BY TARAIQ AHMAD CHOPAN
I remember when my father took me to our village school in 1994. I was reluctant to study as I would collect herbs and other leafy vegetables in the outskirts of my village with fellow Chopan kids (shepherd boys).
Collecting the herbs, leafy traditional vegetables & mushrooms like Hand, Krech, Obej, Kral Monjee, Hedder, Kan Gech is a traditional practice of the Chopan community as they don’t own any agricultural land & their sole dependence is on sheep rearing.
In fact this community hardly owns sheep, instead they take care of the sheep which belong to local farmers and they pay a fixed amount for a season to Chopans. My father, in spite of being illiterate, always believed that education was essential and he admitted me into a local Govt Primary School of my village.
To motivate me for schooling, the headmaster of the village school assigned a newly recruited teacher to handhold me. Whenever I showed disinterest in my studies, the teacher would reprimand me and even beat me on some occasions.
My parents did watch this and never complained, and instead asked the teacher to continue scolding me if I was reluctant in my studies. My father has four sons. Two are school dropouts. I am the third sibling and the fourth one is also enrolled in a medical school.
My parents, especially my dad, had lots of hopes in me. He wanted me to study as my two elder brothers could not study due to poverty, and turbulent situation in the 1990s. We talk about corporal punishment these days, but for me this was like a blessing in disguise.
School Headmaster
The headmaster of my village primary school was like an angel. He would often ask me to kiss my mother’s feet. One day, my mother came to my school to inquire about my studies, the headmaster was happy that the lady was so much interested in my education.
One day my mom was busy cleaning the paddock and cow shed, and my headmaster told me to bow and kiss her feet, which were unclean. Despite that, I kissed her feet. By asking children to kiss their mothers feet the headmaster ‘s aim was to make sure children developed love for their parents.
Completed M-Phil, qualified NET
When I completed my graduation in 2010 from Govt Degree College Bemina Srinagar, I was in a dilemma what to do next ? This is the time when every graduate student gets confused? Being a member of a backward and disadvantaged community and in absence of any educated person in my shepherd family, I didn’t have any guidance and counselling. Out of my own will, I went out of state for further studies.
I went directly to Barkatullah University Bhopal for Post Graduation. I took admission in MA History. At my home my parents were dreaming of my bright future as I was the only young man in my Chopan community who had gone out of state for higher studies.
In fact there was hardly any post graduate from Chopan community in the nearby villages as well. My journey of education didn’t stop after I completed my master’s degree. I went to Jiwaji University in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh.
I took admission to M.Phil. After that I even went for B.Ed. programme which I completed in 2015. Gradually my parents became a little bit aware about my aspirations and higher education. My father, being an illiterate, began to insist that I clear the National Eligibility Test-NET conducted by the University Grants Commission (UGC). My father wants me to become a University Professor. In January 2019 I qualified NET in history.
Research work on Chopans ?
Chopan word is composed of two parts, Cho meaning four and Pan meaning keeper i.e. keeper of four legged animals and that animal is a sheep. The main profession of this community is to graze the sheep of farmers of Kashmir. The grazing season starts in the month of March till ending November.
Chopan, who is also known as Pohul, still practices barter system in some villages wherein they receive their wages in the form of rice, maize, and pulses etc. Chopans are landless people and depended exclusively on the agriculturalists of Kashmir.
This community is spread across Jammu and Kashmir. According to the Census Report of 1891 the total population of Chopans was 2993. As on date there are more than 2 lakh chopans living in J&K.
After facing many challenges during my studies, I started taking an interest in my Chopan community’s relevance in modern times. In 2020, I realized the dream of my father by getting admission in a PhD course in the University of Kashmir, Srinagar.
I am presently researching on the Chopan community in Kashmir. My work is going smoothly under the supervision of my respected guide and advisor Dr. Younis Rashid.
Tailpiece
I have realized the strength and power of our country’s education system, which provides education to people of all classes in society. I have realized that education has the power to change the condition of any disadvantaged community and Chopans should take education very seriously.
In fact Govt has set up mobile and seasonal schools for Gujjar, Bakerwals and Chopans. But a lot more needs to be done as there are hardly any such schools at higher altitudes.
The Govt must also think seriously about including Chopan community under Scheduled Tribe (ST) category which is our right as we are the tribals in real sense but are denied ST status.
Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat the GK columnist & social activist has written extensively on this issue during last 4 years and has been doing advocacy as well. I am sure Secretary Tribal Affairs will take up our issue with the Govt.
Before the dawn of education in my family, nobody in our village or other places in Kashmir were ready to interact with Chopans. But now I feel proud to be part of this Tribe as I got a lot of respect because I come from Chopan community, and I am undergoing PhD course with special focus on Chopans.
In my family I have been able to carry forward the mission I took up. Recently my younger brother also completed his bachelor’s degree in medical laboratory technology.
The children of my elder brothers are receiving education with great enthusiasm and we plan to get our own sheep and do this work more professionally with the support of Govt schemes.
Taraiq Ahmad Chopan belongs to the pastoralist community. He is a PhD scholar doing research on Chopans, in the Department of History University of Kashmir and can be reached at: tariqhistory9@gmail.com
DISCLAIMER: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author.
The facts, analysis, assumptions and perspective appearing in the article do not reflect the views of GK.