The Himalayas is considered among the youngest mountain ranges of the world. It passes through five nations: India, Pakistan, Bhutan, China and Nepal. For logistic and politics reasons we shall start the 12th of August 2010 from Leh in the “Hemis high altitude park” – Ladakh- and walk halfway through the Himalaya in order to reach the 18th of November the Sagarmatha National Park – Népal -.
Where are we ?
The Known Universe by AMNH
Origin of Himalayas
The birth of Himalayas dates back to million of years ago. There were successions of stages, which led to the creation of the Himalayas. The creation of the Himalayas is the result of a collision of India with Asia along the convergent boundary. There were powerful earth movement between the Indo-Australian Plate and the Eurasian Plate that resulted in the creation of the Himalayan range.
How Mountains Form Animation
The earth movements raised the deposits, which were laid down in the shallow Tethys Sea, which is on the present location of the mountains. Today also there is constant change and development in the mountains due to earthquakes and tremors. The collision of India with Asia was due the mechanics beneath the earth's surface. There are various plates that collide, recede and slide from each other at about 2 cm/year. This action beneath the earth's surface leads to the rising of the Himalayas by about 5 mm per year.
Mount Everest Animation
The heat generated beneath the earth's surface results in this action of collision. It is the process of convection that drives hot current upwards due to less density and cold current downwards due to more density. This movement of Indian plate into the Asian plate makes this region very active and prone to earthquakes. In the future also the plate will move like this causing changes in the structure of the Himalayas. The height and width of the mountain will change according to the action beneath the earth's surface. In the north the mountains will be taller and smaller in the south while the width remains the same. So this was mainly the reason behind the formation of the Himalayas.
History
Himalayas is known for its historical, religious, and geographical significance. Historically it has a lot of relevance it served as a guard from various invasions, a border and a meeting ground for different races, culture and religion. It formed a divide between India and Tibet. People travelled for religious and trade purposes.
The trans-Himalayan region was a key centre for trade and commerce. With the famous Silk Route this region first gained importance during the early Han dynasty i.e. 206 BC to 8 AD. The route connected Central Asia with South Asia, and created a bridge between culturally and religiously diverse countries such as India, China, Afghanistan, Nepal, and Bhutan. Himalayas was also a witness to the Indus Valley Civilization, the oldest Indian Civilization.
History of Buddhism
The trans-Himalayan region was a key centre for trade and commerce. With the famous Silk Route this region first gained importance during the early Han dynasty i.e. 206 BC to 8 AD. The route connected Central Asia with South Asia, and created a bridge between culturally and religiously diverse countries such as India, China, Afghanistan, Nepal, and Bhutan. Himalayas was also a witness to the Indus Valley Civilization, the oldest Indian Civilization.
THE GREAT HINDU HISTORY OF INDIA 1 OF 3
THE GREAT HINDU HISTORY OF INDIA 2 OF 3
THE GREAT HINDU HISTORY OF INDIA 3 OF 3
So Himalayas has a rich historical background to unfold. To explore the Himalayas innumerable attempts have been made as the Mount Everest has been opened for commercial mountaineering in the early 1920s. But Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary have made the first successful attempt to climb the Everest in May 1953. Since then many successful attempt have been made to climb the Mount Everest.
The Late Sir Edmund Hillary (By Jim Clash)
The panoramic view of the mountain ranges attracts traveler across the world. In 1852 the highest mountain in the world was named after Sir George Everest as Mount Everest.
As Nepal opened its frontiers in 1949 to the outside world people explored ten of the fourteen 8000m peaks. Some of the major among them are:
As Nepal opened its frontiers in 1949 to the outside world people explored ten of the fourteen 8000m peaks. Some of the major among them are:
Annapurna (8091m) was the first peak to be climbed in 1950, and then in 1953 it was Mount Everest (8848m) and Nanga Parbat (8125m). From that time onwards many expeditions have been made and by 1964 all the Himalayan peaks had been climbed.
Extra...
Himalaya Alert
The Himalayas, which are often called "The Roof of the World", contain the greatest area of glaciers and permafrost outside of the poles. Ten of Asia’s largest rivers flow from here, and more than a billion people’s livelihoods depend on them. To complicate matters, temperatures are rising more rapidly here than the global average. In Nepal, the temperature has risen 0.6 degree C over the last decade, whereas the global warming has been around 0.7 degree C over the last hundred years.
Himalaya Alert
The Himalayas, which are often called "The Roof of the World", contain the greatest area of glaciers and permafrost outside of the poles. Ten of Asia’s largest rivers flow from here, and more than a billion people’s livelihoods depend on them. To complicate matters, temperatures are rising more rapidly here than the global average. In Nepal, the temperature has risen 0.6 degree C over the last decade, whereas the global warming has been around 0.7 degree C over the last hundred years.
Phil Borges on endangered cultures
Photographer Phil Borges shows rarely seen images of people from the mountains of Dharamsala, India, and the jungles of the Ecuadorean Amazon. In documenting these endangered cultures, he intends to help preserve them.
