Can camel milk make the journey from arid deserts to India’s chic urban patisseries?
In Rajasthan, if Raikas are able to sell camel milk to urban consumers, it could save their way of life – and the species.
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Varda Ram has been herding camels since he was five years old. The first thing he and his group of pastoralists do after waking up is check on their animals, ensuring that any thorns in their fur are removed. After the mothers are done feeding their babies, Ram and his group collect milk from the animals and take them out to graze.
Ram is a member of the Raika community, who have been herding camels for centuries. He travels between 10 km and 15 km each day across west Rajasthan with fellow pastoralists and a herd of around 40 camels. It is a way of life that his parents and grandparents followed before him, stemming from the belief that they have been divinely created by the god Shiva to care for the animals.
“From the moment I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was camels,” Ram said. “So I have an attachment to them. We have love for the camel because our fathers and grandfathers have been keeping camels for many centuries.”
But the Raika way of life is becoming rare, as grazing areas have increasingly been fenced off. According to United Nations data, the camel population in India fell to about 200,000 in 2019...
