Srinagar, May 25: Every summer, long serpentine caravans of sheep, goats and horses begin climbing the rugged mountain tracks of Jammu and Kashmir as the nomadic Gujjar and Bakarwal communities undertake their centuries-old transhumance migration towards the high-altitude Himalayan meadows.
But this year, the journey has turned harsh and uncertain. Unusual snowfall, repeated hailstorms and incessant rain over the past several weeks have disrupted the traditional migration routes, leaving thousands of nomadic families struggling to protect their livestock — their only source of livelihood.
From Gurez to Sonamarg and the upper reaches near Zoji La, fresh snowfall has continued well into late May, while evening hailstorms have become a near-daily phenomenon across several parts of Kashmir.
The mountains, which usually open into green grazing pastures by this time of the year, still remain partially buried under snow.
“We have never seen weather like this in recent years. Every evening there is hailstorm or heavy rain. Our animals are weak, the routes are slippery and many families are stuck midway,” said Mohammad Yousuf, a Bakarwal herder moving towards the upper reaches of Sonamarg with nearly 300 sheep.
Wrapped in a traditional pheran and standing beside drenched livestock near a temporary roadside camp, Yousuf said the changing weather has increased fear among nomadic families.
“We spend nights in the open mountains. The children are shivering and the animals have no proper grass to graze because the meadows are still under snow,” he added.
The worsening weather recently triggered a major tragedy in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam area where more than 69 livestock animals were killed after lightning struck a pasture during heavy rain and thunderstorm.
For many nomadic families, such losses are devastating.
“One animal feeds an entire household. Losing dozens of sheep means losing a year’s income,” said 55-year-old tribal elder Abdul Rashid near Baltal. “The weather has become completely unpredictable now.”
The annual migration, locally known as Baharwal, is a vital seasonal movement in which Gujjar and Bakarwal tribes travel hundreds of kilometres from the plains of Jammu towards the alpine dhoks of Kashmir in search of fresh grasslands for grazing.
Traditionally, the migration follows a predictable rhythm shaped by weather and mountain conditions. However, tribal communities say climate patterns have changed drastically in recent years.
“Earlier snowfall would end by April in many places, but this year even late May looks like winter in the mountains,” said Shabir Ahmed, another shepherd from Rajouri district. “Every evening dark clouds gather suddenly and hail starts falling,” he said.
The harsh weather has also slowed the movement of caravans along steep mountain passes, forcing many families to halt for days along highways and forest routes.
At several makeshift camps near Sonamarg, smoke rose from damp firewood as women prepared meals inside temporary tarpaulin shelters while children huddled beside livestock to escape the cold winds.
Officials from the Meteorological Department have predicted more rain, thunderstorms and hailstorm activity in the coming days, while fresh snowfall continues in higher reaches.
For Kashmir’s nomadic tribes, the changing weather is no longer just a seasonal inconvenience — it is becoming a growing threat to a way of life carried through generations across the Himalayas—(KNO)
