"When in Rome do as Romans do"

Experiencing Kullu as a Swangla Migrant

Abstract

The presence of Lahaulis in Kullu is well-documented within early colonial records as those “squatting seasonally in various parts of the town, as labourers and for trade” (Harcourt 1871: 244). In the 1970s, Lahaulis from the Swangla community in the Pattan Valley began to earn enough to invest in building permanent homes in Kullu. This paper highlights the complexities of urbanization in Kullu and the experiences of Swangla migrants, who negotiate their identities and place within the town (Kullu), while navigating traditional practices and cultural norms. The paper focuses further on the presence of Swangla migrants (a Scheduled Tribe from Himachal Pradesh) from the Pattan Valley of Lahaul in the town of Kullu and analyses the dynamics of urbanity in Kullu through their experiences. Metropolitan amenities and pleasant weather constitute a major pull factor for Swanglas. However, their aspiration to shed off traditional identities and prejudice is not achieved with migration as Kullu maintains its connections with rural heritage, reflected in the traditional values and cultural codes that are still adhered to by its inhabitants. The Swanglas respond to these dynamics in various ways, demonstrating their agency in posing their own identity and community in relation to the region. Hence, this paper investigates the dynamic position that Kullu constitutes as a case study of an urbanizing town that reinforces and upholds traditional practices of caste, as part of its lifestyle.