Welcome to PAHAR
You’ve found your way to the People’s Association for Himalaya Area Research — a nonprofit initiative that has spent more than five decades documenting, researching, and sharing knowledge about the Himalayan world. Whether you’re a scholar, a traveller, a student, or simply someone drawn to the mountains, this is a good place to start.
What is PAHAR?
PAHAR — People’s Association for Himalaya Area Research — was founded by Shekhar Pathak and a group of scholars, activists, and mountain enthusiasts who believed that the Himalayan region deserved rigorous, people-centred documentation. Over the decades we have built an archive of articles, essays, travelogues, photo essays, and research publications in both English and Hindi, covering everything from high-altitude ecology to folk poetry, from political history to expedition accounts.
Our work is rooted in the belief that the mountains and their people have stories that must be told — with care, depth, and honesty. We are not a government body, not a commercial venture. We are a community of researchers and readers who love the Himalaya.
Explore the Archive
Our articles and essays are organised into themes. Here are the main areas you can explore:
PAHAR Journal
Scholarly articles, research papers, and in-depth essays from our annual peer-reviewed journal — the heart of PAHAR’s academic output since our earliest years.
Travel Diaries
Travelogues, expedition accounts, and personal journeys through some of the most remote corners of the Himalayan belt — written by those who went there.
Ecology & Environment
Forests, rivers, glaciers, and the communities that depend on them. This section brings together writing on the ecological challenges and natural wonders of the Himalayan region.
Culture & History
Centuries of history, tradition, art, and social change across the Himalayan arc — from ancient kingdoms to contemporary movements.
Photo Essays
Visual stories from the mountains — portraits, landscapes, and documentary photography that captures what words sometimes cannot.
News
Updates from PAHAR, announcements about new publications and events, and news from the broader Himalayan research community.
Publications & Books
PAHAR has published books, journals, and research reports in English and Hindi for over five decades. Our publications range from scholarly monographs on Himalayan history and ecology to poetry collections, travelogues, and the much-loved PAHAR Journal. Many of our titles are rare and not easily found elsewhere.
Visit our PAHAR Publications page to browse the full catalogue of books. You can also explore the Himalayan Encounters Catalogue — a richly documented visual and textual record of Himalayan exploration over 170 years.
Contribute to PAHAR
PAHAR is only as rich as the community that contributes to it. We warmly welcome articles, research essays, photo essays, travelogues, and creative writing from scholars, activists, students, and mountain enthusiasts — whether you are writing in English or Hindi.
If you have something to share — a journey, a study, a story, a set of photographs — we’d love to hear from you. Our editorial team reviews all submissions and works with contributors to bring their work to our readers.
Get in Touch
Have a question, a suggestion, or just want to say hello? We are a small team run by people who care deeply about the Himalaya, and we always appreciate hearing from our readers. Whether you want to learn more about our work, discuss a potential contribution, or simply connect with others who share your interest in the mountains, our door is open.