"Aspects of Environmental Histories of Uttarakhand from 2000 BCE to 2000 CE" lecture by Dr. Vasudha Pande at Teen Murti House, Teen Murti Marg > 3pm on 20th March 2012
Time : 3:00 pm
Entry : Free (Seating on First-Come First-Served basis)
Event Details : The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library cordially invites you to The Tuesday Seminar on 'Aspects of Environmental Histories of Uttarakhand from 2000 BCE to 2000 CE.' by Dr. Vasudha Pande, Institute of Life Long Learning, University of Delhi
Abstract : The presentation will attempt to explain the beginnings of terraced cultivation in the Uttarakhand region of the Himalayas. The emergence of terraces can be dated roughly to somewhere between 800-1000 CE. How and in what circumstances did this method of agricultural cultivation become prevalent in this region? The paper will try to provide a hypothesis for the shift from hunting gathering, pastoralism and trade to an integration of the various climatic zones of the Himalaya (from 300-4800m) into a sustainable system of exchange and production. Terracing is found mostly at altitudes of 300m.-1800m., this entailed a dependence on contiguous regions to the north and south. To the north were the upper Himalayas with pastures (bugyals), musk deer and herbs and further north lay the Trans-Himalaya, which provided salt and wool. To the south, was the Bhabhar, with its forests and grasses, available ‘for eating sunshine’ in the cold season, whereas further south was the Tarai with its fertile soil and high water table producing a winter crop of rice. This system worked well for almost a thousand years, with some modifications and changes during the colonial period, until the 1950-60’s, when its limits were reached and its sustainability became difficult and today a large number of terraces are no longer in use.
The changing nature of human activity and habitation in Uttarakhand over such a long span of time will be documented by using a wide variety of sources—archaeological, epigraphic, numismatic and archival, gazetteers, reports, folk literature and secondary writings. This rich collection provides interesting evidence not only for the rise and fall of chiefdoms/kingdoms in different parts of Uttarakhand but can also be used to piece together a story about the discovery and utilization of different natural resources.
The geographical coordinates for this will be Yamuna, Ganga and Kali watersheds, but the paper will also bring in two other regions one further west towards the Sutlej (Himachal Pradesh) and the other eastwards towards the Karnali (Far Western Nepal), that is from east to west, 78°-83° longitude and south to north 27-32° latitude the region included will be from the Tarai/bhabar to Trans –Himalaya in Tibet.
Speaker : Dr. Vasudha Pande studied and taught English Literature at the University of Allahabad. After a brief stint as a professional in Social Work she joined Modern Indian History at Jawahar Lal Nehru University and then went on to do her Ph.D. from the University of Delhi. She has been teaching History at Lady Shri Ram College since 1987. Presently, she is on deputation to the Institute of Lifelong Learning, University of Delhi where she is ILLL Fellow in History.
Related Events : Talks | History
Entry : Free (Seating on First-Come First-Served basis)
Place : Seminar Room, Nehru Memorial Museum & Library (NMML), Teen Murti House, Teen Murti Marg, New Delhi
Venue Info : Events | About | Map | Nearest Metro Station - 'Race Course(Yellow Line)'
Event Details : The Nehru Memorial Museum and Library cordially invites you to The Tuesday Seminar on 'Aspects of Environmental Histories of Uttarakhand from 2000 BCE to 2000 CE.' by Dr. Vasudha Pande, Institute of Life Long Learning, University of Delhi
Abstract : The presentation will attempt to explain the beginnings of terraced cultivation in the Uttarakhand region of the Himalayas. The emergence of terraces can be dated roughly to somewhere between 800-1000 CE. How and in what circumstances did this method of agricultural cultivation become prevalent in this region? The paper will try to provide a hypothesis for the shift from hunting gathering, pastoralism and trade to an integration of the various climatic zones of the Himalaya (from 300-4800m) into a sustainable system of exchange and production. Terracing is found mostly at altitudes of 300m.-1800m., this entailed a dependence on contiguous regions to the north and south. To the north were the upper Himalayas with pastures (bugyals), musk deer and herbs and further north lay the Trans-Himalaya, which provided salt and wool. To the south, was the Bhabhar, with its forests and grasses, available ‘for eating sunshine’ in the cold season, whereas further south was the Tarai with its fertile soil and high water table producing a winter crop of rice. This system worked well for almost a thousand years, with some modifications and changes during the colonial period, until the 1950-60’s, when its limits were reached and its sustainability became difficult and today a large number of terraces are no longer in use.
The changing nature of human activity and habitation in Uttarakhand over such a long span of time will be documented by using a wide variety of sources—archaeological, epigraphic, numismatic and archival, gazetteers, reports, folk literature and secondary writings. This rich collection provides interesting evidence not only for the rise and fall of chiefdoms/kingdoms in different parts of Uttarakhand but can also be used to piece together a story about the discovery and utilization of different natural resources.
The geographical coordinates for this will be Yamuna, Ganga and Kali watersheds, but the paper will also bring in two other regions one further west towards the Sutlej (Himachal Pradesh) and the other eastwards towards the Karnali (Far Western Nepal), that is from east to west, 78°-83° longitude and south to north 27-32° latitude the region included will be from the Tarai/bhabar to Trans –Himalaya in Tibet.
Speaker : Dr. Vasudha Pande studied and taught English Literature at the University of Allahabad. After a brief stint as a professional in Social Work she joined Modern Indian History at Jawahar Lal Nehru University and then went on to do her Ph.D. from the University of Delhi. She has been teaching History at Lady Shri Ram College since 1987. Presently, she is on deputation to the Institute of Lifelong Learning, University of Delhi where she is ILLL Fellow in History.
Related Events : Talks | History
"Aspects of Environmental Histories of Uttarakhand from 2000 BCE to 2000 CE" lecture by Dr. Vasudha Pande at Teen Murti House, Teen Murti Marg > 3pm on 20th March 2012
!["Aspects of Environmental Histories of Uttarakhand from 2000 BCE to 2000 CE" lecture by Dr. Vasudha Pande at Teen Murti House, Teen Murti Marg > 3pm on 20th March 2012]()
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Tuesday, March 20, 2012
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