Himalayas and its People: things to learn while staying at Himalayan homestay

We wonder the beauty of Himalayas, its virgin nature, environment and ecology. The mesmerizing

Religious script in large bolder at West Sikkim

Himalayas inspire you to a deep meditation. We wonder the greenery, sharp peak full of snow, the dwindling white water from its root,  we dream to touch it,  and it thrills us equally. With no exception every one love Himalayas and its attribution. Here is what you learn while staying at homestays in Himalayas.

Among all  the beautiful creature nurture by the Himalayas, the ethnic people at its lap and their conventional and ethnic  lifestyle are so inspiring. A life struggle living at the edge of Himalayas, sometimes quite  far away from the mainstream become a fertile ground for emergence of new lifestyle totally different from others. Living at the edge is an adventure and adventure is their lifestyle. Its something like inherent in their nature and daily practices. I noticed some peculiar habits and lifestyle of Himalayan people which could be the point of inspiration for those who want to live a natural life. Himalayan people, I called them Himalayan might have their own reason to live a healthy life and possesses a strength to explore highest peak  with ease, large numbers of sexagenarians living life without visiting hospital and devoid of single syringe in their body. I figure out the important point of inspiration and lesson to be taken from their life.    

Early to bed and early to rise: 

The poem I learned in my childhood 'early to bed and early to rise, make man healthy, wealthy and wise', I found is applied in the lifestyle of Himalayan people. I observed this practice alive in the Himalayan landscape from Sikkim to Nepal, Bhutan and in larger spreads of Northern Himalayas, Eastern Himalayas and in the state of North East Himalayas. They count the day from the early dawn, the first light in the distance horizon, yellowish mountain,  the first sound of the song of  Bulbul and the  first cock crow, they awakened their soul, spirit and physics along with the fresh cold beach of the Himalaya. 

Its an evening, evening eight means hardly any people in the street, though modern towns are little exception. Here its a bed time, time to give peace to body mind and sole, get lost in the meditation of night. The light of the early dawn call them to awake and penetrating darkness of the evening leave them in the den. They are inspired by the nature and exactly a call of the nature. 

Heavy breakfast, light lunch and early dinner: 

Again here they differ from the perspective of metropolitan culture. they have their own style of living. Heavy breakfast in the morning against the light in the mainstream, light lunch against generally a heavy lunch time in mainstream, and early dinner almost in the early evening in place of late night dinner in the busy life of modern days. 

meager or  almost no used of strong spices in food:

They exactly have and know the real taste of a particular food because they do not blend food with high spices which dilute the real taste. If we are using high amount of species in the food the real taste of food disappear and a blended taste which is the fusion of the original food and added species. 

Boiled food a prominent component of lifestyle: 

Consumption of large numbers of boiled food is in basic lifestyle of  Himalayan People. From  boiled squash to boiled potato, sweet potato, other root foods share of 80 percent of their lunch. 

Inclusion of large no of wild vegetables in regular routine:

Collection of wild vegetables and  fruits is most enjoyable parts of their lifestyle. Widespread practice

collection of wild vegetables 

of collecting different types of fern and nettle  is common among the Himalayan people. Local markets are decorated with wild collection of vegetables. 

Use of large no of natural herbs for the treatment of their health elements: 

Folk healers and herbalist are almost in every village. Tradition of  high altitude trekking specially for

  collection of medicinal herbs is age old. Its in the mind of Himalayan Toddlers and Kids that grandpapa is physician, grandma is physician , papa and mommy are their physician.  

Physical activeness all around the day: Life sustenance in rough and eroded land of Himalaya is  always struggling and challenging. Terracing of land for farming, doing agriculture in limited and less fertile, less productive terrace land may be the reason why Himalayan people are active all around the day as if its in their basic instinct. Life was actually hard and is still appears hard though little differences and transformation is seen in lifestyle with the impact of global economy. Though hard struggle for life sustenance is lesson  regardless of difficulties whatsoever. 

Nature is to worship: For Himalayan ethnic tribes nature is truly for worship. The floating flags in

prayer flags

the Himalaya mesmerize ones mind, it hits our conscience the way the people conserve, respect and worship nature. For them river is to worship, mountain is to worship forest is to worship and  a tree is to worship. To worship the nature is their religion, practice, and a way of life.