Q. With reference to ‘Changpa’ community of India, consider the following statement:

  1. They live mainly in the State of Uttarakhand.
  2. They rear the Pashmina goats that yield a fine wool.
  3. They are kept in the category of Scheduled Tribes.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

  • 1 only
  • 2 and 3 only
  • 3 only
  • 1, 2 and 3

Answer: (b) 2 and 3 only

Changpa community
  • The Changpa are a semi-nomadic Tibetan people found mainly in the Changtang in Ladakh and in Jammu and Kashmir.
  • The Changpas rear the highly pedigreed and prized Changra goats (Capra Hircus) that yield the rare Pashmina (Cashmere) fibre.
    • The pashmina fibre is the finest fibre of all goat hair.
  • Due to the high altitude, the region is cold during summers with occasional snowfall and winters are extremely cold to work. Thus, maximum rearing is done during the summer season.
  • In 1989, Changpas were declared as the Scheduled Tribes. 
  • The Changpa speak Changskhat, a dialect of Tibetan, and practice Tibetan Buddhism.
  • Among the Changpa tribe, people are further divided into two other groups, namely, Phalpa and Fangpa.
pashmina goat