Chang pa- Ladakh

Chang pa- Ladakh

Chang pa are semi nomadic tribal people residing in Changthang regions of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir.

The Changpa are high altitude pastoralists, raising mainly yaks and goats.

For many Changpas, rearing of animals, and consuming and selling their produce (milk and its products, hair and meat) is the only means of livelihood.

They are classified as scheduled tribes by Indian government for affirmative action.

The Changpas rear the highly pedigreed and prized Changra goats that yield the rare Pashmina wool.

Kashmir Pashmina has been accorded Geographical indication (GI) tag under Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.

Nomads have roamed around the undemarcated borders with China and Tibet, for centuries, herding the famed and hardy goats that produce the ultrasoft wool known as Pashmina, the finest of cashmeres.

The months-long military standoff between India and China is hurting local communities due to the loss of tens of thousands of Himalayan goat kids died because they couldn’t reach traditional winter grazing lands.

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