Livestock Tending Practices at Nayachar Pastureland, East Medinipur District, West Bengal

Nayachar is a newly emerged island of East Medinipur district. West Bengal, measuring about 17 km in length and 6 km in width. It is located near the mouth of Hooghly river and approachable by river route through Haldia of East Medinipur district and Nischintapur of South 24-Parganas district. After the formation of this island about 60 years ago, grasses started growing on the mudflat and gave shape to this island. But before the beginning of human settlement, neighbouring people from Kadwip, Kulpi, Pathar Pratima, Mathurapur, and Namkhana Police Stations, used to utilize the grassland of Nayachar, known to them as Agunmarir Char, as grazing field for cattle and buffaloes during post cultivation lean period from October to March, even up to June, since 1950s. At that time the bovine animals were taken to the island from Poila No. Ghat, using country boat, with cattle in the hold of the boat, and 4-5 buffaloes tied to the boat, while the remainings were driven to the river to swim across following them. The same practice is followed even today, vising 2-cylinder mechanized boat (bhutbhiiti), instead of country boat.