On camel back

Attachment from thousands of years

Until just 15 years ago, the Raika—or Rabari (literally, “outsiders”)—were still found across northwestern India. They lived a semi-nomadic existence, often found on the fringes of the Thar Desert in the states of Rajasthan and Gujarat. If one happened upon a few Raika herding cattle, one would likely hear sounds before one saw them. First, perhaps, the tinkling of brass bells on the necks of the cattle. Then the sound of a stone dropping into the grass, or the distinctive, hoarse call of a Raika asking the herd to slow down. Finally, from behind the sun-bleached grass, amid swirls of sand, two or three crimson turbans emerged, covering sun-bleached faces.

Sheep, goats and other livestock are not the main animals, the image of the Raika people has always been associated with camels. Semi-nomadic life on camel backs is not only a culture, but also a heritage, a sacred religious belief of the Raika people, they have been herding and protecting camels in Rajasthan for hundreds, even thousands of years.

Legend has it that the goddess Parvati created a five-legged animal and asked her husband, the supreme god Shiva, to breathe life into it. At first, Shiva refused because the animal was too strange in shape. But he finally gave in to his wife, gave it life and turned the fifth leg into a hump on its back. And so the camel was born. Then the goddess Parvati wished for someone to care for the camel. Hearing this, Shiva took a piece of skin from his arm and created Sarma - the first Raika, from which the Raika tribe was born. According to the myth, the Raika were born because of the camel, which created an unusual bond between the two.

Nomadic cultureon camel backThe Raika people have been celebrated and promoted extensively through annual fairs and homestays. The Pushkar Fair, also known as the Pushkar Camel Fair, is one of the oldest cultural and livestock fairs in India. This fair alone attracts about 20% of the tourists who visit Pushkar throughout the year.

The Raika people also participate in tourism through homestays, creating opportunities for visitors to experience the unique life of a typical semi-nomadic camel herder in the Thar desert.

Currently, due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and strict Indian laws, the Pushkar Fair has had to be suspended, but the Raika people still maintain homestays and camel tourism services.

Camels are present in most traditional Raika activities, for example in Toran (the procession when the groom arrives to pick up the bride) and in Nikasi (when the bride and groom leave after the wedding). Camels are considered a noble dowry, and the more camels a person owns, the more famous and prestigious they are in the tribe. The Raika drink camel milk, believing that it is the way the gods bestow wisdom, strength and courage. For the Raika, camels are the embodiment of good luck, can predict the weather when rain is coming, and a tamed camel will always know the way home. Sometimes, when a Raika caravan travels through the scorching desert, they just take a nap on the camels' backs and let them lead the way home.

During the Raika journey, the women usually take the lead, riding on large camels - with charpoi woven beds, baby cradles, pots and pans tied to the camels and swaying in rhythm; newborn babies suckle happily on their mothers' laps, and their husbands walk slowly behind with flocks of sheep and goats.

Such scenes have now gradually become a rarity, so rare that even Indians passing by the city who happen to see them are surprised to stop their vehicles and take out their phones to take pictures, recording the moment when old and new India meet.

Nowadays, it is not easy to see a herd of camels in India.

camels gradually disappear

"Camels are also part of the family," said Bhanwarlal, 35, a member of the Raika tribe. "Children are attached to camels from a young age. They live and die with us."

When the dry season arrives, Bhanwarlal and his companions are ready to move again. With flocks of sheep, goats, and camels adorned with tinkling bells and colorful cotton balls, they cross thousands of miles of acacia-covered Thar Desert to the summer pastures. Like the other Raika men, Bhanwarlal dons a crimson turban and a white tunic, continuing the nomadic life his ancestors have lived for centuries.

Now, that sacred journey is facing a series of threats, the most serious of which is the decline in camel numbers. Since 1993, camels in India (all descendants of dromedary or Arabian camels) have been on a downward trend. According to the 20th livestock census, from 2012 to 2019, the total camel population in the country decreased by 37%. It is estimated that there are now less than 200,000 camels left of all nine breeds, 80% of which live in Rajasthan for breeding, transportation, wool, milk and plowing. This situation continues to happen for many different reasons.

