question_answer 1)

Read Sources A and B.     (a) Write briefly about what they tell you about the nature of the work undertaken by men and women in pastoral households. (b) Why do you think pastoral groups often live on the edges of forests?

Answer:

(a) In the case of the pastoralists of the hilis, the Gaddis and the Gujjars, the men used to graze the cattle, sheep or goats and remained away from the home for many days. The women used to sell the milk products like milk, butter-milk and ghee in the local marketplace every day. Regarding the Gollas in Mysore, besides being pastoralists, they were also cultivating land. So some men were taking out the cattle for grazing while some men cultivated the fields. (b) Pastoral groups often lived near the edges of forests so that they could graze their flocks of animals in the forest as well as cultivate fields next to the forest area. They were selling the milk and milk products from the animals in the local market and also cultivating land for their requirements of food. By living on the edge of forests, both of these activities were conveniently handled.