Kedarnath, Yamunotri Temples in Garhwal Himalayas Close for Winters Amid Heavy Snowfall
The portals of Kedarnath and Yamunotri temples in the Garhwal Himalayas were closed for winters on Bhai Dooj on Monday amid heavy snowfall. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Trivendra...
“Tarballs” Detected in Himalayan Atmosphere
Some people refer to the Himalaya-Tibetan Plateau as the “third pole” because the region has the largest reserve of glacial snow and ice outside of the north...
Riding for Shiva
Well, it all started some two years back when I realized that something was missing in my life. Even though I had almost everything to survive through...
Witnessing the Guru Thongdrol and being blessed by Guru Rinpoche at Paro Tshechu
Witnessing the Guru Thongdrol on the last day of Paro Tshechu was never on the cards during my 12-day Bhutan trip, but it started to make sense...
Take a virtual journey to the beautiful Himalayas where saffron is produced
The Saffron Crocus (Crocus sativus) blooms in Kashmir Valley, surrounded by the Himalayas on all sides, for only two weeks a year.
At the end of autumn, usually...
The Ziro Festival- Song, Apong and some company to go along
The dormant valley of Ziro comes to life as artists from across the world unite together with the local artists to celebrate music. It started in 2012...
Explained: Why scientists are trying to cultivate asafoetida or heeng in the Indian Himalayas
Asafoetida, or heeng, is a common ingredient in most Indian kitchens –– so much so that the country imports Rs 600 crore worth of this pungent flavoured herb every...
Masked Monks and Dancing Demons
The blow of the horns overpowering the chirping of the birds and splash of hues in the otherwise green scenery marks the beginning of the most cherished...
Stephen Atler wins Banff’s Mountain Environment and Natural History Award for his work, Wild...
Author and Fulbright scholar Stephen Alter has been announced the 2020 recipient of the notable Mountain Environment and Natural History prize, awarded each year as part of the Banff Mountain...
International Forests Day 2021: How Can You Help Save Forests
The need to understand the values that reside in forests arises from the estimated rates of loss of forest area and, hence, in biological diversity.
Forests worldwide are...
You Can Help Save Thano: Here’s How
While the first social movements occurred through protests and civil disobedience, the rise of the internet ushered in numerous online social movements. Since then, online social movements...
The Places In-Between (by Kartiki Gonsalves)
Exploring life in Fertile Land torn between two hostile neighbours
Lives shattered by the war of 1971, separated from most of their tribe and many family members, and...
Himalayas – Finding Ones Calling
Here is my take on the topic – Are mountains calling us or it’s ones calling which lead us to path of mountains.
"Mountains are calling and I...
Tsha Tsha Art: Guardian angels in clay- Part 1
More than two and half thousand years ago(624 BC), in a land nestled in the foothills of the mighty Himalayas, Lumbini(now in present-day Nepal)- a land endemic...
Temperature falls in North India, snowfall in Himachal, Shimla records -4.4° C
Several high-altitude areas of Himachal Pradesh received snowfall on Tuesday and temperatures dropped in many places in north India, including Haryana, Punjab and Delhi.
The minimum temperature in...
Rain can ‘move mountains’, say scientists studying erosion patterns in Himalayas
Rainfall can contribute in moving mountains, findings by researchers from the University of Bristol shows. These findings can not only enable geologists to effectively study the impact...
Triund, Himachal Pradesh
Sprawling seamlessly across the lap of the Dhauladhar ranges in Himachal Pradesh, Triund stands at a height of around 2,800 metres. While a visit to Dharamshala and...
Mountain biking expedition concludes in Uttarkashi
UTTARKASHI: The first-of-its-kind Mountain Terrain Biking (MTB) expedition to the Nelong Valley region of Indo-China border in Uttarkashi district concluded on Friday. The week-long expedition was organised...
Learning Tibetan
Since I came to India for the first time in 2015 I simply got inspired by the Tibetan people, by their culture, by how they try to...
Meet Himachal’s rising solo artist: Shubhank Sharma
Shubhank Sharma is a self-taught singer/songwriter/guitarist/composer from Rohru, Himachal Pradesh, India who loves everything from rock to blues to grunge and ghazals. Performing in his own band,...
Uttarakhand lost 50,000 hectares forest land to developmental activities in last 20 years
DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand, birthplace of the country’s major rivers like Ganga and Yamuna and home to the Himalayan ranges, is rapidly losing its forest land to commercial activities.
Data...
17000 ft and Growing
Minus degrees temperature, no table or chairs, books in a language you barely comprehend and teachers who struggle with the lack of resources but still give it...
Fifteen books with which to travel through nature when journeying out is impossible
If there’s ever been a year to binge-read nature-travel books, it’s this one. Through most of 2020 we barely journeyed beyond our living rooms, and really, the...
Tihar- A festival for all
At last it is the time of the year we all have been waiting for the whole year. Diwali is here!!! But this time with a twist....
19 stunning Himachal homestays that are now open
You may have missed your summer vacation this year due to the lockdown, but you won’t have to compromise on your winter break. Parts of Himachal Pradesh received their...
