THE DARDS

MALAVIKA LOVEL 193712026

DILIP SHETTY 193712062
THE DARDS ARE A GROUP OF INDO-ARYAN PEOPLES FOUND
PREDOMINANTLY IN NORTHERN PAKISTAN, NORTHWESTERN
INDIA AND EASTERN AFGHANISTAN. THEY SPEAK DARDIC
LANGUAGES, WHICH BELONG TO THE INDO-ARYAN GROUP OF
THE INDO-EUROPEAN LANGUAGE FAMILY. THE LARGEST
POPULATIONS OF DARDS ARE IN GILGIT-BALTISTAN AND
KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA, PAKISTAN AND IN THE KASHMIR
VALLEY, CHENAB VALLEY AND PIR PANJAL RANGE IN INDIAN
ADMINISTERED KASHMIR. THERE ARE SMALLER POPULATIONS
IN LADAKH AND IN EASTERN AFGHANISTAN.THE KASHMIRI
PEOPLE ARE THE LARGEST DARDIC GROUP, WITH A
POPULATION OF OVER 5.5 MILLION.

THEIR CUSTOMS
THEY REAR GOAT AND SHEEP FOR MILK AND MEAT, AND
THEIR FESTIVALS ARE BASED ON THE SOLAR CALENDAR.
BANGROO VISITED THE REGIONS INHABITED BY THE DARD
ARYAN COMMUNITY BACK IN 2017, WHERE HE HELPED SET UP
TWO MUSEUMS TO ARCHIVE THEIR CULTURAL HERITAGE.
BANGROO IS OF THE VIEW THAT THEIR TRADITIONS GO BACK
5,000 YEARS; THOSE WHO STILL FOLLOW THE ORIGINAL
CUSTOMS WORSHIP TREES, RIVERS AND MOUNTAINS. DURING
THEIR VISIT TO DELHI, THEY WERE ALSO TAKEN TO
PRAYAGRAJ FOR A DAY TO VISIT THE KUMBH. THESE TRIBALS
ARE MAINLY DEPENDENT ON AGRICULTURE; THE APRICOTS
GROWN HERE ARE CONSIDERED AMONG THE BEST IN THE
WORLD AND THERE ARE 12 VARIETIES OF GRAPES IN THE
REGION. BANGROO SAID GRAPE-WINE IS VERY POPULAR IN
THE “ARYAN VALLEY”.