Day-11 Answer Writing Challenge : Model Answer

Question: Briefly describe the history of Khampa and Jad tribe in Himachal Pradesh. [60 words, 4 marks]

Answer: 

Himachal Pradesh is home to several communities, each with its own unique history and cultural heritage.

Khampa:

• Khampas are not the original inhabitants of Himachal Pradesh.
• They are believed to have migrated from Tibet. ‘Kham’ is the name of a state in Tibet and the people of that state are known as ‘Khampa’.
• Khampas are known by different names. In Kullu valley they are called ‘Bauddh’ in some other parts as ‘Tibtees’. In Uttrakhand they are called ‘Shah Khampa’ . In Spiti as division as ‘Piti Khampa’,in Kinnaur as ‘Kunu Khampa’, in Kullu as ‘Neondi Khampa’ , in Chamba as ‘ Thava Khampa’, in Lahaul as ‘Garja Khampa’.
• There is another section of Khampas known as ‘Nekhor Khampa’, which literally means ‘the people who came from pilgrimage’.
• The khampas believe in all four sects of Lamaistic Buddhism i.e “Galuka’, ‘Ningama-pa’ ‘Sakyapa’ and ‘Kharguda-pa’. Their family deity is known as ‘Chhadna Dorge.

Jads :

• Jads are buddhists. They have occupied the area of Pangi and Chamba. They earn income from agriculture and wool trade.
• Unmarried girls in the region are known as Jomo.
• The Jads are also considered to be the original inhabitants of Tibet. Jads and Lambas used to visit Himachal territory not to settle here but for business purposes. The Jads occupied areas of Pangi and Chamba.