Nepal’s Pride: Nirmal Purja is Winning Hearts and Cleaning the Himalaya
Stories of some of the mightiest mountaineers looms large on the world of internet. Sheer vigour and back-breaking courage is what it takes to be one of...
Human-triggered fatal landslides are becoming frequent in the Himalayas and Western Ghats
Six days of relentless rain had saturated the soil on the rolling slopes of Rajamala hamlet in Anamalai hills – which support tea and coffee plantations –...
Rare Orchid Found For The First Time In Uttarakhand
A rare orchid has been discovered in the Himalayas in Uttarakhand, at an altitude of 3,800 metre. The discovery has been published in a French journal.
Dehradun: A...
Beautiful Risk
The towering glacier glistened as the first ray hit the powdery snow. On the horizon, the sun was glowing red breaking our almost six-hour ascent in the...
Me, Music and Mokshya: Discovering the mysterious Beatles’ Ashram
You may say I’m a dreamer !! But I’m not the only one !! I hope someday you’ll join us !! And the world will live as one !!
During the...
Mountains that sustain millions
The word Himalaya comes from two Sanskrit words: Him (snow) and Aalay (abode). The beauty of the Himalaya, which are one of the youngest chains of mountains in the world harbouring...
Albedo Effect: Dust Blowing from Asia and Africa is Melting the Snow in the...
Dust may be a substantial factor aiding the snowmelt in the Himalayas. The term albedo denotes reflection strength. Pure white snow, with high reflection, has a high...
Kaza to Kibber and Back, On a Cycle: My Most Memorable Microadventure
It was the month of September in 2016. I had just arrived in Kaza after a multi-day trek. After a day’s rest, I made a sudden decision...
Are the Himalayas an Untapped Gold Mine for Powder Skiing?
Big lines in far western Nepal, a spot that Smithwick says is the future for big mountain powder skiing in the Himalayas.
The storm rolled into the valley...
Bonhomie in Barter- Jonbeel Mela
In an era where going cashless is the trend, Jonbeel mela serves as a veritable blast from the past. Gaining its name from the Assamese words ‘Jon’...
Snowfall in higher reaches of Valley
The famous ski resort of Gulmarg and other higher reaches of Kashmir received snowfall for the second day on Tuesday. The plains were lashed by rains, the...
Bhutan’s Role in Eastern Himalayan Security Affairs.
In 2020, the clashes between Chinese and Indian security forces in the Galwan Valley and subsequent inter-State tensions between China and India came to dominate international headlines...
Lip-smacking dishes to try in Bhutan
Bhutanese Cuisine
South Asian food is all about flavour, flavour, and flavour! The spices, the chillies, the vegetables and the textural components—all create magic together. Be it India,...
Top 5 Popular Treks in Nepal
Home to some cultures and religions that have shaped the philosophical outlook of the civilized world for the thousands of years, Nepal is not only a paradise...
Construction of Zojila tunnel starts. To reduce travel time from 3 hrs to 15...
Union Minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday launched the first blasting for construction related work at the 14.15 km Zojila tunnel, one of the longest in Asia, that...
World’s Highest Post Office In The Himalayas
India is proud of the majestic Himalayas, its fascinating landscapes, snow capped peaks and unique mountain biodiversity. The Himalayas or other mountain ranges in the world have...
LAND OF THE THUNDER DRAGON—BHUTAN IN PICTURES
1.Land of the Thunder Dragon
Bhutan, fondly referred to as Land of the Thunder Dragon is a nation that leads by example. Besides the staggering natural beauty of...
World Tourism Day: COVID -19 an opportunity to rethink Himalayan tourism
The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has affected us all economically, physically, mentally and emotionally ever since the very first lockdown in March, 2020.
Tourism is a significant...
Tosh-unexplored beauty and serenity
Two roads diverged in a wood, And sorry I could not travel both and I- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference- Robert...
After Rohtang, more high-altitude tunnels to come up on Manali-Leh highway
Once the strategic Atal Tunnel under the Rohtang Pass is inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, the defence ministry will expedite work on building more...
Wanderings Through the Garhwal Himalaya (by Ganesh Saili)
‘You may break; you may shatter the vase, if you will But the scent of the roses will cling to it still.’
The recently published title Wandering through...
Why the mountains matter
Mountains are the most magnificent and majestic geographical features of the world. Be it the Andes in South America, the Alps in Europe or the mighty Himalayas...
Inside the World’s only Carbon Negative Country – Bhutan
Bhutan, often perceived as James Hilton’s real-life Shangri-La, is no ordinary place. Comfortably tucked between two of the world’s most populous countries, this landlocked, mountain-clad kingdom is...
2 wonderful new books take armchair travelers to the Himalayas
“Till the summer of 1904 if one had been asked what was the most mysterious spot on the earth’s surface the reply would have been Lhasa.” So...
Zanskar to Ziro: No Stilettos in the Himalayas (by Sohini Sen)
Zanskar to Ziro: No Stilettos in the Himalayas is a travelogue about two women’s decade-long love affair with the Himalayas. Their 10,000-kilometre trail stretched from the remote...