Behind every landscape are lives being lived, knowledge being passed on, places changing and stories being told. We bring these stories together, in many forms and through many voices.
Winters are a time when most women in the mountains work with wool. Knitting and weaving woollens for family and…
“Lungpa Bhu Med La Bhu, Ta Med La Teu, Chu Med La Chu” Piti Da-Chang Monlam “May the ones deprived…
In the higher Himalayan region, weaving is an ancient craft and forms an integral part of people’s lives. In Lahaul,…
Barley grown organically has been a staple produce in the high altitude regions of Spiti, Lahaul and Ladakh. In the…
Nestled high amidst the majestic peaks of the Himalayas lies a hidden treasure, a rare and mystical berry known as…
I was born in Hango (11,500 ft) which is a remote village in the Hangrang valley of Kinnaur. I am…
Clothes and identity are closely related: traditional clothes of a region reveal a lot about its geography, physical environment, climatic…
Houses are intrinsically tied to the cultural landscape of the region and in the olden times in Kinnaur, great value…
– A Spitian Proverb –
Books, guides, posters, toolkits and other resources from across the Himalaya.
HimKatha began in 2020, during the Covid-19 lockdown, when isolation and limited connectivity made it difficult for people across Spiti’s villages to stay in touch. We wondered if a print publication could help keep local conversations alive and create space for stories from the region.
The first print edition appeared in November 2020. Since then, HimKatha has grown in scope, format and reach, bringing more voices into the conversation as the Himalayan region continues to change. These early editions mark the beginning of the archive.
HimKatha brings together stories, knowledge and perspectives from across the Himalaya. We believe these stories deserve to be shared with care, grounded in the places and communities they come from, and open to different ways of seeing and understanding the world. These values shape how we work with contributors, tell stories and make them accessible to everyone.
Stories should make room for people who know these places because they live there and carry their stories and knowledge.
The Himalaya is not a single landscape or culture. We tell stories with care for the places, histories, and communities.
Knowledge lives in research and archives, but also in memory, practice, observation, craft and everyday lived experience.
Himkatha is freely accessible because stories and knowledge should be shared widely, without barriers or a paywall today.
