A first-of-its-kind festival celebrating the timeless legacy and resilience of the Himalayan landscape and community

 Royal Enfield Social Mission is set to showcase the inaugural edition of ‘Journeying Across the Himalayas’ from December 5-15, 2024 at Travancore Palace, New Delhi. Celebrating the timeless spirit of the Himalayas through creative expressions, engaging conversations, curated cuisine, live music and tales from its communities,  the multidisciplinary festival was inaugurated by Hon’ble Union Minister of Tourism and Culture Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat. He addressed the gathering noting the brand’s efforts to preserve and champion the legacy of the Himalayas and its communities.

As part of Royal Enfield’s social mission to partner with 100 Himalayan communities and help build resilience, Journeying Across the Himalayasis a first-of-its-kind platform that brings together a wide audience to celebrate the power of collective action.

“We look forward to welcoming audiences to Journeying Across the Himalayas. This 10-day celebration presented by Royal Enfield Social Mission showcases the region’s rich cultural and natural heritage through the lens of sustainable exploration. As we gather to share stories, music, and cuisine from the Himalayas, we hope to inspire collective action and a deeper connection to this iconic region that we call our spiritual home,” says Bidisha Dey, Executive Director of Eicher Group Foundation.

Bringing together over 50 communities, 100 partners, 150 experts, and 200 artists and creative practitioners on one platform, the festival spans a range of disciplines to foster cross-learning and the sharing of ideas. Below are key highlights to look forward to:

Exhibitions and Installations:

Where The Wind Tastes of Forgotten Songs by Raghava KK: Created in Raghava KK’s distinctive style, the central installation pulses with vivid, textured visuals – rare species, intricate flora, mythical creatures, and hidden artefacts emerge and fade, creating moments of surprise, connection, and contemplation. These elements reflect the fragility and resilience of Himalayan ecosystems and culture, inviting the viewer to reflect on their place within this delicate balance as we journey through its terrain.

The Long Road by Vishal K Dar: Royal Enfield Social Mission’s Green Pit Stops are demonstrative facilities planned across popular traveller routes, built for the community and by the community. Managed by Self-Help Groups (SHGs) of women as an initiative to create local livelihood opportunities, Green Pit Stops provides tourist amenities like sanitation, tourist information, basic first aid, and curated local culinary and cultural experiences for travellers to explore. The exhibit features drawings and scale models of these Green Pit Stops at the intersection of traditional building techniques, community partnerships and local ecologies.

An Ode to the Snow Leopard by Doel Trivedy and Gautam Pandey: As part of Royal Enfield Social Mission’s Keystone Species programme, this project focuses on the conservation of key Himalayan species like the snow leopard, whose survival is critical to the region’s fragile ecosystem. National award-winning filmmakers Doel Trivedy and Gautam Pandey use the power of 360 VR technology to create immersive experiences that raise awareness and foster empathy for wildlife. Their groundbreaking work captures rare animal behaviour, including one of the first-ever 360 VR films featuring the elusive snow leopard—a milestone celebrated across conservation and natural history communities.

From Folk to Fabric by Ikshit Pande: Presented as part of The Himalayan Knot, Royal Enfield’s heritage textile and pastoral land conservation programme, the exhibit features displays from nine Himalayan regions capturing the storytelling traditions of the Eastern and Western Himalayas. Curated by Ikshit Pande alongside contributors such as Dr Monisha Ahmed, The WoolKnitters, Aagor and others, the exhibition narrates myths, legends, and folktales, serving as living documents of the land and its people. Visitors can explore the meticulous journey from fibre to garment, with curated attire, photographs, and artefacts highlighting the region’s rich craftsmanship.

Evolution of Ice Hockey in Ladakh, Then & Now by LAMO: As part of its initiative to elevate Ice Hockey in the region, Royal Enfield Social Mission has worked to build an ecosystem for developing winter sports in the region from the grassroots level and also to support the National Ice Hockey teams

 to compete internationally. Curated by Ladakh Arts and Media Organisation (LAMO), this exhibition brings together six decades of Ice hockey in Ladakh through the voices of veteran players, coaches and a younger generation full of anticipation.

Helmets for India, Art for Change by India Foundation for the Arts (IFA): Royal Enfield Social Mission’s Helmets for India is a not-for-profit Artists’ Collective aimed at promoting road safety by encouraging riders to always wear helmets. The initiative uses helmets as canvases for self-expression, bringing together the global motorcycling community through art to raise awareness about safe riding. In collaboration with the India Foundation for the Arts (IFA), Helmets for India worked with 12 artists to transform helmets into unique artworks reflecting personal stories, gender journeys, and memories of bike rides. The exhibition showcases diverse artistic styles, offering deeply personal perspectives on safety, self-discovery, and the outdoors.

