<p>A festival about pastoralism in India is under way at different locations in Bengaluru until February 16. The Deccan region is the focus of the exhibition at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), Mallathahalli, the main venue.</p><p>Living Lightly Utsav 2025 is organised by the Centre for Pastoralism, and Sahjeevan, with Oroon Das of Odd Works leading the exhibition design. It features research-backed exhibits, sound installations, Virtual Reality films, plays, workshops, handicrafts, expert talks, guided walks, etc.</p><p>It aims to foster an appreciation for pastoralists. “They contribute immensely to our lives, from the milk we drink to the meat we eat, and even crops like chillies and millets. Farmers invite their flocks to fertilise the land (with their dung and urine),” said Sushma Iyengar, lead curator. She notes that people disregard pastoralists for vagabonds because of their semi-nomadic lifestyle, when in fact, they lead “rich lives” closely connected to nature. </p><p>During our visit on Wednesday, Vazir, a senior Kuruba herder from Belagavi taluk in Karnataka, named 30 varieties of grass one after another. Specifying their benefits, he said, “One enhances milk production, one boosts strength, one aids digestion in the cattle...” After he dropped out of Class 3, “the nature became his school”. He was constantly learning about the feed and grazing routes.</p><p>It’s a hard life, as Neelakantha, another elderly Kuruba herder from Belagavi, shared, “We migrate from June to September and stay at farmlands with whatever arrangements farmers make for us.”</p><p><strong>Co-existence</strong></p><p>Penning is the traditional practice of fertilising fields with the droppings of cows, buffaloes, sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, pigs, and ducks. Herders provide this service in exchange for shelter, grain or money. The exhibits depict stories of an inter-generational penning relationship between a Dhangar herder and a farming family in Maharashtra, Kerala plantation owners paying Rs 1.2 lakh to pre-book penning services, and Mauritius and the Maldives importing Pulikalam cattle dung from Tamil Nadu to decompose fish bones. A stop-motion film remembers the penning miracles by the black Deccani sheep of Balumama, a shepherd-saint from the current-day Nippani taluk in Karnataka.</p><p>A felt art installation showcases other forms of co-existence, integral to Kuruba pastoralism. Gopi Krishna, founder of Dakhnii Diaries, shared, “Kurubas regard the wolf as their ‘mama’ (uncle). Wolves prey on weak and sick sheep, reducing the spread of infections.” Then there are Tagarjogis, community epidemiologists and healers who assess the health of both the cattle and villagers. “When Kurubas call them over to check on the sheep, they give them a sheep in return,” he added.</p><p><strong>Bengaluru focus</strong></p><p>Gomalas (common grazing lands) in Bengaluru are disappearing due to privatisation and invasive plant species, affecting pastoral livelihoods. A fact chart states that between 1971 and 2011, the city lost 34,380 hectares of open natural ecosystems. Also highlighted is the legal battle over the preservation of grasslands for Amrut Mahal, a hardy cattle breed that originated in erstwhile Mysore.</p><p><strong>Other highlights</strong></p><p>An open ground at IGNCA is set up like a pastoral jatre of the Deccan, complete with sounds of folk drums, mounds of turmeric and vermilion, ceremonial clothes, and auspicious threads tied on trees. At these jatres, communities showcase their livestock, fulfil social contracts, buy essentials for migrations, resolve conflicts in the presence of spiritual deities and elders, and celebrate with music, dance, and food. An exhibition in the basement explores the relationship between herders and leather artisans in the Kutch. A cafe serves pastoral cheeses made by the Rabaris of Gujarat and the Gujjars of Jammu & Kashmir, including camel milk cheese. </p><p>A bazaar features crafts by pastoral communities, from Ladakh to Tamil Nadu, helmed primarily by women. It’s also where these artisans learn skills from each other during weekdays, and where they teach their crafts to the paying public on weekends, says Shabri Wable, who’s co-ordinating the bazaar.</p><p>“Usually women from the Bakarwal community do the craftwork. I have come to Bengaluru with my sister so she can get exposure to market trends,” says Faisal Raza Bokda from Jammu.</p><p><strong>Visitor POV</strong></p><p>Freelance writer Pavithra R had come from Jayanagar. While the exhibition and an expert consultation she added filled her with admiration and empathy for pastoral communities, she wondered how she could make a difference to their livelihood as an individual. Sushma offers, “Perhaps we can start by choosing Indian wool over imported wool.”</p><p><strong>Revival of Indian Wool</strong></p><p>Sushma notes that since 2016, the festival has led to policy changes, including approvals for camel milk distribution and recognition of 70 native breeds. In Bengaluru, a cross-industry consultation will discuss potential industrial and artisanal uses of the desi oon (Indian wool).</p><p><em>Full schedule at livinglightly.org.</em></p>
