Himalayan Nuggets

By Akanksha Khanna

We are Work From Mountains try to bring little known aspects of the Himalayan ways of life to your notice. Work From Mountains likes to give you an immersive experience of the Himalayas and something that you cherish for a long time.  Do you remember your first visit or trek to the Himalaya? Are you a frequent visitor to the mountains of Northern and North Eastern India? For those who have been there or wish to pay a visit in the near future, here’s a little nature nugget for the curious minds and for those looking to soak in every visual treat that the Himalaya offers through its indigenous varieties of Flora. Home to over 7000 species of unique trees and flowers, emerging from the foothills to the alpine regions, it is possible to encounter a wealth of diversity within the Indian Himalaya.

Not only it is charming to encounter the richness of the flora, but quite interesting to know their use and the health benefits they provide. A lot of the plants, trees and herbs found in the Himalaya are regularly utilised in daily meals by the local inhabitants of the hilly regions. It makes it all the more intriguing when you can identify such plants and tree during your visits to the mountains.

Rhododendron

The name Buransh might ring a bell to many of you. If not, then many of you must be familiar with the brightly coloured red blossoms on trees during your treks. This evergreen tree known as Rhododendron, is not only the national tree of Nepal but the flowers are the state flowers of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, India. Rhododendron flowers in its coloured variants of red, pink, mauve, yellow and white are distributed from 1500 – 4400 m in the Indian Himalaya. Present in tree forms with bright flowers at lowers altitudes, they take the form of shrubs at higher altitudes and bloom with lighter coloured flowers. The dwarfism is an adaptive response to the climatic conditions found at a higher elevation.

The trees bearing red coloured flowers are seen beautifully blossoming in clusters in the months of February – May. Their woody bark is used to produce fuel. The flowers which are edible in nature and known for their medicinal properties, are used in varied ways to make Rhododendron Squash, Rhododendron Tea and Chutneys by the locals. The squash and tea are now easily available in the local markets of Uttarakhand and Himachal. A common scene outside a mountain home, is of Rhododendron petals being dried under the sunlight before they can be mashed along with a concoction of spices for the preparation of a traditionally made chutney. The chutney still is in progress at making its way to the local markets, is available as a delicacy you would need to try in a Pahari home during one of your visits.

Himalayan Horse Chestnut or Indian Horse Chestnut

White and pink petals, often found fallen covering the grounds of many hilly areas and decked up in sprays of blooms on trees are those of the Himalayan Horse Chestnut Tree or the Indian Horse Chestnut. These are usually found in the lower Himalaya spreading over Kashmir to Western Nepal and can grow as tall as 40 feet. There broad leaves form circular canopies and their ornamental flowers are seen blossoming during the summer months of May and June.

All parts of the Himalayan Horse Chestnut tree, serve as a produce in local mountain communities. The locals are seen collecting and carrying heaps of leaves on their backs for their cattle as fodder. While the wood is used to manufacture turned articles, the bark of the Himalayan Chestnut tree is used for medicinal purposes.

Another interesting fact about the Indian Horse Chestnut is that, its seeds are ground and mixed with wheat flour to prepare chapattis (Indian bread) and at other times used for preparing halwa (Indian sweet dish) or used as a form of porridge. If you ask around and are intrigued to know more about the lifestyles and food habits of people in the mountains, you may come across a Himalayan village or home that has continued over the years the art of preparing such flours in traditional Chakkis (grinder made of stone).

Stinging Nettle or Bichoo Booti

One notorious plant found in the Himalaya, is the Stinging Nettle. As the name suggests, the stems and leaves have a hairy needle like texture which when accidently touched, has a stinging effect on the skin followed by a rash which appears to be like urticaria or hives. The allergic response varies from individual to individual and can be treated by antihistamines. At times one might not need that either and can simply wash the body part that came in contact with the Stinging Nettle under running water. The stinging nettle plant is fondly called as Bichoo Booti among the natives in the Indian Himalaya.

Scary as the plant sounds, but what is interesting about the plant is that it is rich in vitamins and minerals and is being used from generations after generations as a medicinal plant. People living in the mountains use the Stinging Nettle by following a simple procedure of boiling the young shoots and leaves in water to make it edible. It is then prepared as a traditional chutney or vegetable. Due to its numerous health benefits, the leaves and stems of Stinging Nettle are dried and used by some local organisations in the Himalaya to prepare herbal teas as well.

At times, some visitors mistake the Stinging Nettle and compare it to the Poison Ivy that is found in some Western Countries. This is a misinterpretation, as the Stinging Nettle does not have the same oily sap as the Poison Ivy that is responsible for a much severe allergic response.

 These are just a few of the many varieties of flora found in the Himalaya. There are several descriptive and illustrative books available on Flowers of Western Himalayas and Trees of Himalayas for those who would like to know more of what can be seen when in the Himalayas from the foothills to alpine regions.

 We, at WFM believe in encouraging and guiding our visitors for some fun observations and nature nuggets at our Homestays and Cottages surrounded by valleys and forests.

About The Author : Akanksha is an Avid Trekker who has done her BMC and is a NOLS Trip Leader.