THE CHOPAN 

The Chopans are dedicated shepherds who care for the sheep entrusted to them by local farmers.Their deep connection with nature and profound understanding of sheep-rearing techniques have become woven into the fabric of their culture.But despite their dedication and lot of contribution they  face numerous challenges in their quest to preserve this ancient tradition. For ages having lived as pastoralists, the community hardly owns their livestock or agricultural lands.They have always lived under the constant shadow of poverty, backwardness and illiteracy. Successive governments in J&K have neither appreciated nor returned the favour of this community’s contributions. For instance, while the similarly placed communities –like the Gujjars and Bakerwals, and (even though they are usually better off for the reasons that they graze their own herds) have grabbed several benefits and opportunities in jobs and education through reservations, no such benefits have accrued to the Chopans in Kmr.