Hattis of Himachal Pradesh

Context

The Centre is set to consider the Himachal Pradesh government’s request for inclusion of the Hatti community in the list of Scheduled Tribes in the state.

Who are the Hattis?

• The Hattis are a close-knit community who got their name from their tradition of selling homegrown vegetables, crops, meat and wool etc. at small markets called ‘haat’ in towns.
• The Hatti community, whose men generally don a distinctive white headgear during ceremonies, is cut off from Sirmaur by two rivers called Giri and Tons.
• Tons divides it from the Jaunsar Bawar area of Uttarakhand.
• The Hattis who live in the trans-Giri area and Jaunsar Bawar in Uttarakhand were once part of the royal estate of Sirmaur until Jaunsar Bawar’s separation in 1815.
• Due to topographical disadvantages, the Hattis living in the Kamrau, Sangrah, and Shilliai areas lag behind in education and employment.

Hattis societal norms

• Hattis are administered by a traditional council known as a Khumbli, which, like Haryana’s khaps, decides on community issues.
• Despite the establishment of the panchayati raj system, the Khumbli’s dominance has remained unquestioned.
• Inter-marriages are widespread between the two clans, which have comparable customs.
• The Hattis have a rather tight caste system, with the Bhat and Khash being the higher castes and the Badhois being the lower castes.
• Inter-caste marriage has long been frowned upon.