Journey to ‘CoRe’

When the brutal first wave of the pandemic was over, I vividly remember embarking on this journey to Triyuginarayan, a village in Uttarakhand, northern India. This village attracts tourists from all over the world and has become popular as a wedding destination. Triyuginarayan is perched at an altitude of 6,500 feet above sea level and is in proximity to Kedarnath, a holy town nestled in the Himalayas at a high altitude of 11,750 feet. Most of the inhabitants of both these towns are highly reliant on agriculture and tourism as sources of income. Both these towns hadn’t fully recovered from the North India Floods of 2013 when a cloudburst caused life in Uttarakhand to come to a standstill. And the pandemic in 2020 worsened it!

Initially, I got on-boarded for designing the landscape plan for 3 acres of fertile land, but the recce of this serene town added another dimension to this assignment. I was fascinated and inspired by the women of Triyuginarayan, who became sole earners of families in 2013 when most men perished. Agriculture is the primary source of income for most households, but sustenance has been challenging, particularly during the pandemic. And this led me to propose the design of an ecosystem; where the fertile piece of land could generate employment in more ways than one. Spearheading this project with the women has been a life-changing experience!

The Concept

I partnered with a nonprofit from Uttarakhand to propose the design of an ecosystem to enable employment of the inhabitants across four categories centered around the land. To plant edible species and decorative flowers for weddings while planning the entire landscape as a tourist spot. Since this town is known for its temple, the fourth category focused on recycling temple waste. And that entailed partnering with an initiative that recycles floral waste, enabling women to upskill, with a long-term goal to launch a homegrown label offering natural and handmade products for the urban market. Additionally, the idea was to support and empower the inhabitants, especially women and marginalised groups, in leading roles to inculcate a sense of ownership and inclusivity.

Projects like these can be daunting, and an appropriate structured approach and partnerships can augment fundraising and solve logistical challenges efficiently. I had been meaning to upskill when I discovered Atlas Corps. Through my placement at Collaborating for Resilience (CoRe), an initiative catering to equitable environmental governance, I have found an excellent opportunity to bridge the gap between planning and execution.