Books by Ilse Kohler-Rollefson

‿I never knew how fascinating a book about herding and grazing could be‿ This book is remarkable.‿ Joanna Lumley‿Ilse‿s deep understanding of herding cultures, and their relationship with the land and life itself, is both moving and revelatory‿ I loved this book.‿ Isabella Tree, author of Wilding‿Ilse Köhler-Rollefson emerges as a voice worth listening to in this fascinating book about traditional herding culture.‿ Country LifeHoofprints on the Land is a fascinating, original and lyrical description of the working partnerships between people and animals that are based on profound respect and relationships that, with the land itself, are founded not on exploitation but reciprocity. Ilse draws on her experience of living with the Raika camel herding community in India for the past 30 years to  show how herding cultures tend their flocks in harmony with the land and in partnership with their animals. Nomadic livestock herding is the most ancient and natural means of keeping livestock, yet through colonisation and modernisation, these pioneers have been pushed to the edges of society and their methods have been dismissed as old fashioned and out of touch. Hoofprints on the Land debunks the myth that animal-free agriculture is the only way forward for a healthy planet, and reflects on how we can work with animals to regenerate the landscape. As Ilse writes: ‿Herding is therapy, not just for the planet, but also for our souls.‿

According to myth, the camel was created by Lord Shiva at the behest of his consort Parvati. Parvati shaped a strange five-legged animal from clay and asked Shiva to blow life into it. At first Shiva refused, saying that the misshapen animal will not fare well in the world, but later gave in. He folded the animal's fifth leg over its back giving it a hump, and commanded it to get up, "uth." That is how the animal got its name. The camel then needed someone to look after it, so Shiva rolled off a bit of skin and dust from his arm and made out of this the first Raika. Historically, the Raika of Rajasthan have had a unique and enduring relationship with camels. Their entire existence revolves around looking after the needs of these animals which, in turn, provide them with sustenance, wealth and companionship. When German veterinarian, Ilse Kohler-Rollefson, arrives in Rajasthan in 1991, she is Immediately enthralled by the Raikas' intimate relationship with their animals but also confronted with their existential problems. This is the story of the quest that follows to save a globally unique and humane animal culture and find a place for the camel in rapidly changing India. It is a journey that is often exasperating, sometimes funny, but keeps revealing unexpected layers of rural Rajasthani mores. A travelogue of a sort, this book takes us deeply into the diverse cultures that make Rajasthan such a fascinating place.