles among the five groups based on the animals they took care of," he adds.

Worried about the decline, Paljor says he had taken up the issue with local authorities. “I suggested that they should give subsidies or incentives to herder families to keep the tradition alive. But I got no response," he rues.

Yaks grazing on pastures in Ladakh (ETV Bharat)

Tashi Namgyal Yakzee, Executive Councillor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Leh, acknowledges that there is a crisis but says efforts are on. “In villages like Kharnak, we have seen reverse migration. People who had left herding are returning. We are also supporting them by providing livestock on subsidy,” he says.

But in places like Hanle, the story is slightly different. “Tourism has been hampering livestock rearing. And in Manmerak, it was wiped out because of the tourism boom around Pangong Lake,” he adds.

To help herder families, LAHDC Leh has introduced livestock subsidies. “In the last five years, we have provided a 75% subsidy. Families only pay 25 per cent for what they buy and how they maintain the livestock. Under the Changthang Development Package, we also gave yaks free of cost to nearly 200 families,” informs Yakzee, adding that efforts are being made to create sustainable, modern livelihoods rooted in tradition. “Now, those who rear just sell raw pashmina and the cooperative society is responsible for the de-hairing process. We want to change that.”

Under the Vibrant Villages Programme, new infrastructure is being built. “We are setting up livelihood and craft centres in several villages. Some are completed and many will be done with, soon. In these centres we will install machines to spin yarn and make final pashmina products. This could attract local youth and the benefits will stay in the community,” he adds.

The stories of Sonam, Ishey, Tsering speak of loss and shift. While some reflect on the loss of animals, others are starting to accept a generational shift and blame it on cultural erosion. The pastures of Hanle are growing quieter, mostly because people have chosen to do so. But some want to live the same life with livestock, hear the voices of the animals, and yearn to remain rooted.

Irrespective of whether the tradition will survive or fade completely, the yaks continue to roam, though in fewer numbers. But it probably is an indication that theirs are the last echoes of a vanishing world.

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