Jan 2024

The teeka, the rice, the dry coconut

The old blessing we press into your hands as you leave for the road.

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Written by

Manohar Negi · Owner & host

Jan 2024

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The Ritual

This one's still being written.

It's on the list — a longer, more personal piece, to be set down in Manohar's own hand. For now, here's the heart of it:

“The old blessing we press into your hands as you leave for the road.”

About the author

Manohar Negi

Owner & host

Manohar grew up in these hills and never really left. A photographer by craft and a host by heart, he turned the family home at Kunja into a place to share — and most of the frames you see across this site are his.

More about Manohar

How to see more birds: a field guide for beginners

You don't need expensive gear or years of practice — just a few simple habits. Here's how to turn an ordinary morning walk into one full of birds.

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Birding

Photographing the birds of the hills: a quick start

A long lens helps, but patience and respect matter more. A beginner's guide to making honest photographs of the wild birds of the Kumaon hills.

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Birding

The gear we use for bird photography

Guests often ask what's in the bag. The honest answer: not much, and nothing new. Here's exactly what we carry up the hill, and what each piece is for.

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Birding

The birding year in Kumaon, month by month

Which birds are around when — from the spring nesting rush to the winter visitors down from the high Himalaya. A seasonal guide to birding around Kunja.

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The Ritual

A lifetime of comings and goings

On the small ritual that has welcomed and blessed every guest of these hills for as long as I can remember — and what it has meant to grow up inside it.

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Renovation

Restoring a legacy, not just a home

When we set out to do up the old house, the goal was never just a comfortable place to stay — it was to restore a legacy, and bring a hundred-year-old home back to life.

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See all of Manohar's writingEvery piece from the journal, gathered on his profile.

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Related pieces

The Ritual

A lifetime of comings and goings

On the small ritual that has welcomed and blessed every guest of these hills for as long as I can remember — and what it has meant to grow up inside it.

Read it