1. Read the source given below and answer the question that follow:
‘In the hills the Gujjars are exclusively a pastoral tribe ñ they cultivate scarcely at all. The Gaddis keep flocks of sheep and goats and the Gujjars, wealth consists of buffaloes. These people live in the skirts of the forests, and maintain their existence exclusively by the sale of the milk, ghee, and other produce of their herds. The men graze the cattle, and frequently lie out for weeks in the woods tending their herds. The women repair to the markets every morning with baskets on their heads, with little earthen pots filled with milk, butter-milk and ghee, each of these pots containing the proportion required for a day’s meal. During the hot weather the Gujjars usually drive their herds to the upper range, where the buffaloes rejoice in the rich grass which the rains bring forth and at the same time attain condition from the temperate climate and the immunity from venomous flies that torment their existence in the plains.’
Q.1 How do the Gujjars sustain their livelihood in the hills? (1)
Q.2 What distinguishes the Gaddis from the Gujjars in terms of livestock? (1)
Q.3 Describe the lifestyle of the Gujjars in the hills, focusing on their seasonal movements and the roles of men and women. (2)
2. Read the source given below and answer the question that follow:
The accounts of many travellers tell us about the life of pastoral groups. In the early nineteenth century, Buchanan visited the Gollas during his travel through Mysore. He wrote: ‘Their families live in small villages near the skirt of the woods, where they cultivate a little ground, and keep some of their cattle, selling in the towns the produce of the dairy. Their families are very numerous, seven to eight young men in each being common. Two or three of these attend the flocks in the woods, while the remainder cultivate their fields, and supply the towns with firewood, and with straw for thatch.’
Q.1 Where did the Gollas live and what were their main sources of livelihood, according to Buchanan’s account? (1)
Q.2 How did the Gollas balance their roles between tending flocks and other activities? (1)
Q.3 Describe the lifestyle and economic activities of the Gollas as observed by Buchanan during his travels through Mysore. (2)
3. Read the source given below and answer the question that follow:
Under colonial rule, the life of pastoralists changed dramatically. Their grazing grounds shrank, their movements were regulated, and the revenue they had to pay increased. Their agricultural stock declined and their trades and crafts were adversely affected. How? First, the colonial state wanted to transform all grazing lands into cultivated farms. Land revenue was one of the main sources of its finance. By expanding cultivation it could increase its revenue collection. It could at the same time produce more jute, cotton, wheat and other agricultural produce that were required in England. To colonial officials all uncultivated land appeared to be unproductive: it produced neither revenue nor agricultural produce. It was seen as ëwaste landí that needed to be brought under cultivation. From the mid-nineteenth century, Waste Land Rules were enacted in various parts of the country. By these Rules uncultivated lands were taken over and given to select individuals. These individuals were granted various concessions and encouraged to settle these lands. Some of them were made headmen of villages in the newly cleared areas. In most areas the lands taken over were actually grazing tracts used regularly by pastoralists. So
expansion of cultivation inevitably meant the decline of pastures and a problem for pastoralists.
Q.1 Why did the colonial state want to transform all grazing lands into cultivated farms? (1)
Q.2 What was the impact of the Waste Land Rules on pastoralists’ grazing grounds? (1)
Q.3 Explain how the expansion of cultivation under colonial rule affected the lives of pastoralists, focusing on grazing lands and revenue collection policies. (2)
4. Read the source given below and answer the question that follow:
Over the years, some richer pastoralists began buying land and settling down, giving up their nomadic life. Some became settled peasants cultivating land, others took to more extensive trading. Many poor pastoralists, on the other hand, borrowed money from moneylenders to survive. At times they lost their cattle and sheep and became labourers, working on fields or in small towns. Yet, pastoralists not only continue to survive, in many regions their numbers have expanded over recent decades. When pasturelands in one place was closed to them, they changed the direction of their movement, reduced the size of the herd, combined pastoral activity with other forms of income and adapted to the changes in the modern world. Many ecologists believe that in dry regions and in the mountains, pastoralism is still ecologically the most viable form of life.
Q.1 How did some richer pastoralists adapt to changes in their lifestyle over the years? (1)
Q.2 What challenges did poorer pastoralists face, and how did it impact their way of life? (1)
Q.3 Describe the ways in which pastoralists adapted to changes over the years and why ecologists believe pastoralism remains ecologically viable in dry regions and mountains. (2)
5. Read the source given below and answer the question that follow:
From the late nineteenth century, the British colonial government in east Africa also encouraged local peasant communities to expand
cultivation. As cultivation expanded, pasturelands were turned into
cultivated fields. In pre-colonial times, the Maasai pastoralists had
dominated their agricultural neighbours both economically and
politically. By the end of colonial rule the situation had reversed.
Large areas of grazing land were also turned into game reserves like
the Maasai Mara and Samburu National Park in Kenya and Serengeti
Park in Tanzania. Pastoralists were not allowed to enter these
reserves; they could neither hunt animals nor graze their herds in
these areas. Very often these reserves were in areas that had
traditionally been regular grazing grounds for Maasai herds. The
Serengeti National Park, for instance, was created over 14,760 km.
of Maasai grazing land.
Q.1 What was the impact of creating game reserves on the Maasai pastoralists? (1)
Q.2 Which national park was created over 14,760 km of Maasai grazing land? (1)
Q.3 Describe how the expansion of cultivation and creation of game reserves changed the traditional lifestyle of the Maasai pastoralists during British colonial rule. (2)
Note: The case-based questions and passages provided here are intended to give students an idea of how to approach such questions in exams. While these align with the CBQ pattern seen in assessments, there can be differences in the paragraphs or extracts taken from NCERT books for case-based questions provided in exams. This practice helps students analyze, interpret, and respond effectively to textual information for better preparation.
