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| The Sanskrit word ‘Himalaya’ means 'Abode of Snow' (‘him’ – snow, ‘alaya’ – abode). Although, its snow-clad peaks have fascinated the multitudes that live in the plains at their base and look up to their great heights, the Himalayas are much more than a storehouse of snow. Geographers, explorers, pilgrims, traders and travellers that have dared those misty heights through the years have left a collection of their observations and
experiences of the Himalayas, that have helped piece together an understanding of the Himalayan region. |
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| FACTS AND MAPS |
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| Factsheets |
Maps |
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| A collection of the most important facts about the Himalaya mountains that help understand its location, magnitude, ecology, society, and other key features. |
Maps, to-scale, and some not to scale, of different parts of the Himalayan region. |
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The Himalayas have for centuries been a geographic enigma, shrouded in
legend, mythology and explorers’ tales, one of the last such places on earth,
apart from the Antarctica, where fact and imagination merged imperceptibly.
The mountains, the difficult terrain and the severe climate had left them
impenetrable fortresses of Nature for millennia, and even when humans
studied and mapped it, they could reach and document but parts of it.
British and European explorers were the major contributors to our
understanding of the Himalayan region as we know it today, having conducted
several expeditions for political and scientific purposes right through the
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and into the twentieth century. In the
mid-nineteenth century, pioneering efforts of the Surveyor General of India
helped establish the location of the mountain range and altitudes of major
peaks. |
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| HIMALAYA EXPERIENCES |
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A great way to learn about the Himalayas,through the eyes of those who have encountered it closely. |
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| The Himalayas have held out as a beacon for explorers for centuries. Generations of travelers have climbed the great ramparts to enter its hidden worlds, and in the days of old many of them have even perished for their temerity. Several others have however brought home stories of the wild and wondrous. Descriptions and experiences of the Himalayas are to be found in history and legends associated with the region, and travelogues of pilgrims and conquerors of old as well as explorers of the last two centuries and the travelers of today. |
| go to Himalaya Experiences |
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| The Other Himalayas |
| by Tsering Eden, Gangtok, Sikkim |
| The snow-laden peaks of the Indian Himalayas over the Ladakh region viewed from a tiny window thousands of feet above appear more like thick icing on a delectable chocolate cake. If Ladakh is mouth watering, Uttarakhand is refreshing, with Himachal offering a little bit of both. From the small... |
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| LEARN ABOUT THE HIMALAYAS |
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For those of you that would like to learn (or teach) the basics about that awesome creation of Nature, the Himalaya, in a simple and easy manner. |
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| The Himalayas are a repository of a great diversity of plants and animals, of several peoples and cultures, of striking geologic forms, of glaciers and tumultuous rivers, of dense forests and high altitude moonscapes. Learning about the Himalayas would not only help us know about a magnificent part of the world, it would also help one understand many processes of Nature. And Nature plays on the grandest scale in the Himalayas. |
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Factsheet
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Flora of the
Himalayas |
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| The Indian Himalayas are unique in the fact that they are home to a multitude of plant species, many of which are endemic to the region. They are a storehouse of the most rare and valuable species of medicinal plants, with approximately 1700 species being classified as high-value plants... |
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| Map Title |
Ethnic Groups
in Nepal |
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| Details:Map showing distribution of major Ethnic Groups in Nepal – Bhotia, Sherpa, Thakali, Gurung, Tamang, Newari, Pahari, Kiranti, Rai, Limbu, and others. |
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A Hermit In The
Himalayas
by Paul Brunton |
in Experiences of Modern day Himalaya Aficionados |
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A magnificent blend of travelogue and spiritual learning, the book follows the author on his journey to Mount Kailash through the Himalayan... |
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| Himalayan Artifacts |
| in Database – Cultural |
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The Arts & Crafts database is a compilation of various Himalayan arts & crafts and their distinctive features. The database describes the artifacts, their utility, raw materials and their importance in present-day Himalayan society... |
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| Interviews |
in Media Gallery |
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| About life in the hills |
Nima Wangmu
Ngyamnung village,
Arunachal Pradesh,
India
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| “What I enjoy the most about the hills is the scenic beauty. I love going for walks and looking at the beautiful sights. What I dislike about the hills is that people here drink a lot of alcohol. I have not travelled beyond the hills, so I can...” |
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