Saganbhai Oral History Interview, 2025-06-07

Sagan Kaka’s oral history traces how Bharwad pastoralism in Surendranagar has transformed across his lifetime. He begins with older migratory grazing systems: families moving through open grasslands with pack animals, and household roles that sustained herding, including producing and selling milk products before formal dairy systems. He then describes pastoral craft knowledge, spinning yarn from indigenous goat hair, useful for managing large herds, and the making of trangdi, a goat-hair saddle used on donkeys and camels during migration.

He reflects on cultural ecology, where local deities and norms once shaped care for trees and animals, but these rules are now weakening. He explains how “private commons” grasslands were accessed and leased, and how land use has shifted over time. Industrial expansion and rail development around Thangadh emerge as key drivers of landscape change and altered migration needs.

A major theme is ecological change: grasslands that were once widespread and rich in palatable native grasses now show reduced biomass and fodder scarcity, with some species disappearing. He notes invasive spread, especially Senna uniflora and Prosopis juliflora, and changes in plant availability, medicinal uses, forest structure, and wildlife distribution (including wild ass presence). Finally, he discusses the forest department’s rise since the 1970s, plantation drives, and governance changes where pastoralist voices were often excluded, alongside youth moving away from pastoralism due to new income options.(00:00:20) Introduces pastoralism, migratory routes and pack animals for transportation. Used to stay in open grasslands, and talks about roles of people in pastoralism within the family. Making milk-based products for selling before the existence of dairy.

(00:03:15) Yarn-making techniques from indigenous goat hair, their usage in managing large herds. His skills in making yarn out of hair.

(00:04:01) Trangdi (a saddle made of goat hair used for donkeys and camels during migration) is made by a few. Skill of making Trangdi.

(00:04:50) Local deity, and nature association with trees and animals. Diluting cultural rules regarding care for nature.

(00:05:47) Private grasslands, nature of use of these private “commons”. Lease of grasslands and changes in use over the years.

(00:06:40) Industries and cropping of industries and rail development in Thangadh. Landscape before these developments and the need for migration.

(00:07:48) Migration routes and names of small villages and towns where halts were made during grazing migrations.

(00:08:20) Grasslands were everywhere, and forests with tree dominance were low. It has changed over the years - the structure of forests, wolf numbers, and leopard density.

(00:09:20) Native grasses presence, diversity, and density in the 70s. Seasonal presence of high-quality palatable grasses for livestock. Changes in biomass productivity of grasses and scarcity of fodder as compared to earlier times. Disappearance of particular species of grasses. Introduction of exotic invasion species and the extent of invasion by species like Senna uniflora.

(00:12:34) Euphorbia cauducifolia has decreased, and some trees have increased drastically. Invasive species, such as Prosopis juliflora, have taken over the grasslands. Mamejo and other grasses for traditional medicinal uses.

(00:14:40) Forest department plantation drives and impact on pastoralism. Uses and importance of trees. Changes in the usage of wood. Changes the conversation to trees presence and distribution during his childhood and now.

(00:17:01) Significance of trees and plants for dying and making art. Verbal and experiential learning in learning the use and practice.

(00:019:50) Wild ass presence in the area and current concentration, and changes in wildlife distribution in Surendranagar.

(00:20:59) Appearance of the forest department and making of forests under legal jurisdiction in the 70s.

(00:22:39) The Head of the village used to consent to making the forest and changing ownership of use, and the voices of Bharwad went missing decision-making.

(00:24:49) Participation of Pastoralists in the management and governance of the forests (which were earlier in use by the villagers, including pastoralists).

(00:26:55) Changes in development and attrition rate of young pastoralists from pastoralism. Income generation by industries.