The first explanation is that the loss of grazing areas due to forest closures (such as Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary), agricultural intensification (tube wells), irrigation projects (Indira Gandhi Canal), road construction, urban expansion along with the installation of solar and wind farms have reduced the space for camels to graze. Less food makes camels susceptible to diseases and affects their reproductive cycle.

This is compounded by the spread of disease, especially parasitic diseases. Camels are increasingly infected with ticks and other unidentified diseases. Veterinary services are only available in hospitals or on large farms, but camels get sick all year round and it is not always possible to take them to a hospital.

The number of camels has declined sharply because ofno buyers for male camelsMany Raikas have even resorted to selling female camels at the Pushkar and Tilwara Fairs. This was unheard of before 2000, when only male camels were traded. Selling the female camels was the Raika’s final sign of resignation, as it meant the herd would no longer be able to reproduce. Worse, under the impact of Covid-19, traditional markets began to close. Camel festivals, filled with music and folk dance, filled with food and handicraft stalls, where camels could be bought, sold, and traded quickly, have all but disappeared.

Responding to the growing demand for female camels, the Raika tribe asked the government to ban the slaughter of female camels to preserve the breed. Instead, in 2015, the Rajasthan state government passed the Camel Act, which banned the slaughter of both male and female camels, eliminating a stable source of income for herders.

"This law has caused quite a bit of controversy," said Ilse Köhler-Rollefson, a German veterinarian. "Restricting the trade of domesticated animals is impractical because it is closely linked to profit. The Raika have to sell male camels to make a living."

Faced with this difficulty, a Raika family - Mr. Bhanwarlal living in Malari village decided to send their children to school in the city, encouraging them to earn a living in other ways besides raising camels.

In the end, camels gradually disappeared becauselack of milk processing and marketing systemsCamel milk is very precious, known as "white gold of the desert", it is not only delicious but also contains many vitamins and very little fat, because camels eat wild grass and medicinal plants. But at present, only camel milk from the Kumbhalgarh region is accepted at a suitable price. So far, the Rajasthan State Milk Federation has not officially accepted the camel milk business, and because this is a food product that is paid based on the distance consumed, the price is very low.

Ironically, both Hindu and Muslim camel herders in India insist that they regard camels as their own children and have never slaughtered them, nor have they ever wanted to sell camel milk. They believe that milk should be given away for free, as it is a gift from the gods. A popular Raika proverb says, “Dudh bechna, beta bechna", meaning "Selling milk is like selling your own child.”. The only product that traditional beliefs allow the Raika people to sell is young male camels (bought for draft power). This they do only once a year at camel markets. Previously, they did not sell milk, wool or female camels.

However, in the current situation, when economic difficulties weigh heavily on their shoulders and their thousands of years of culture are at risk of disappearing, the Raika people are still forced to sell camel milk to make a living.

“We are still surviving on one thing: selling camel milk,” said Bhanwarlal. “Unless the government gives us some incentives, like setting up milk factories and allowing the sale of male camels again, we are doomed.”

Camel numbers are also declining for other reasons, for example the rapid development of Western India in recent years has seen camels – the “ships of the desert” – gradually replaced, especially as they are no longer the first choice for transporting people and goods.

“We are trying to draw the attention of political representatives to prevent us from being isolated. The Raika tribe will no longer exist if other communities keep ostracizing us and the camels will disappear. And in five years, there may be no camels left in Rajasthan,” said Jogaramji Raika, a leader of a Raika community. “We will try our best to keep this tradition alive.”

In the Bio-Cultural Community Protocol addressed to the Rajasthan government, the Raika people have outlined six demands and ways to save the Indian camel, as well as their culture and beliefs. The authorities have promised to consider and respond to some of them.

Dr. Ilse, who has spent decades studying Indian nomadic culture, co-founded the non-profit organization Lokhit Pashu-Palak Sansthan in 1996 to protect the Raika and their livelihood. Many organizations, individuals and groups around the world have begun to pay attention to this beautiful culture. Donations, sponsorships and nomadic experiences are being built in an effort to preserve the strong and sacred bond between camels and the Raika.

"This is what our ancestors have been doing for hundreds of thousands of years, hopefully we can continue to preserve it," Bhanwarlal said. "It is a sacred calling and must not be allowed to die."

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