<p>A festival about pastoralism in India is under way at different locations in Bengaluru until February 16. The Deccan region is the focus of the exhibition at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), Mallathahalli, the main venue.</p><p>Living Lightly Utsav 2025 is organised by the Centre for Pastoralism, and Sahjeevan, with Oroon Das of Odd Works leading the exhibition design. It features research-backed exhibits, sound installations, Virtual Reality films, plays, workshops, handicrafts, expert talks, guided walks, etc.</p><p>It aims to foster an appreciation for pastoralists. “They contribute immensely to our lives, from the milk we drink to the meat we eat, and even crops like chillies and millets. Farmers invite their flocks to fertilise the land (with their dung and urine),” said Sushma Iyengar, lead curator. She notes that people disregard pastoralists for vagabonds because of their semi-nomadic lifestyle, when in fact, they lead “rich lives” closely connected to nature. </p><p>During our visit on Wednesday, Vazir, a senior Kuruba herder from Belagavi taluk in Karnataka, named 30 varieties of grass one after another. Specifying their benefits, he said, “One enhances milk production, one boosts strength, one aids digestion in the cattle...” After he dropped out of Class 3, “the nature became his school”. He was constantly learning about the feed and grazing routes.</p><p>It’s a hard life, as Neelakantha, another elderly Kuruba herder from Belagavi, shared, “We migrate from June to September and stay at farmlands with whatever arrangements farmers make for us.”</p><p><strong>Co-existence</strong></p><p>Penning is the traditional practice of fertilising fields with the droppings of cows, buffaloes, sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, pigs, and ducks. Herders provide this service in exchange for shelter, grain or money. The exhibits depict stories of an inter-generational penning relationship between a Dhangar herder and a farming family in Maharashtra, Kerala plantation owners paying Rs 1.2 lakh to pre-book penning services, and Mauritius and the Maldives importing Pulikalam cattle dung from Tamil Nadu to decompose fish bones. A stop-motion film remembers the penning miracles by the black Deccani sheep of Balumama, a shepherd-saint from the current-day Nippani taluk in Karnataka.</p><p>A felt art installation showcases other forms of co-existence, integral to Kuruba pastoralism. Gopi Krishna, founder of Dakhnii Diaries, shared, “Kurubas regard the wolf as their ‘mama’ (uncle). Wolves prey on weak and sick sheep, reducing the spread of infections.” Then there are Tagarjogis, community epidemiologists and healers who assess the health of both the cattle and villagers. “When Kurubas call them over to check on the sheep, they give them a sheep in return,” he added.</p><p><strong>Bengaluru focus</strong></p><p>Gomalas (common grazing lands) in Bengaluru are disappearing due to privatisation and invasive plant species, affecting pastoral livelihoods. A fact chart states that between 1971 and 2011, the city lost 34,380 hectares of open natural ecosystems. Also highlighted is the legal battle over the preservation of grasslands for Amrut Mahal, a hardy cattle breed that originated in erstwhile Mysore.</p><p><strong>Other highlights</strong></p><p>An open ground at IGNCA is set up like a pastoral jatre of the Deccan, complete with sounds of folk drums, mounds of turmeric and vermilion, ceremonial clothes, and auspicious threads tied on trees. At these jatres, communities showcase their livestock, fulfil social contracts, buy essentials for migrations, resolve conflicts in the presence of spiritual deities and elders, and celebrate with music, dance, and food. An exhibition in the basement explores the relationship between herders and leather artisans in the Kutch. A cafe serves pastoral cheeses made by the Rabaris of Gujarat and the Gujjars of Jammu & Kashmir, including camel milk cheese. </p><p>A bazaar features crafts by pastoral communities, from Ladakh to Tamil Nadu, helmed primarily by women. It’s also where these artisans learn skills from each other during weekdays, and where they teach their crafts to the paying public on weekends, says Shabri Wable, who’s co-ordinating the bazaar.</p><p>“Usually women from the Bakarwal community do the craftwork. I have come to Bengaluru with my sister so she can get exposure to market trends,” says Faisal Raza Bokda from Jammu.</p><p><strong>Visitor POV</strong></p><p>Freelance writer Pavithra R had come from Jayanagar. While the exhibition and an expert consultation she added filled her with admiration and empathy for pastoral communities, she wondered how she could make a difference to their livelihood as an individual. Sushma offers, “Perhaps we can start by choosing Indian wool over imported wool.”</p><p><strong>Revival of Indian Wool</strong></p><p>Sushma notes that since 2016, the festival has led to policy changes, including approvals for camel milk distribution and recognition of 70 native breeds. In Bengaluru, a cross-industry consultation will discuss potential industrial and artisanal uses of the desi oon (Indian wool).</p><p><em>Full schedule at livinglightly.org.</em></p>