LANGUAGE AND TRADITIONAL VALUES AMONG GUJJAR AND BAKARWAL TRIBE OF JAMMU REGION

Gujjar and Bakarwal is the third largest community in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Gujjar and Bakarwal population is highest in the Jammu region followed by the valley of Kashmir. They are tribe who strictly follow old traditions and customs. Gujjar wear their traditional dresses men adorn turbans of their heads in Mughal style along with long and loses ‘Kurta’ or shirts with ‘Salwar’ women wears lose ‘Kurta’ having collars and cuffs along with ‘Suthan’ in Churidar style. Now a days, there has been a change in life style of Gujjars also like others tribe with the change of time.  The Gojri language is the language spoken by Gujjars. The Gojri language is primarily spoken in Poonch and Rajouri districts and is the third largest spoken language of Kashmiri and Dogri in the state. Some of the more cultural and harsh sound of Gojri and Bakarwali cannot replicate in the Urdu script. In order to correct this, the Gojri section of Jammu and Kashmir academy of art, culture and languages established in 1978 added some new symbol to the existing script to make the script suitable to Gojri and Bakarwali language.