Study on the folk arts of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttaranchal.

The Present Study, Divided Into Two Parts, Deals With The Socio-Geographical Mosaic, The Racio-Cultural Background And Discusses The Factors Responsible For The Development Of The Wooden Temple Architecture In The Western Himalayas.

Surrounded with peace and serenity, a cool breeze gently caresses your face. As you sip your kadak chai amongst the floating clouds, the day’s first rays through the snow-capped peaks melt the humdrum away. What will the day bring? In Kullu, the valley of Gods amongst the mighty Himalayas, you simply never know. Dotted with sacred lakes and temples & lush forests and views, Kullu boasts of being on the list of both soul seekers and adventurers. From Kulant Peeth to now Kullu, this god’s abode might have had many names, but the essence of the valley remains in its rich past and bounteous nature. Kullu is both a love letter and guide to the bewitching valley where you may intimate yourself with its history, traditions, and people. Sit back, relax, and enjoy a journey to both the past and present of Kullu. Immerse yourself in this land of the misty mountains, magnificent hills, sprawling apple plantations, and hospitable people who will make you feel like you are finally home.

In The Present Study, An Attempt Has Been To Present A Kaleidoscopic View Of The Whole Ethno-Cultural Scenario Of The Western Himalayan Region Through The Traditional Textiles, Costumes And Ornaments Of The People.

Colonialist, nationalist, and regionalist ideologies have profoundly influenced folk music and related musical practices among the Garhwali and Kumaoni of Uttarakhand. Stefan Fiol blends historical and ethnographic approaches to unlock these influences and explore a paradox: how the œfolk designation can alternately identify a universal stage of humanity, or denote alterity and subordination. Fiol explores the lives and work of Gahrwali artists who produce folk music. These musicians create art as both a discursive idea and as a set of expressive practices across strikingly different historical and cultural settings. Juxtaposing performance contexts in Himalayan villages with Delhi recording studios, Fiol shows how the practices have emerged within and between sites of contrasting values and expectations. Throughout, Fiol presents the varying perspectives and complex lives of the upper-caste, upper-class, male performers spearheading the processes of folklorization. But he also charts their resonance with, and collision against, the perspectives of the women and hereditary musicians most affected by the processes. Expertly observed, Recasting Folk in the Himalayas offers an engaging immersion in a little-studied musical milieu.

On temple architecture of Chamba District and religious life of Gaddis, Indic people; a study.

Hinduism, as is well known, has taken a multitude of shapes and forms. Some Hindu "little traditions" have remained obscure or understudied to this day due to their regional remoteness. One such offshoot is the influential cult of Mahasu, which has existed since medieval times in a part of the western Himalaya. The deity at the core of the cult takes the form of four primary Mahasus with territorial influence, installed in various far-flung temples. Their geographical center is the village of Hanol, and the larger territory is integrated into the Mahasu politico-religious system by a peripatetic deity with loyal followers across a considerable domain. Mahasu remains influential in the region, its ritual practices having remained quite distinct despite social change. An anthropological survey was conducted in its terrain during British times, but Till Kingdom Come is the first book to offer a detailed framework, a fine-grained history, and an analytically nuanced understanding of one of the rarest branches of Hindu worship.