Since my childhood, I grew up listening to the sacrifices of Indian Army soldiers from my maternal uncle, who is now all of 92 years old, a war veteran (Colonel), who took part in the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan. He would poignantly reflect on the heroic bravery of the jawans and the courage of these extraordinary soldiers, who, braving all odds – harsh weather conditions, inhospitable terrains and logistical difficulties – still brought victory to India time and time again.

I knew about the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand being a bastion of the Indian Army’s most decorated infantry unit – “The Kumaon Regiment” – and a region of India that is renowned for its stellar contribution in providing one of the highest densities of soldiers to the Indian Army, what with army veterans found in every household in places like Almora, Pithoragarh and Champawat.

Today, in my profession as a travel journalist, those words of wisdom I heard as a young boy from my uncle’s five-decade-old tryst with the Indian Army, encompassing not just his personal army life but also India’s destiny viz-a-viz the armed forces, echo in my mind every time I venture to Devbhumi Uttarakhand to cover stories of paradigm changes occurring in the domain of tourism in this ravishingly beautiful Himalayan state!

To explore the Himalayas culturally, it does help if you have access to local wisdom, and I am grateful to Nandan Singh Koranga, a veteran of the Kumaon Regiment who provided me with all the knowledge and logistical support to explore the region’s unique military heritage.

Unravelling the stupendous military heritage of Kumaon was every bit inspirational, as the journey through harsh Himalayan terrain in the winter months – snowfall, landslides… – did pose challenges, but at the end, it all culminated marvellously as I got to discover a facet of India I never knew existed!

Kumaon’s military heritage

The Kumaon region has historically been the bastion of the Indian Army, with the highly decorated Kumaon Regiment having its headquarters in Ranikhet. A visit to the Kumaon Regimental Centre Museum transports you to a world of stellar “military heritage” of this formidable infantry unit, whose contribution isn’t just confined to safeguarding India’s sovereignty but also spans continents – North Africa, Mesopotamia, Myanmar and Korea!

Historically, the Kumaon Regiment has relied on the never-ending supply pool of bravehearts from the local community – Bullas from the hills and Ahirs from the plains, who have shaped this distinguished regiment into one of the world’s most formidable infantry units!

The Battle of Razeng La: 120 Kumaoni soldiers vs 3000 Chinese soldiers

As a child, I remember listening with rapt attention to my uncle’s vivid narratives on the infamous Battle of Razengla in the epoch-making 1962 War with China, where 120 brave soldiers of the Kumaon Regiment fought doggedly with 3000 Chinese soldiers on the icy contours of Ladakh’s Chusul Valley!

In fact, old-timers in Kumaon still recollect with immense pride the bravery and valour of those 120 soldiers of the Kumaon Regiment who were martyred after inflicting heavy casualties on the Chinese side and thereby safeguarding the strategic Chushul airbase. This is military legacy at its best – the pinnacle, so to say!

Today, in Ladakh’s Razeng La valley, a war memorial stands as testimony, acknowledging the extreme bravery of the soldiers of the Kumaon Regiment. This mountain battle fought at a rarefied height of 18000 feet above sea level is regarded as one of the world’s most daring armed combats ever fought in the echelons of military history!

Military tourism: the Kumaoni Way

Kumaonis by nature are god-fearing, law-abiding and a humble race. As a visitor, you get a whiff of this characteristic trait of local Kumaonis in your day-to-day interactions with locals.

I can cite one example – on my mountain drive from Kathgodam to Almora in a hired cab, I was perplexed to see that at every 5/10-minute interval, the cab driver would raise his right hand and tinkle the tiny bells fixed on top of the car’s sunscreen! At first, I thought the guy must be having a phobia or might be superstitious. But, when I asked him why he tinkles the bells, he said, “Sahib Ji, Kumaon is Devbhumi – the abode of gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon. At every nook and corner of the highway, there are temples of Shiv, Parvati and Hanuman Ji. So, I make it a point to convey my obeisance to divinity by tinkling the bells!”

Sounds incredible! Isn’t it?

