Come spring and the summer these Margs are covered with brightly colored flowers .We call Margs for meadows. Margs is a Persian word for Greenish-gold sea decked with of deep purple and brilliant gold from. The word traveled to Kashmir from there itself. Beside Margs these are called, Bhaks, Dhoks and Neur. Meadow ecology, it is said to be one of the most complex sciences. John Muir described: Meadows are sponges, absorbing water as snow pack melts and holding that water like an underground water tower. Meadow is summed as an ecosystem composed of one or more plant communities dominated by herbaceous species. It supports plants that use surface water and/or shallow ground water (generally at depths of less than one metre). It also allows invertebrates such as butterflies' time to complete important stages of their life cycles. The flowers and seeds from the grasses and all the other plants in the meadow also have time to grow and complete their life cycle. This also provides food for innumerable invertebrates, birds and small mammals.
The finest Margs in the subcontinent were once upon a time found here in the Jammu and Kashmir. The Margs, altiplano grazing pastures ranges in the state occurred all along the mountain ranges. In altitude from near 6500 feet in the Pir Panjals, encircling the Big Foot valley. Samshabari, South of Kashmir, Chenab valley to as high as 11000 feet in the Greater Himalayan ranges of Ladakh. Largest Meadow, in the state is on other side of the Neelum River Deosai, in Gilgit said to be 3000 Sq Kms, one can see it from Gurez on any sunny day. Another on this side is Bangus, stretching from Neesta Chun Ridge of Tangdhar in Kupwara right down to Hahwaa, Keran valley, Lolab, Lalmarg Bandipora, Gulmarg a meadow of flowers, Sonamarg the golden meadow and Yusmarg meadow of Jesus Christ. It is believed that when Europeans discovered it, they named it as Jesus Marg or Yesumarg which later on changed to Yusmarg. Some locals believe that Yusmarg means the meadow of Yusuf or Yusuf Shah Chak the chak king who married Habba Khatoon, Toshamaidan Budgam, Zazimargh Kulgam, Magnadh, Phalgam, Wardwan. On other side of Pir Panjal the Sarthal Madi, Bani, Khabi, Karnalee, Nutnali, Dandi-Gootu, Bajbi Bagh in Sarthal, Chaater, Bamlard, Seoj, Mahad bordering Himachal Pradesh, Daagan, Budhar these possessed fairly rich diversity of plant life and on this the people depend for their daily needs of food, medicine, fuel, fibre etc.
The flora of Himalayan Kashmir comprises about 3,054 species. About 880 species are found in Ladakh. The flora of the Jammu district comprises 506 species. A British hunter Otto Rothfeld, has described beautiful meadows of ours in his travelogue - 'With Pen and Rifle in Kashmir.' During his visit in 1917 he wrote about meadows of Kishtwar. As there was a soft covering of turf upon the slopes and the grass was bedecked with the millions of wild flowers of every hue and of every form. Almost it seemed like a Persian carpet. Alpine flowers in the grass, they seem almost to be blossom wafted here by whims of some sensual garden God, brought from the luxuriant of a tropic temple garden to the incongruity. Many Kashmiri poets have used the word Marg to define a Meadow at the same time impressed upon to preserve them. The Kashmiri poet Dina Nath Naadim while described its beauty at the same time stressed to preserve them. In his 'Opera VITASTA' I quote … Soann Siendh Sangar Roapp Koahh Maalai Marg Ta Baal Chhei Poashei Poash Koall Raavaan Amrit Naett Naarey Yuthh Reishi Vaarie Vitasta Raatchh (From Opera Vitasta ) Golden are your Mountains and silvery are the peaks. The Hills and the valleys are nothing but flowers. Pitcher loads of Amrita flows down your streams, O Vitasta! You are the guardian of this land. Were one of the best maintained during rulers.
The glaziers used to have ample choice but they usually prefer their own hereditary ones. This made Dogra Rajas to permit the Bakerwals to graze their livestock in the state. To earn revenue, they were called as Guest Grazers.
