Have you ever heard of a place where people live for only six months a year, leaving it abandoned for the rest? Niti Village is one of the most remote Himalayan settlements, offering a unique travel experience near the Indo-Tibetan border. This blog is about my journey to one of the most unique settlements in Bharat, Niti Village.
The Journey Begins: A Long-Awaited Escape
As a traveler passionate about exploring new cultures and settlements, I felt confined after moving to Trivandrum. While living in Delhi, I had the opportunity to travel frequently, as it served as the epicenter of diverse cultural experiences. However, after relocating to the southern tip of Bharat, my explorations were mostly limited to Tamil Nadu.
After working for a year, I finally got a long vacation. The decision was instant. I needed to explore somewhere new. My colleague Sidharth and I decided to embark on a bike trip into the heart of the Himalayas. But with the vast expanse of the Himalayas before us, choosing a specific destination was challenging. Since it was May, the beginning of the Char Dham Yatra, we chose Badrinath as our starting point.
This blog narrates the two most unique places we visited during this journey: Malari and Niti Village.
Joshimath to niti village roadtrip
After visiting Badrinath, we found ourselves at a crossroads, wondering where to go next. We wanted to explore a place untouched by tourists, where we could experience authentic culture.
We were staying in Joshimath, a town in Uttarakhand’s hilly terrain. I vividly remember how this town made headlines due to mysterious cracks in the terrain, forcing many residents to abandon their homes. We stayed at a resort on its outskirts, searching Google Maps for unexplored places. That was when we came across Niti Pass, the route connecting Bharat to Tibet.
The Road to Niti: a challenging himalayan journey
The next morning, charged with excitement, we set off towards Niti Village, located 70 km from Joshimath near the Indo-Tibetan border. Initially, the terrain seemed ordinary, but as we progressed, the towering Greater Himalayas emerged larger, and the views became increasingly mesmerizing.
We followed the mighty Dhauliganga river, one of the tributary of river Alakananda. The temperature dropped rapidly. Within 20 km, it was already 3°C. The Border Roads Organisation had engineered remarkable roads connecting these high ranges to the mainland. The only vehicles we encountered were army trucks, their occupants eyeing us with caution. With slight apprehension, we continued our journey.
As kilometers passed, we noticed numerous abandoned villages. Coming from Kerala, where every inch of land is inhabited, I couldn’t understand entire settlements being left in ruins. The curiosity to uncover the reason behind this abandonment remained, but without locals to ask, we had no answers.
We soon reached Dronagiri Parvat, the legendary mountain where Lord Hanuman is believed to have lifted the Sanjeevani herb during the Ramayana battle. The sight of such a historically significant place in the middle of nowhere took us by surprise.
Malari: A Hidden Cultural Treasure
Before reaching Niti, we stopped at Malari Village, where an army checkpost halted us. The Indo-Tibetan border police questioned us before granting passage but kept our ID cards. Their suspicion was understandable. Why would outsiders visit a remote border village with no tourist attractions?
However, as a heritage and cultural enthusiast, I knew this was precisely why I was here, to explore and document these forgotten settlements.
Approaching Malari, we saw locals staring at us, puzzled by the presence of outsiders. Ignoring the awkward glances, we wandered through the village. The architecture was unlike anything I had seen before, a beautiful hybrid of Tibetan Buddhist and Uttarakhand’s vernacular Kath-Kuni architecture.
Although the population was entirely Hindu, the Tibetan influence was evident, likely due to historical trade and pilgrimage routes that once connected Badrinath and Kedarnath to Tibet. Malari’s wooden houses, intricate door carvings, and balconies with arched windows intrigued me. Where did these arches come from? This region had never been ruled by the Delhi Sultanate or Mughals. The influence remained a mystery.
A local 10th-class student invited us to her home. Her house, constructed of stone and mud plaster, had a heavily decorated doorway with floral patterns. Inside, the layout was distinct, a dark, compact space with a ground floor for storage, an upper floor divided into a kitchen, sleeping area, and living space. The low ceiling forced me to bend while walking, and the narrow staircase required using my hands to climb. The roof, made of stone slabs and wooden logs, added to the rustic ambiance.
She explained that villagers live here for only six months a year. When winter arrives, they migrate to Joshimath, where most families own homes or have relatives. As we left, we saw the army supplying subsidized agricultural crops, essential for the villagers’ sustenance.
Onward to Niti: The Gateway to Bharat
Leaving Malari, we rode toward Niti Village. The Himalayan landscape grew more dramatic, the peaks more imposing. Suddenly, rain began pouring, making our journey treacherous. My Royal Enfield Bullet got stuck in the mud. With no one in sight, we were stranded. Fortunately, an army patrol unit arrived and helped pull the bike out.
After riding 10 km beyond Malari, the climate changed drastically. The rain disappeared, replaced by blinding sunlight. The landscape transformed, the greenery faded, the mountains turned golden-brown, and the trees thinned.
We had entered the Tibetan Plateau.
At multiple checkposts, we explained our purpose, and the soldiers, now convinced, let us through. Passing Gamshali Village, we longed to explore, but time constraints forced us to move forward.
And then, in the distance, we saw it, Niti Village.
Niti: A Lost Settlement on the Indo-Tibetan Border
Once a bustling hub of Indo-Tibetan cultural exchange, Niti today is a quiet, remote village. Hidden within terraced fields, the settlement is strategically positioned so that the first rays of sunlight pass through the mountain gaps and illuminate its homes.
The Buddhist influence was stronger here than in Malari. Colorful prayer flags fluttered across the village, while ornately decorated balconies and doors reflected Tibetan artistic traditions. Many houses featured special underground storage areas to protect grains from the harsh climate.
When we arrived, only 12 villagers were present, the rest were migrating back from Joshimath. We spoke to a 90-year-old woman, wrapped in sheep wool. She whispered stories, but our language barrier made understanding difficult.
The village had no mobile network, no modern communication. The only lifeline was the Indian Army, which provided basic amenities and transport.Before leaving, the villagers offered us accommodation for the night, an opportunity we regretfully declined.
A Journey Beyond Words
This journey from tropical Kerala to the Tibetan Plateau was surreal. Exploring Niti and Malari revealed a forgotten world of hybrid cultures, architectural marvels, and resilient communities.
These memories will remain forever, proof that Bharat’s cultural landscape is far more diverse and interconnected than we often realize.
Those who wish to read about the history of the people in Niti pass, go through the link https://www.nitimana.com/index.php/history-tradition
Those who wish to visit Niti pass, go through the link https://www.euttaranchal.com/tourism/niti.php
This blog is based on my travel experience in the Himalayas in June 2024.
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