People of Kumaon embed divinity in their hearts and valour into their physique, thereby distinguishing themselves with a natural urge to serve for the nation; the tendency towards a military job is a natural corollary to their unique upbringing.

The whole of the Kumaon region reverberates with a patriotic fervour, and visitors can experience this unique Kumaoni mindset by visiting places like Almora, Ranikhet and Pithoragarh, which has a high density of population with an armed forces background.

Operation Sadbhavna & Vibrant Villages programme

The Indian Army has launched its one-of-a-kind social outreach programme – Operation Sadbhavna – with its primary goal of further strengthening the civil-military ties, particularly in border areas of Uttarakhand.

Consider, for instance, the breathtaking village of Garbyang – a village in Kumaon’s Pithorogarh district where the Indian Army has come up with the novel idea of empowering the village with alternative livelihoods through the tented homestay concept. Not only is the army creating the much-needed tourism infrastructure like electrification and solar power, but it is also imparting the basic skill sets required to cater to the discerning visitors and generating awareness on issues like sustainable tourism.

The entire tented homestay tourism in Garbyang is managed by the local villagers, thereby guaranteeing “authenticity”, which is a much sought-after element in today’s evolving tourism landscape, what with the whole world veering more and more towards a “People & Planet First” approach.

There is another advantage tied to the Indian Army’s Operation Sadbhavna mission – it complements the Govt. of India’s ambitious “Vibrant Villages Programme”. In fact, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has been reiterating the benefits of taking tourism to remote border villages, which geopolitical experts worldwide have appreciated as a tool to counter issues like cross-border terrorism, armed warfare and frequent border skirmishes with neighbouring countries!

Garbyang: showcasing India’s soft power

Who would have thought of this remote hamlet of Garbyang, tucked away in one corner of India’s Himalayas, where life is hard and the terrain so difficult, to be making waves in the world of tourism! More so in terms of slow and regenerative tourism!

Even a year back, Garbyang was just another Himalayan hamlet where villagers had to eke out a living fighting not just the harsh weather conditions but also the unfortunate phenomenon of mass migration of youths to metropolitan cities.

The story of Garbyang’s rise from the ashes of the Himalayas to the forefront of “experiential tourism” is a story of India’s resolve to take pride in its own indigenous culture, heritage and Himalayan grandeur. It is also a message from the Indian Army, easily one of the world’s most cohesive army units, that tourism, not terrorism, is the way forward.

Wrapping up

The Kumaon region is easily one of India’s most beautiful Himalayan stretches and culturally inspiring, where, apart from its own indigenous diversity, there is also a deep civil-military connection. This is a bond of unity amidst diversity.

Kumaon abounds with not just the hallowed powdery peaks but also stories of bravery. How can you not be emotionally awestruck when you interact with wizened villagers sitting besides the community bonfire, reminiscing of bravehearts –beside the battles they fought on the world’s highest battlefield of Siachen, the faceoffs with Chinese on the borders, maintaining supplies at heights above 16000 feet, and embracing technology in extreme high altitudes!

A journey through Kumaon’s military landscape is a walk through the very best of the Indian Army’s most iconic missions, the rigorous training that shapes these bravehearts and the hostile environments where they operate.

Kumaon’s military trail is one of the greatest “regenerative tourism trails” one can aspire to. You go in search of adventure and come back home a completely transformed person, probably carrying with you the spirit of the Himalayas and imbibing lessons on survival at extreme high altitudes, how to stand firm in times of adversity, regimental pride, the value of endurance…all of these qualities are so very vital in today’s competitive world.

For connoisseurs of tourism, embarking on the Kumaoni Military Tourism Circuit could be an eye-opener on how the phenomenon of tourism can be leveraged for economic growth, fostering cultural exchange through experiential travel, converting military sites into tourist sites and how military heritage tourism can be preserved and showcased in a truly immersive manner.

If you are looking for experiential Himalayan holidays, Garbyang is one of the finest options – immersive village tours, cultural immersions, partaking of local cuisines, soft treks….

Garbyang is also a village at the crossroads – some of the pilgrimage hotspots like Adi Kailash and Om Parvat are easily accessible from Garbyang, which adds a lot more value to your trip.