Garhwali People
Garhwalis are an Indo-Aryan ethno-linguistic group who primarily inhabit the Garhwal Himalayas. Any person who has ancestral Garhwali roots or lives in Garhwal and has a Garhwali heritage is called a Garhwali. They include all those who speak the Garhwali language or any of its numerous dialects.
The culture of the present Garhwal is an amalgamation of influences from the indigenous population coupled with traditions superimposed by various immigrants who settled in the region from time to time. Majority of the people are involved in the agriculture, tourism and the defense industry.
Garhwali people are divided into three castes- Garhwali Brahmin, Garhwali Rajput and Shilpkaar. Most of the Garhwali Brahmins and Rajputs are of Khas origin and practice the Khas traditions like 'Sautiya baant', 'Gharjawain', 'Dewar-Bhabhi Vivaah' etc. They are closely related to each other. Their surnames are based either on the names of their villages (Gairola, Hatwal, Uniyal, Bahuguna, Thapliyal, Semwal, Nautiyal etc.) or according to their professions (Pundir, Bisht, Negi, Joshi, Rawat etc.). Shipkaars, on the other hand, are composed of various sub-castes and are classified as Scheduled Castes in the Constitution of India.
Read more about this topic: Garhwali Language
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