Wellsprings of Territories of Life – Gaoli pastoralists in central India
The Melghat region of the Satpura Range in central India is renowned for its lush green forests, its tigers, and the Korku Indigenous tribe, who once lived in the forest in the vicinity of what is now the Melghat Tiger Reserve. Among the lesser-known wonders of this region are the beautiful indigenous cattle and buffalos and the vibrant Nanda-Gaoli traditional seminomadic pastoralist community who evolved that unique livestock, inhabiting and traversing this beautiful landscape for millennia.
The Gaoli people trace their lineage and relationship with this region to Lord Krishna. In ancient times, the Gaoli people were instrumental in producing and supplying milk to the entire Melghat region. Since time immemorial, the Gaoli people and their livestock have been dependent on the forests and grasslands of Melghat. The forests, grasslands, and natural water bodies are the mainstays of the life, economy, culture, and traditions of the Gaoli people and their livestock. In other words, they are the foundations and wellsprings of their territories of life.
