History tells us that the original inhabitants of the
Himalayas were the Kinnars, Kilinds, and Kiratas. Our Hindu epics and
Puranas give reference of their existence in the Himalayan regions.
History also mentions the names of Khasas and the Darads. But today only
three different ethnic groups form the Himalayan population. They are
the Negroids, Mongoloids and the Aryans. The population, settlement in
the Himalayan region is greatly influenced by the topography, economic
pattern and the climatic condition. The climate condition is one of the
main factors for the population settlements since extreme climatic
condition imposes a restriction on the living conditions and tends to
restrict movement and communication. But the ethnic groups living in
remote valleys of the Himalayan region have generally conserved their
traditional cultural identities.
But improvements in communication and transportation system have
improved the lifestyle of the people living in those regions. The
modernization is affecting the traditional cultural and social system of
the areas. The population in the Himalayan region is nearly about 40
million. The Hindus of the Indian origin mainly dominate the Sub
Himalayan and the Middle Himalayan valleys. In places like eastern
Kashmir to Nepal it is mostly Hindu population. While in the Great
Himalayan region in the north it is mainly the Tibetan Buddhists who are
seen from Ladakh to northeast India. In central Nepal, both Indian and
Tibetan cultures have blend together, producing a mixed culture of
Indian and Tibetan traits. While in the eastern Himalayas in India and
nearby areas of eastern Bhutan people practice religion and culture
similar to those living in northern Myanmar and Yunnan province in
China. Muslims are mostly seen in western Kashmir and their culture is
similar to the population of Iran and Afghanistan. The people of Sikkim
mainly belong to three ethnic groups. They are the Nepalis, the Bhutiyas
and the Lepchas. The Lepchas are now a minority class but they are the
original inhabitants. The main occupation of the people in the Himalayan
region is agriculture and animal husbandry. But recently trade and
commerce had played a vital role in the lives of the people living in
the frontier villages in Himachal, Ladakh, Kumaon and Garhwal.
