Work in Progress

The alpine meadows of the Himalaya, above 13,000 feet in elevation, are home to some of the most diverse plant communities in the world. Over the centuries, local communities have used this diversity of plants for all manner of purposes, including the healing of minor ailments, spices in food preparation, and mushrooms as food. In more recent times, many of these plants have found a market, both nationally and internationally. A large number of these plants are now harvested to meet this demand and many species find their way into myriad pharmaceutical and herbal cosmetic companies around the world. The film proposes to explore this environment in which these plants grow, along with a documentation of the methods used by residents of high altitude villages to find and harvest these herbs. We will then follow the routes that the herbs travel, as they move from alpine meadow to local and regional markets, before reaching export centres in Amritsar and Delhi.