With great pleasure we would like to welcome and present to you two new members of Stories From Himalayas project: RAJU PUSHOLA and MUKESH KHUGSAL. Both are Indians with roots in Uttarakhand and together with Martushka they covered Raj Yatra. Now they will work together with us on further stories from Uttarakhand.

RAJU PUSHOLA

Raju Pushola 
after graduating from HNB Garhwal University in India had been working as journalist in Seemant Varta Daily Evening newspaper and Uttarakhand Post in India. 
Since 2003 he has been working as a full time photojournalist in Dainik Jagran, Hindi-language daily newspaper, the biggest and the most read and circulated newspaper in India with an average Issue Readership (AIR) of 16.37 million. Raju was awarded by Garhwal Bhratra Mandal and Punjabi Mahasabha Uttarakhand for his work in Kumbh mela 2010 and coverage of Kedarnath Flood in 2013.

MUKESH KHUGSAL

Mukesh Khugsal is an activist with roots in Uttarakhand Himalayas but currently based in New Delhi. He has very deep knowledge of Uttarkhand Himalayan culture and tradition. He was also the head of photography in "Rajula" movie, the first ever full  movie set in Uttarkhand Himalayas which got to mainstream cinemas across India, as well as Head of Production of next movie about culture from the hills, "Aas" - awarded with Best Audience Choice Award during Delhi International film Festival 2013.

WARM WELCOME!!!

Today one of the biggest Polish newspapers Gazeta Wyborcza published a long and very personal interview with Martushka  in one of its  cyclical weekly supplements Wysokie Obcasy 

Martushka revealed the stories how she met with the shamans in Nepal, what has fascinated her in their culture and how in her photographs she has been trying to capture this particular moment in which an ordinary person transforms into a spiritual intermediary. 

In order to read this personal interview with Martushka and see the project gallery,
Polish speakers should click the image below 
and English speakers can get a glimpse into Martushka's Life with Shamans HERE.

The goal of RAJ YATRA project is to documment the most difficult pilgrimage in the work that happens every 12 years around Nanda Devi mountain. It is a three-week barefoot journey of 164 miles in Indian Himalaya, led by a four-horned ram during a foul weather at the end of the rainy season. Raj Yatra is a very rare event. It will start on August 18th 2014 after a gap of 14 years. This 280-kilometre pilgrimage takes the Himalayan Goddess Nanda Devi from her maternal home to her matrimonial home in Mount Kailash. After traversing rain-swollen rivers, dangerous windswept passes, and terrifying ice fields, pilgrims reach the lake Rupkund, located at 15 000 feet and surrounded by hundreds of human skeletons. They then cross a narrow vertical spot called "the Path of Death" and proceed to the lake of the fire sacrifice, Homkund, where - according to the faithful - the four-horned ram leaves the procession and finds its way, unaided, to the summit of Mount Trishul, which is called Kailash by the local people. A deep feeling of faith and reverence for Nanda Devi in Himalayan folklore reflects the respect held for women. Yatra combines obscure faith, mysteries and thrills with a flood of devotees. 

Now it is time for Martushka and her new collaborator Mukesh Khugsal to start their Nanda Devi Raj Yatra experience. Mukesh is an Indian photographer with roots in Uttarakhand Himalayas, who has deep knowledge of Uttarkhand Himalayan culture and tradition. He will be for sure a great help and will bring to the project very valuable insider's perspective. Let's welcome him to STORIES FROM HIMALAYAS TEAM.



Together with Martushka he is in the middle of preparations for Nanda Devi Raj Yatra. They are extensively shopping but they also have met with the members of the Yatra organizers committee to discuss details of the itinerary. They also went for an event promoting talents from Uttarakhand to meet other people engaged into Yatra organization. Now three very long and eventful weeks are ahead of them. Expect more updates from Martushka and Mukesh upon their return!