Dehradun: In a group of great altitude villages near the border between India-China in Uttarakhand’s Uttarkashi districtHouseholds are formed by absence. In eight settlements: Harsil, Mukhba, Bagori, Dharali, Sukhi, Purali, Jhala and Jaspaur, the presence of young women and children has been constantly reduced. Migration has not been forced, nor has it followed economic anguish. It derives from a quieter calculation: the recognition that local schools cannot meet the expectations that families now place in education. In response, women have moved with children to cities such as Dehradun and Uttarkashi, leaving men behind to administer apple orchards and tourism businesses.
Anupriya Rawat, who once lived in a border town near Harsil, now resides in Dehradun with his son. Speaking to Toi, his voice had no resentment, he only waives. “Ideally, I would not like to stay in a city away from my husband, but we are obliged to make this sacrifice for the future of our children,” he said. “Several other women also abandoned the people for the good of their children.”
In the heart of this change is education, or the lack of it. In the eight villages, there is only one among schools. Many of the settlements have only one primary school, but Bagori doesn’t even have that. In those who do, the same two teachers are often responsible for all subjects, in all grades. The villagers said that schools do not meet the basic standards.
“Schools are full of problems such as the lack of hygiene and absence of teachers,” said Asha Panwar, a resident of Dharali who left years ago to raise his children in Uttarkashi. Her husband continues to live in the village, but she remains in the city with her children, now 16 and 11 years. “Almost all our villages empty due to this problem. You will not find babysitters or school children there,” he said.
Despite this dislocation, families are not necessarily broken. Many are economically safe, even prosperous. Apple agriculture remains a strong source of seasonal income, and the pilgrimage economy surrounding the Char Dham route brings consistent profits. Men handle their lands and lodges, either alone or with major relatives.
“Without a doubt, it is difficult to stay separate from the wife and children of one, but the positive side is that we are receiving economic independence by staying in our villages,” said Madhvendra Rawat, a Harsil resident. “At some point, one of our villagers hired a helicopter to transport his father to a private hospital during a medical emergency, reflecting prosperity. However, running out of family has its own consequences, especially during the medical emergency and festivities.”
The authorities recognize that the change to the cities has been happening, but the educational facilities in the villages are not to blame. “The availability of teachers, school infrastructure and other facilities in government schools in the region is not below the pair,” said Harsha Rawat, a block education officer, Bhatwari, Uttarkashi. “These are ‘vibrant peoples’ in which special funds are provided for the maintenance of the facilities, however, families are migrating because education in cities can be allowed. The community must show the inclination towards their native places also instead of staying.”
A source in the Department of Education recalled a visit from the Minister of Education Dhan Singh Rawat to Bhatwari in October 2024.. He expressed apprehension regarding the closure of the intermediate school in Harsil given the unbridled migration of mothers and children in the area, “the source told toi. “People have to understand migration is not the solution.”
Even so, for mothers who pack their lives and take their children to cities, that argument may sound hollow. Back in the hills, the sound of school bells can echo, but the classrooms remain half cows.