Driven now in the throes of neglect.
These of today have been infested by obnoxious, perennials weeds. A few need mention are Stipa sibirica locally known as GOOBU, Rhododendran Campa-nulatum local call it Angi, Xanthium strumarium , locally known as Joodaa, Milk Thistle, Euphorbia wallichii, carduus nutans, sambucus wightiana, Euphorbia "Royaleana, ", Aconitum, Anemone Nexacana, Adonis, Clematis, Lepidum Rananculus, Viburnum Foetens which has effected pollination of native flora and eaten too natural palatable grasses. Rendering almost entire pasturage unpalatable one.
Quality and quantity of the produce dependent upon directly on the health of pasture. Pastures wail persistently for attention and cure which is not insight so far.
These meadows fall under the jurisdiction of Forest Department. There is no reliable data about the area and status of pastures to bank upon and plan a strategy.
There is hardly any data to rely upon. With regard to which animal domesticate or in wild that proves to be instrumental to enhance quality and quantity of the produces such as milk, butter, ghee and meat and wool.
In late seventies a notion was given that state has about .03 million hectares of pastures including Ladak. Pastures sustain rural economy which supported the livestock, though now stand reduced considerably. Finest of fine meadows have been vandalized in the name of tourism and lost forever. Others reduced to a pathetic condition, mauled, cut and divided beyond repair under Prime Minister"s Gramin Sadak Yojana at the cost of Meadows- a vital source of livelihood to underprivileged section of our society. Reduction of grazing area has caused grazing incidents much higher than the actual grazing capacity of the pastures available. This resulted in lack of vegetation cover, loss of top soil and formation of rill and gullies. Although a separate wing operates since decades to take care of pasture, there is nothing to write about them. Pasture Development component was incorporated first time under Gujjar and Bakerwal Sub Plan sponsored by late Indra Gandhi in 1974. Late Haji Buland Khan took keen interest during his tenure as vice chairman of Gujjar and Bakerwal Development Board. Work was undertaken in right earnest. Funds were meager but resolve was strong. A few research plots were developed , to try and test various strains of grasses, at Darus Kupwara, Zaloora Sopore, Baltal, Yusmarg in Badgam and Sangarwani. In 1987 through Government of India, FAO was requested to have situation studied on spot the status of alpine pastures in the state and measures to be introduced to bring back to health famous meadows and to suggest measures to be take to contain detritions of pasture and how to retrieve them back to health? Steveson Newslander on behalf of FAO visited the meadows.
This writer had a chance to deliberate with him at Srinagar. After his concluding the assessment, he was of the view that the practice in vogue adopted by the migratory as well as locals folks to move on in pastures even before thaw resulted in trampling the snow and makes it harder thus halts sprouting. Besides whatever little emerges get nibbled before full growth. Due to this continuous grazing practice the natural rich flora system and deferred rotational system be adopted vigorously. That can be done by prolonging the entering the folks in the pastures so as to allow natural flora grow unhindered.
After a few years this scheme was intentional dispensed with which proved death nail in the interest of livestock rearing. Although strides were made to have in scheme of things to develop Pastures which showed promising result.
The increasing infestation of weeds and other inedible shrubs, speak of low grazing status hunter -- Pulwama Kenwan Sadaw Shopian, Zazimarg and Trojan in Kulgam, upper Monad Anatnag and Nowgam Banihal.
He was of the view to introduce exotic flora, found suitable elsewhere under similar condition. Among other white clover was suggested. Soon government deputed Sh Bansi Dhar, Agrotologist to New Zealand to study the pasture management there.
Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Jhansi had a branch in Kashmir under Bimal Misri, who did commendable research but had to wind it up in 1990 due to unavoidable reasons.
Ashok Kaw, Astrologist with Sheep Husbandry Department Jammu did tried Alfa Alfa at Padder and Red clover at Bani with promising result, but lack up of required back up trials died of its natural death. |
