The Himalayas, Tribes and Music

I was watching a show on Discovery Plus.

Walking the Himalayas by Levison Wood

It's a complete journey of exploring the Himalayas from Afghanistan to Pakistan to India Nepal to Bhutan.

The Himalayas is not just a mountain range. It's a path of Human Civilization. The passes say a story of the early trade routes. Of our ancestors walking barefoot through these passes. The Himalayas are a story of Human Beings' relationship with Nature, with Animals. It is intriguing to even imagine how our ancestors would have traveled in such extreme weather conditions.

The show includes the host and his crew walking through the Himalayan Range.

They pass through different Countries. Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan.

They walk through Different Geographies. Barren Mountain Tops of Wakhan Valley to Fertile Fields of Hunza Valley. Hot and Humid deserts of Afghanistan to Cold and Snowie mountains of Irshad Pass.

The host and the crew pass through different cultures. Meeting different tribes inhabiting in the Barren lands for centuries. Wakhi tribe, where the life expectancy is 40 years for men and 32 years for women.

There are tribesmen who haven't see a tree in their entire life. For centuries they live in the Barren dry land. They continue to migrate from one place in winter to another place in summer.

There are tribesmen who have seen a hospital in their life. If they are sick, they die.

The most amazing aspect which touched me was one similarity in all the countries, in all the geographies, in all the cultures.

The love for Music.

Music has no boundaries. Wherever there is a group of people, there is music, there is dance. Language or Instruments can be different, but there will be music. That's the deeply human need. It must have come from our ancestors. Maybe in those times, when people used to pass through such difficult terrains when it used to take them days and months to reach their destination, they might have gathered around a fire in the night and must have sing and dance. It must be have been a stress reliever for them.

I also see a life lesson there. Human Beings cannot just run after their goal or destination all the time. One has to take some breaks at the end of the day. Meet people. Sing and Dance and Drink and Laugh. And continue the journey the next day.

Insights after Episode 1.

More in the next blog.