Our Current Storytellers
Bina Nitwal
Himal Prakriti
Village Sarmoli, Munsiari, District Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand
Beena Nitwal is from the Bhotiya community that traditionally inhabit the high altitude villages of Kumaon. She now lives in Sarmoli with her family and has been running her home stay with Himalayan Ark since 2004. As a member of Maati Women’s Collective, she organizes and coordinates the production and sale of traditional woolen products from across the Gori valley. Working with colours and dyes accessed from the natural world around her, she has established a deeper connect with nature. She wishes to teach this skill to her daughters as well so that they can take it forward.
“Colors of the Earth”
“Vanishing Futures – Loss of the diverse seed heritage of the Himalay“
“Do fairies still live in the mountains of Uttarakhand?“
Deepak Pachhai
Himal Prakriti
Village Sarmoli, Munsiari, District Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand
Born into the Barpatia schedule tribe community, Deepak is currently pursuing his undergraduate studies in Munsiari, with no desire to live anywhere other than his village Sarmoli, with the snowcapped Panchachuli visible from his bedroom window. He enjoys a deep connection with nature and is training to become a bird guide so he can carve a name for himself. He loves nothing better than to wander these mountain landscapes, other than maybe football. His status photo is CR7 and Christiano Ronaldo is his hero.
“The importance of Van Panchayats- Why do we protect them”
“The Magic of Mushroom in Munsiari“
Bhawana Thakuni
Himal Prakriti
Village Sarmoli, Munsiari, District Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand
Bhawana Thakuni, known as Bhanu to her friends, is from a farming family of Sarmoli village. She has been part of Maati collective since childhood, where she would tag along with her grandmother. Today she lends her youthful energy in the collective on issues of struggles and celebrations of the region. Bhanu enjoys sharing proverbs and joking around with people. Since 2004, she has been lending a helping hand in running her grandmother’s home stay, and is known for her tasteful food. Bhanu is an independent and sorted young woman who has decided to stay with her family and in her village.
Beena Verma
Himal Prakriti
Village Sarmoli, Munsiari, District Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand
Beena Verma spent her childhood in Sai Polu village, and after her marriage she has experienced city-life in places like Ahmedabad and Haldwani. Her easy-going nature and bright smile belies a steely determination to stand up for what she believes is just and right. She enjoys making videos and posting them on social media. She is an active member of Maati, an autonomous women collective based in Munsiari.
Harsh Mohan Bhakuni
Himal Prakriti
Village Sarmoli, Munsiari, District Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand
Harsh Mohan has spent the 25 years of his life in Sarmoli village, located right across the Panchachuli mountain range and his wish is to stay here for the rest of his life. When he gets a chance, he has the habit of sitting alone in nature, gazing at the mountains and relishing the quietness. Harsh likes watching science fiction films and plays the ‘Backi’ position in football. His dream is to open his own café one day.
“A Standoff- Shepherding and the Van Panchayats of Uttarakhand”
“Monsoon Blossoms: Rooted tales of Himalayan Flora“
Pramiti Negi
Himal Prakriti
Rekong Peo, Kinnaur District, Himachal Pradesh
Pramiti Negi is an avid enthusiast of Ghibli movies and loves collecting different varieties of green tea. A simple way to please her is to make her a personalized music playlist. She strives to incorporate elements of the storytelling traditions which she inherited from her ancestors, into her work. She aspires to finish writing her first novel before she turns 30. Pramiti lives in Rekong Peo, in the border district of Kinnaur in Himachal Pradesh and is currently a Himal Prakriti Fellow.
“Re- Nyoza- Chilgoza- The wonder tree of Kinnaur that is also a cultural emblem”
“Traditional Jewellers of Kinnaur“
“Naagas: an age-old water conservation belief system of Kinnaur“
“Rivers and Roads: A tale of travels and disasters from Kinnaur“
“The hand loom weavers of ‘Roshmolyo Chine’- crafting the future of Kinnaur“
Adit Negi
Himal Prakriti
Village Sarmoli, Munsiari, District Pithoragarh,
Adit Negi is a post graduate in Film Studies from Ambedkar University. Having lived most of his young life in the cities of the ‘plains’, he is making his way forward in life by going back to his village Kupa (Kamru) in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh, where he has been living now for the past 3 years. In his quest to engage with the rich cultural heritage of this region, he has chosen to be physically present and live and learn in the moment.
“Sapni Ukhyang – The Festival of Flowers in Sapni Village, Kinnaur”
“Spirit of boxing“
Isha Dames
Himal Prakriti
Meeru, District Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh
Isha is a nineteen-year-old from the village of Meeru in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh. She loves singing to herself and listening to old Bollywood music and traditional Kinnauri songs. She is a student of Hindi literature and is currently in the second year of her Bachelor’s degree. She wants to be a Hindi teacher in the future.
“Chulli – The Sour-Sweet Wild Apricot of Kinnaur”
“The Tale Of Thakur Moni“