Undiscovered tales of the Himalayas

With the Himalayan region in focus, this festival by Royal Enfield gave expression to its folklore traditions and landscapes

04 Mar 2025

Pratishtha Rana

Journeying across the Himalayas. A powerful combination of words in its own right, it conjures up visuals of the enlightening rhythm that the region echoes endlessly. This is also the moniker of an exemplary festival curated in New Delhi’s Travancore Palace recently, which channelled the vast sentiments of the Himalayas, its landscapes, expressions of culture and importantly, its people. Presented by Royal Enfield Social Mission, the multidisciplinary festival continued for 10 days, drawing to the forefront around 100 regional communities from the mountainous belt. Enveloping within distinct worlds of art, textile, design, music, travel, food and conservation, the exhibit came alive with a delicate dance between tradition, dialogue and innovation that mirrors a future to reach global platforms.

The panel discussions at Journeying Across the Himalayas transcended the usual discourse — a poignant reminder of the impact human actions have on the fragile ecology of the hills and how the people of the Himalayas possess wisdom shaped by their unique surrounding terrains. “While travelling across the Himalayas, I was struck by how deeply textiles are interwoven into its socio-cultural fabric. The connection between weaving traditions and folklore revealed a rich tapestry of cultural expression and storytelling,” reveals Ikshit Pande of Royal Enfield Social Mission.

To delve further into the scholastic as well as the intuitive makings of the festival, ELLE DECOR India spoke with the creative forces behind it: Ikshit Pande, Brand Strategy Lead, who also curated ‘From Folk to Fabric: The Himalayan Knot Textile Exhibition’ alongside Bidisha Dey, Executive Director at Eicher Group Foundation. Excerpts below…

“According to oral versions of the Gesar saga, Duguma (wife of the mythical king Gesar) weaves one row each year. Legend has it that when her fabric is complete, it will signal the end of the world. Such stories demonstrate how weaving is not merely a craft but a cosmic narrative.” — Ikshit Pande, Royal Enfield Social Mission

1. What have been the most surprising highlights of the first edition of Journeying Across the Himalayas?

Bidisha: Given that this was the inaugural edition of Journeying Across the Himalayas, the coming to life of the festival, with over 100+ collaborators and 50+ Himalayan communities, was in itself a highlight. The exchanges were meaningful with a trans-Himalayan focus. The festival saw a vibrant turnout of young audiences from the Himalayas and NCR.

We realised that not many such platforms exist in this part of the world that look at the Himalayas in a holistic way. Culturally, these communities have lived with nature, with no/minimal concept of waste. Traditionally, circularity has been an integral part of their economies and lifestyles. In today’s era of overconsumption and the problems that come with it, we can definitely borrow inspiration from these communities. There is a need to promote nature-based livelihoods, solutions, and cultural practices for these communities to thrive.

2. What was the process of exploring and curating the many crafts and regional textiles in the Himalayan states?

Ikshit: We have been working on our textile and pastoral land conservation program, The Himalayan Knot, for over two years. The project was beautifully represented at the debut edition of Journeying Across The Himalayas in the form of the ‘From Folk to Fabric’ exhibition. The process of researching and curating the exhibit spanned about 8 months. It was through my travels and immersion in the folktales that the exhibition, Folk to Fabric, came to life.

One fascinating tale I came across is about Duguma, the wife of the mythical King Gesar, who is said to have introduced weaving in Ladakh. According to oral versions of the Gesar saga, Duguma weaves one row each year. Legend has it that when her fabric is complete, it will signal the end of the world. Such stories demonstrate how weaving is not merely a craft but a cosmic narrative.

In Assam, I spent time with the Bodo community, where I was introduced to the story of two fairy siblings, Asagi and Bwisagi. With their brilliant craftsmanship, they created magical wonders through their spindles and looms. The sisters would weave motifs by sight, from various natural elements, which is something that has become the cornerstone of Bodo weaving ever since.

3. How is Folk to Fabric addressing sustainability and recognition of local craftsmanship?

Ikshit: ‘From Folk to Fabric’ is the textile exhibition that reflects the material culture of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Ladakh, Assam, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Sikkim. The exhibition showcased textile traditions as living expressions of myths, oral histories, and stories passed down through generations. Presented as part of The Himalayan Knot, Royal Enfield’s heritage textile and pastoral land conservation programme, the exhibition featured displays from nine Himalayan regions, capturing sustainable textile traditions of both the Eastern and Western Himalayas.

The Himalayan Knot brings together artisan communities of the Himalayas, conservation specialists, craftspeople, creative practitioners, and designers to conserve pastoral lands and spotlight the sustainable textile traditions of the region. Through these partnerships, we’ve witnessed how thoughtful design can bridge the gap between traditional techniques and modern market trends. The first set of collections as a result of this collaborative effort have been: Royal Enfield x EKA x Looms of Ladakh (Ladakh sheep wool), Royal Enfield x Countrymade x The Action Northeast Trust (Bodo weaves), and Royal Enfield x Sonam Dubal x The Action Northeast Trust (Eri silk).

Sustainable materials such as Ladakhi sheep wool and Eri silk inherently reflect ecological balance, and collaborations with urban designers have amplified these traditions, making them accessible and relevant to broader audiences.