The Past and Future of the Vernacular Cultural Landscapes of Johar Valley, Uttarakhand, India

Abstract

Nowhere is the inextricable linkage of nature and culture more apparent than the Johar Valley of the Indian Himalayas. For centuries, the inhabitants of the valley’s small, remote high-altitude villages have followed a life closely integrated with seasonal cycles and natural landscapes. The villages retain a unique traditional vernacular architecture and planning reflecting environmental sensibilities. However, geopolitical shifts following the 1962 Sino-Indian War disrupted traditional livelihoods, leading to partial abandonment of upper-altitude villages and leaving traditional vernacular stock to natural elements. Growing ecotourism has renewed interest in these villages, while construction of a road is opening the valley for development. Johar Valley now stands at a major crossroads for preservation planning; yet very little work has been conducted to understand its cultural landscapes, nor to consider the confluence of pressures it faces, nor to imagine its possible futures in this context. In this article, I begin this process by detailing the indigenous village planning and traditional architecture of Johar Valley. I describe the threats facing it, and explore a possible future that draws on the example of National Heritage Areas from the United States in tandem with other homegrown approaches to promoting community-based tourism.