“About 30 years ago it used to snow heavily in Spiti. It was greener and the grass was also good,” says Chhering Angdui, a herder and farmer in Lahaul-Spiti district of Himachal Pradesh.
The 43-year-old lives in Langza, a village situated 14,500 ft above sea level and home to 158 people (Census 2011). A majority of them are from the Bhot community listed as scheduled tribe in the state. Residents of the village are largely engaged in farming, livestock rearing and hospitality for tourists who visit Spiti.
In late July 2021, we met Chhering and a few herders in Langza tending to their livestock of cattle, sheep and goats. They spoke about having to travel greater distances just to find grass for their animals.
“Now it snows less here in the mountains. It doesn’t rain much here either so not much grass grows now,” Chhering says, “This is why we have to take the animals to further heights for grazing.”
