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INDIAN HIMALAYAN STATES – AN ORIENTATION

© Ashish Kaul

It is really quite simple. If you have no problem with the analogy that a mermaid facing you upright represents the Indian sub continent, then you would have no problem placing the Indian Himalayas along her head and the left shoulder.

The geographical destiny of Kashmir is such that this Himalayan region would be the head of the mermaid. Running down the left highlight of her slender neck and on to her left shoulder the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh would lead further on to the Himalayan region Uttarakhand - first Garhwal and then Kumaon, the sheer heights of the state of Uttar Pradesh. And then this white shoulder moves on to cover Nepal, beyond which lie the Darjeeling hills and Sikkim. Sikkim is where the shoulder blade starts forming. Right adjacent is state of Assam and clockwise - Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, with Tripura and Meghalaya in the under arm ! It is eerie how this geographical analogy matches the remoteness, and access of these regions !

The Indian Himalayas for all practical purposes can be segregated on the basis of their vegetation. This leads to three remarkable regions.

The first are the North Himalayas. Stark and barren regions feature here. Ladakh and Zanskar in the state of Jammu and Kashmir and Lahul and Spiti in Himachal Pradesh. The lower limit of this region would about 3000 m. Almost totally devoid of vegetation, it has grassy banks near water bodies - streams, rivers and lakes. In the lower regions willows and poplars are found along with many wild flowers. A rain shadow region, it is a harsh, cold and desolate trekking region of many extremes.

The second region comprises the West Himalayas. Lush green with sparkling, brookes, rivers and streams, it's highest heights stop at about 4500m. At higher climbs there are wide open meadows called bugyals in Uttarakhand and Thach in Himachal. These are wonderful trekking regions often with rich forest cover and peaks presiding over their green expanse. The upper regions from 3500m are alpine in nature. From 1500m to about 3500m is the temperate region with conifers, fir, hemlock, pine and cedars upwards of 2500m. Lower down oak and blue pine grace the landscape in the company of paddy and cornfields. Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh have the privilege of falling in this category.

The third region is that of the Eastern Himalayas., geographically similar in many ways to eastern Nepal. Sikkim and Darjeeling and their remote neighbours fall here. This is the richest diversity possible anywhere in the mountain world as far as flora and fauna goes. The alpine zone ranges from 3500m to 4500m. The sub alpine zone resides between 3300m to 4000m. Juniper and dwarf rhododendron, but no birch at these altitudes. And then from 1800m to about 3500m are large tracts of rich forest cover. Oak, alder and chestnut are seen frequently. It goes on to its lowest altitudes with tropical forests as well.