Gnathang: The first-ever Yak Festival at Gnathang village in eastern Sikkim has brought Himalayan yak herders together to discuss shrinking grazing grounds, unpredictable weather and the future of a traditional livelihood threatened by environmental changes and the migration of younger generations to other professions.
Held at an altitude of approximately 13,500 feet, the festival brought together representatives from Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Ladakh to exchange experiences and explore ways to strengthen yak-based livelihoods.
Thupden Lachungpa, president of the Yak Association of Sikkim, welcomed the gathering as an opportunity for herders to share their concerns. Although yak numbers have shown some improvement, he said the overall population remained low.
“The fact that our voices are being heard is something that makes me feel really good,” Lachungpa said.
Describing yaks as “ecological machines”, he emphasised their importance to high-altitude ecosystems, warning that their disappearance would affect wildlife and other forms of life dependent on mountain grasslands.
For Gnawang Phuntsok, a yak herder from Gnathang village, the animals represent a family legacy spanning five generations. He said his herd had been passed down from his great-grandfather.
“The yak I have today is not something I bought. It has come down to me from my great-grandfather. We have been rearing yaks for five generations,” Phuntsok said.
However, sustaining this tradition has become increasingly difficult as unpredictable weather disrupts seasonal grazing patterns. Herders depend on moving their animals between pastures at specific times of the year, but sudden snowfall or untimely rainfall can disrupt these plans.
“We know which month we have to take the yaks to a particular grazing area. But sometimes the weather changes unexpectedly. If heavy snowfall occurs suddenly or the rains arrive at the wrong time, we face difficulties in moving the animals,” he said.
Phuntsok said the festival could help raise awareness about yak rearing and the products derived from the animals. He also acknowledged the support herders received through annual vaccinations and other assistance.
Gnathang-Machong MLA Pamin Lepcha said preserving yak rearing was essential to sustaining traditional livelihoods and cultural practices in Sikkim’s high-altitude border areas.
“The conditions are very harsh, and the people living in these areas face many challenges,” she said, emphasising that the festival provided an opportunity to encourage yak rearing and showcase the traditions associated with it.
Lepcha said around 400 to 500 yaks were present in the area during the festival, which also featured stalls displaying yak products and traditional practices. She expressed hope that the first edition would receive a positive response and become an annual event.
“This is the first festival, so we will have to see how people respond. I hope the response is good and that it becomes a recurring event, allowing us to celebrate our traditions and promote yak rearing in the years to come,” she said.
Representing Ladakh, Lobzang Dadul, a member of the Yak Herders Association of Ladakh and the Indian Yak Federation, called for cooperation among Himalayan regions to address shared challenges and improve the economic returns from yak-based products. Five representatives from Ladakh attended the festival.
“Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh need to work together on yak conservation and the promotion of yak-based products. If each region works in isolation, the results will be limited,” Dadul said.
He proposed including Nepal and Bhutan in a broader Himalayan yak federation to facilitate knowledge-sharing and joint initiatives. He also stressed the need to add value to yak milk, dairy products and fibre to help herders secure better returns.
Passang Tshering Bhutia, assistant director in Sikkim’s Animal Husbandry Department, identified grassland degradation and the migration of younger generations towards other professions as major challenges facing the sector.
Drawing on his experience of working with yak herders since 1988, Bhutia estimated that around 40% of grasslands had been lost or affected. He stressed that the animals’ survival depended on the availability of natural pastures.
“Yak rearing has been a traditional livelihood of high-altitude communities, particularly in North Sikkim. Traditionally, yaks have been a symbol of strength and survival in the harsh Himalayan environment. However, younger generations are now better educated and increasingly moving towards other professions and sources of income, making it difficult to sustain the traditional practice of yak herding,” he said.
Bhutia called for improved pasture management, scientific research and the development of higher-value products from yak milk and fibre to make the occupation more attractive to younger generations.