An Ethnographic Study of the Phari (Pahari) People of the Rajouri–Poonch Region of the Pir Panjal Range, Jammu and Kashmir

The Phari people, often subsumed under the broader category of "Pahari" communities in ethnographic literature, represent a distinct cultural group inhabiting the Rajouri–Poonch region of the Pir Panjal Range in the Jammu division of Jammu and Kashmir. This ethnographic study, conducted through twelve months of intensive participant observation and qualitative interviews with 47 community members across three villages in the Rajouri and Poonch districts, examines the complex social structures, linguistic practices, livelihood strategies, and religious worldviews that characterise Phari society. Drawing on theoretical frameworks from kinship analysis, linguistic anthropology, and economic anthropology, this research demonstrates that despite significant pressures from modernisation and state integration, the Phari maintain distinctive cultural practices rooted in their specific ecological niche and historical trajectory. The paper argues that understanding the Phari requires moving beyond essentialist categorisations and attending to the dynamic, negotiated nature of their cultural identity in contemporary contexts. The study contributes to the underrepresented ethnographic literature on Himalayan hill peoples and offers insights relevant to debates about indigenous knowledge systems, sustainable livelihood practices, and cultural resilience in mountain communities.