UPVAN JAWAI
The herders of these hills have lived alongside leopards for generations, without fence or conflict. Their hospitality is the heart of a stay here.
Ask a Rabari herder whether he fears the leopards and he will look genuinely puzzled. His grandfather grazed these hills. So did his grandfather's grandfather.
A coexistence with no equal
Jawai is studied by conservationists precisely because the expected conflict never materialised. Livestock losses are rare and, when they happen, absorbed as a cost of sharing the land.
Visiting well
Our village walks are arranged with families we have known for years. Tea is offered and should be accepted. Photographs are welcome once asked for.
The hills belong to whoever has learned to live in them quietly.
Written by Upvan Jawai
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