History, cculture aand cconservation
The Bawarias frequent different areas for
hunting wild animals though hunting is
banned everywhere in India. Of people
interviewed 66% admitted to hunting in the
areas close to villages, while 21% went
hunting in a reserve forest and 12% went
hunting in nearby agricultural fields.
The Bawarias interviewed for this study all
had country made rifles which they use for
firing in the air for driving away crop-raiding
animals. The nilgai which is the major crop-
raiding animal found in this area is driven
away from the fields by the Bawarias, but
not killed due to the religious sanctity that
the animal enjoys.
Considered as a ‘blue cow’
(although it is an antelope
species) it is revered in
hindu religion and mytholo-
gy and seldom killed by
farmers despite the dam-
age it causes to the crops.
A Bawaria family also keeps
2-3 dogs that guard their
settlements and are used to
assist them on their hunt-
ing trips. As mentioned,
hunting which used to be
the mainstay of the com-
munity is
today dif-
ficult to practice due to
the strict wildlife laws and
the presence of the State
Forest Department. Still
many Bawarias continue
hunting if not for trade,
then for food especially
during times of food
shortage. The animals
that are hunted are most-
ly small mammals and
birds such as Indian Hare Lepus spp.
Common Mongoose Herpestes edwardsi
Blue Rock Pigeon Columba livia, Grey
Food security and its relation to
hunting
As many as 70% of the families inter-
viewed stated to face a shortage of food
through the year. In times of shortage of
food, nearly 21% of the families turn to
hunting wild animals in order to meet their
food needs, 36% turn to begging from
nearby villages or zamindarsand 36%
borrowed money from money lenders.
This shows the vulnerability of the
Bawarias and the abject poverty in which
the community lives.
Figure 3. Coping strategies of Bawarias during periods of short-
age of food
The nnilgai iis oonsid-
ered aas aa ‘‘blue ccow’
(although iit iis aan
antelope sspecies) iit iis
revered iin hhindu rreli-
gion aand mmythology
and sseldom kkilled bby
farmers ddespite tthe
damage iit ccauses tto
the ccrops.
Figure 2. Occupational profile of previous
generation of Bawarias
