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“I don’t know how many generations have spent their lives in this forest,” says Mastu (uses only this name). From the Van Gujjar community, this herder is staying near the Shakumbhari range in Behat village of Saharanpur district. The Van Gujjars are part of a nomadic pastoralist community migrating seasonally between the plains and Himalayan mountains in northern India. Mastu and his group are travelling through the Shivalik range bordering Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh to go to the Bugyals of Uttarkashi district. They will be returning to Shivalik as winter approaches.The <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/en/library/resource/the-scheduled-tribes-and-other-traditional-forest-dwellers-recognition-of-forest-rights-act-2006/">Forest Rights Act (FRA) 2006</a>
 protects people who have lived in forests or who depend on them for 
their livelihood. It recognizes the rights of these communities and 
other traditional forest dwellers to the resources they have relied on for their livelihood. Despite this, it has become almost impossible for
 the Van Gujjar community to access the rights that should be given to 
them by law.The effects of the climate crisis also aggravates the
 condition of forests. “The ecology of the mountains is changing, 
whereby inedible plants are proliferating, and the pastures are becoming
 more and more scarce,” says Munesh Sharma who is the assistant director
 of Society for Promotion of Himalayan Indigenous Activities.“When
 the forests are gone, how can we continue to raise cattle?” says Sahan 
Bibi. She, along with her son Ghulam Nabi, are travelling to Uttarakhand
 with Mastu’s group.This film follows their group and the challenges they face as they continue on their journey every year.

Between the forest and the road

جنگل اور سڑک کے درمیان پھنسے ون گوجر

காட்டுக்கும் சாலைக்கும் இடையே

ਜੰਗਲ ਤੇ ਸੜਕ ਵਿਚਾਲੇ

ଜଙ୍ଗଲ ଓ ସଡ଼କ ମଝିରେ

കാടിനും വഴിയ്ക്കുമിടയിൽ

ರಸ್ತೆ ಮತ್ತು ಕಾಡಿನ ನಡುವೆ

જંગલ અને રસ્તા વચ્ચે

जंगल अऊ सड़क मं अरझे

रस्ता आउर जंगल के बीच ठहरल जिनगी

অরণ্য ও পথের দোলাচলে বন-গুজ্জর জীবন

অৰণ্য আৰু ৰাস্তাৰ মাজৰ এটা গৰখীয়া বাট

जंगल और सड़क के बीच में

Rajpur

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Between the forest and the road

A film on the Van Gujjar community and their challenges in the hills and forests of Uttarakhand

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