A Study of Non-Literate Traditional Knowledge System of Uttarakhand

Abstract

Till a few decades back, Uttarakhand was supposed to be an isolated region from rest of the world due to its geographical constraints. But now it has become clear through some recent researches that this notion was wrong. On the contrary, this region was always in give and take relationship with other regions. It contributed a great deal to the urbanisation of the Ganga valley which took place during the 1st millennium BCE. The Ganga Valley availed the traditional technologies of Uttarakhand which were developed by the primitive people of the region over centuries in the course of their trial and error experimentation. Knowledge of metallurgy was one such area which was quite developed in Uttarakhad because iron and copper ore reserves were available in plenty. The urbanisation of the Ganga Valley was based on metals especially on iron but it was not amply available in the valley because there are no mineral occurrences in the alluvium of the doab, whereas there are evidence of copper smelting belonging to the 2nd millennium BCE from Pithoragarh and iron smelting near Dwarahat dating back to 1000 BCE. These circumstantial evidences strongly prove the relationship between the Ganga Valley and Uttarakhand based on supply and demand of metals. The early people of this region were totally dependent upon nature not only for their basic needs but also for many other things. The people learnt about various herbs and plants not only for food supplements but also for medicinal purposes. They had knowledge about the hardness and brittleness of various stones which were used by them for making tools, for hunting. Quite sophisticated technologies were developed by early people of this region through millennia of experience and trial and error experimentation. These traditional technologies not only reflect the religio- aesthetic aspiration of early people but also indicate their relationship with the environment to eke out their living. They lived in harmony with the nature.