Munsiyari, nestled amid the snow-covered peaks of the mighty Himalayas, at an altitude of 2298 m, offers some of the most magical views of nature. Known as the Little Kashmir, this scenic offbeat hamlet is in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand.
From Kathgodam, I travelled to Munsiyari by road, seeing some of the most serene and spectacular sights of Uttarakhand. Sarmoli, a pint-sized village in the Munsiyari region, is set against the backdrop of snow-clad Panchachuli peaks. Sarmoli’s journey from a migration-prone village to where it is today took years has been made possible by the consistent efforts of Mallika Virdi and the women of the village that brought the change.
It is estimated that over three million people have left their homes since the formation of the state in 2000. By 2018, there were 1,700 ghost villages with nearly 1,000 villages having less than 100 people.
In 1992, when Virdi made Sarmoli her home, she realised that there many social evils that require addressing. ‘Maati Sangathan‘, a women’s collective, was formed by Virdi and a group of women in 1994 when they came together to protest against rampant alcoholism that used to lead to severe domestic violence cases.
Virdi believes ‘Maati’ has now become a place for the women of the village to form a deep bond, where they meet, talk, and share their joys and sorrows.
In 2004, Virdi launched the Himalayan Ark Homestay programme. Solely run by the hill women, the programme encourages visitors to see the region through the eyes of the locals, and in return, they were treated like guests, not clients.