The Great Himalayan Exploration by National Geographic & Manou: In 2022, UNESCO and Royal Enfield partnered to document and promote India's Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), starting with The Great Himalayan Exploration. Over 100 ICH practices have been identified across the Eastern and Western Himalayas, with the first two editions documenting over 60 practices from regions like Assam and Sikkim. The 2024 edition focused on Ladakh, documenting 12 practices, including sustainable traditions and local craftsmanship. This initiative aims to preserve and pass on endangered heritage, fostering cultural continuity and offering valuable lessons in resilience for future generations and exhibit is a journey of the same through a photo essay.

Through the Lens of Community, Conservation and Culture by Green Hub: The Himalayan Hub is the nerve centre of Royal Enfield’s Social Mission and is envisioned as a learning centre to build climate resilience in local communities. The main campus of the Himalayan Hub is located inTheog, Himachal Pradesh, and the Eastern outreach is based out of Tezpur, Assam. It focuses on empowering Himalayan youth to address climate change through fellowships and programs, building a network of changemakers for conservation and creating lasting community impact. This exhibition imagines a glimpse of this rich ecosystem through inspiring stories of collective action and conservation from the roots. These are just glimpses of the individuals and communities driving Green Hub’s movement. Their stories, woven together, reveal the power of connection, determination, and the belief that meaningful change begins at the grassroots.

The Shape of the Wind is a Tree by FICA (Foundation for Indian Contemporary Art): The Himalayan Fellowship for Creative Practitioners, a collaboration between Royal Enfield and the Foundation for Indian Contemporary Art (FICA), supports emerging artists from the region working at the intersection of art and sustainability. The inaugural cohort of 10 fellows, whose works are represented at the exhibit, emphasizes processes rooted in deep listening to places and communities, amplifying their voices and fostering a shared vision for the Himalayas.

The festival also features other installations and exhibitions such as Helmeted Hyphae (XXL), Risha (Aratrik Dev Varman and Jisha Unnikrishnan), and Entanglements (sā Ladakh). Snow Leopard-inspired Custom Motorcycles and Apparel by Arjun Raina, Bobbee Singh, and Suket Dhir are also being showcased. Installations by Plasticvalla aka Manveer Singh and One Earth Foundation spotlights themes like circularity and waste management.

Interactive Workshops, Discussions & Film Screenings:
The opening weekend will host an array of panel discussions and conversations covering topics such as safeguarding intangible cultural heritage, responsible tourism, and climate resilience; while also exploring themes of human-animal harmony, culinary heritage, climate literacy, systems thinking for sustainable solutions, etc. The festival will additionally feature engaging sessions on modern storytelling techniques and include poetry and oral traditions. Prominent speakers from conservation, crafts, culinary and contemporary art, filmmakers and authors will join representatives from the Himalayan communities, especially youth changemakers, in discussions that platform stories from the Himalayas to make complex issues such as climate change accessible to the general public. There is a robust curation of interactive workshops alongside an extensive programme of various film screenings featuring stories of conservation and community.

Music Performances: Throughout the festival, attendees can enjoy an extensive lineup of cultural performances that bring the Himalayas’ rich traditions to life, with musical acts such as the likes of Taba Chake, Alif,  Bipul Chhetri, Lou Majaw, Ao Naga Choir, Parvaaz, and Joi Barua among others.

Food Lab: The festival takes the attendees on a journey across the Himalayas through taste with celebrated chefs and food experts such as Pankaj Sharma, Shalini Philip and Anumitra Ghosh with partners like We The Chefs, Tribal Gourmet and Käse Cheese.

Festival Shops: The retail space at the festival goes beyond commerce, offering a platform for Himalayan stories told through design, craft, and a shared commitment to conservation. The Himalayan Bazaar will offer a lineup of homegrown labels and brands Aagor Bodo Weaves, Earthen Tunes, Its All Folk, The Woolknitters, Zankla Studio and more. The festival will also feature a special pop-up of Royal Enfield’s Himalayan Knot collections such as EKA x Looms of Ladakh, Countrymade x The Action Northeast Trust, and Sonam Dubal x The Action Northeast Trust, which spotlight artisanal craftsmanship rooted in sustainability. The Himalayan Bookstore is curated by Full Circle.

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