A Havoc in the Himalaya
An overpopulated trip to Kedarkantha made Aman Panwar reflect on the dangerous rise of ‘tourist-trekkers’ in the Himalaya, where unprepared throngs are destructing the natural habitat and profits are being made at the cost of environment.
The Fantastic World of Indian Fungi
Despite some negative stereotypes, there are the wonderful ways in which nearly 14,400 species of fungi, specific to India, live, breathe and slay. Babli Yadav explores this fantastic, beautiful world with young naturalists from around the country.
Travelling Without Footprints
From the Himalaya to the coastlines, unchecked tourism is destroying India’s ecological balance. We can’t afford to return to our pre-pandemic state of a tourist-induced environmental catastrophe. By Vipin Labroo
Pardesi Pahadi: Splendour and Survival at Sahastra Tal
‘I was overcome with fear and awe, witness to a power I could feel but couldn’t comprehend’. In another account of his adventures in the Garhwal Himalaya, Zachary Conrad recalls a treacherous trek to Sahastra Tal.
Pardesi Pahadi: Avalanche on Apharwat
‘The avalanche went to ground; in its path all snow had slipped off the mountain, leaving only rocks and ice. For a moment the world was suspended in fear and dread. Chaos followed.’ Zachary Conrad recalls a fateful snowboarding adventure in Gulmarg and the lessons learned at the mercy of snowy, Kashmiri peaks.
Pardesi Pahadi: Raja’s Hut and the Kashmir of Iron Khan
Gulmarg’s Raja’s Hut was the subject of the 2018 documentary Iron Khan. Citing the film and personal experience, Zachary Conrad recalls the guest-house and its owners, in the foreground of the Himalayas, snowboarding, and insurgency in Kashmir.
Pardesi Pahadi: Five books on the Himalaya and other Mountains
From Bandarpunch and Nanda Devi to the Annapurna and more, Zachary Conrad recommends five must-read books for a better understanding of the mountains we seek to scale—beyond us, and within us.
Shyama's Cattle: Ode to a Himalayan friendship
Photo Essay: Deep in the mountains, the seeds of mutual loneliness evolved into an unlikely camaraderie. Aman Panwar writes about his friend Shyama—a cattle-herder and shepherd—in the Har Ki Dun valley.
Pardesi Pahadi: Ascent to Bandarpunch - In search for wonders, real and imagined
‘The yeti is the mountain. He’s the mountain’s teeth and the mountain’s claws, a manifestation of the power of nature, and a reminder to act with respect.’ Zachary Conrad recalls an awe-inspiring hike to the Himalayan summit of Bandarpunch
Pardesi Pahadi: Kedar Tal - Finding magic in the Himalaya
‘That night I knew that there was magic left in this world’ – On a trek to Kedar Tal, Zachary Conrad faced danger, awe, and unmatched beauty.
Pardesi Pahadi: The frozen, lost paths to Bali Pass
‘It was late October, too late for shepherds, and we had the mountains to ourselves.’ Read Zachary Conrad’s vivid narrative of another perilous and rewarding hike in the Himalaya.