Western Himalayas: Difference between revisions

Western Himalayas
	View of the Parvati Valley in Kullu District
Location	India
Coordinates	Template:Coord
Gene Pool	South Asian Gene Pool
Regional Complex	Hindu Kush-Himalayan
Country	India
Provinces/States	Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jammu and Kashmir
Elevation Range	500–3,500 m
Area	~50,000 km²
Climate	Temperate montane
Primary Rivers	Beas River, Tons River, Alaknanda River
Primary Mountains	Pir Panjal Range, Dhauladhar Range, Great Himalayan Range, Mussourie Range, Nag Tibba Range, Shivalik Hills, Zanskar Range, Ladakh Range
Conservation Status	Vulnerable

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Latest revision as of 18:16, 8 November 2025

South Asian Gene Pool Hindu Kush-Himalayan [[Has country::India]]

The Western Himalayas is a major landrace cannabis cultivation region spanning the mountain valleys of northern India, encompassing traditional charas (hand-rubbed hashish) producing areas in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and parts of Jammu and Kashmir. ^[1] ^[2] ^[3] ^[4]

In the Western Himalayas, landrace cannabis is cultivated by local communities and also occurs naturalized across steep valley systems from the Himalayan foothills (~300–600 m) through mid-elevation temperate valleys (e.g., Malana, Kullu, 1500 m through 3200m) to cold-desert basins above 3,000 m; published records extend to ~3,500 m in Lahaul–Spiti. ^[5] ^[6] ^[7]

The region's cannabis populations are cultivated primarily for charas production, with hand-rubbing techniques passed through generations of farming communities.

Geography

Climate

Cultural Context

Ethnic Context

Cultivation History

Genetics

No data at present, further research needed.

Growing Areas

The Western Himalayas growing region encompasses numerous documented cultivation areas. Browse by administrative division:

Himachal Pradesh

Kullu District

The Kullu District contains the highest concentration of documented growing areas in the Western Himalayas:

Mandi District

Seraj

Kinnaur District

Lahaul and Spiti District

Due to the harsh climate and short growing season, as of 2015 is sparse evidence of current, intentional cannabis cultivation in Lahaul and Spiti districts. There are, however, feral, self seeding cannabis populations found near roadsides, rivers and temples throughout the district. ^[8]

Sirmaur District

Shimla District

Uttarakhand

Garhwal Division

Kumaon Division

Jammu and Kashmir

No data at present, further research needed.

Ladakh

High-altitude cold desert region with limited cultivation

Botanical Characteristics

Regional Traits

Geographic Variation

Other Variations

Cultivation Practices

Traditional Methods

Modern Methods

Conservation Status

Threats to Landrace Populations

Conservation Efforts

Chemical Profile

Cannabinoid Content

Western Himalayas populations are traditionally drug-type cannabis, selected for resin production. Research is needed to characterize chemical profiles.

Gallery

Parvati Valley cultivation area

Parvati Valley cultivation area
Traditional hand-rubbing technique

Traditional hand-rubbing technique
Flowering field in Kullu District

Flowering field in Kullu District
Terraced cultivation in Malana Valley

Terraced cultivation in Malana Valley
Beas River Valley landscape

Beas River Valley landscape
Traditional drying methods

Traditional drying methods
Autumn landscape, peak flowering season

Autumn landscape, peak flowering season

References

Template:Reflist

External Links

[Link to relevant botanical databases]
[Link to conservation organizations]
[Link to genetic research papers]

South Asian Gene Pool Hindu Kush-Himalayan India

[1] ttps://www.pmfias.com/himalayas-regional-divisions-punjab-himalayas-assam-himalayas-western-himalayas-central-himalayas-eastern-himalayas/

[2] ttps://archive.org/details/b32222920_0001

[3] ttps://www.unodc.org/pdf/india/publications/south_Asia_Regional_Profile_Sept_2005/10_india.pdf

[4] ttps://narcoticsindia.nic.in/Publication/2002.pdf

[5] ttps://refubium.fu-berlin.de/bitstream/handle/fub188/14541/ThexHolocene-2016-Demske-1661-75.pdf?sequence=1

[6] ttps://www.researchgate.net/publication/291116090_Retrospect_and_Prospects_of_Natural_Resource_and_Disaster_Management_in_Uttarakhand_Himalaya_Geo-environmental_Characteristics_Natural_Resources_and_Disasters_in_Uttarakhand_State

[7] ttps://www.eresearchco.com/articles/abnormal-meiosis-in-tetraploid-4x-cannabis-sativa-l-from-lahaulspiti-cold-desert-higher-altitude-himalayasa-neglected-bu.pdf

[8] ttps://www.eresearchco.com/articles/abnormal-meiosis-in-tetraploid-4x-cannabis-sativa-l-from-lahaulspiti-cold-desert-higher-altitude-himalayasa-neglected-bu.pdf

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

@@ Line 7: / Line 7: @@
 |country = [[India]]
 |provinces = [[Himachal Pradesh]], [[Uttarakhand]], [[Jammu and Kashmir]]
-|elevation_range = 1,500–3,500 m
+|elevation_range = 500–3,500 m
 |climate = Temperate montane
 |primary_river = [[Beas River]], [[Tons River]], [[Alaknanda River]]
+|primary_mountains = [[Pir Panjal Range]], [[Dhauladhar Range]], [[Great Himalayan Range]], [[Mussourie Range]], [[Nag Tibba Range]], [[Shivalik Hills]], [[Zanskar Range]], [[Ladakh Range]]
 |area_extent = ~50,000 km²
 |status = Vulnerable
@@ Line 15: / Line 16: @@
 }}
-The '''Western Himalayas''' is a major [[landrace cannabis]] cultivation region spanning the mountain valleys of northern [[India]], encompassing traditional ''[[charas]]'' (hand-rubbed hashish) producing areas in [[Himachal Pradesh]], [[Uttarakhand]], and parts of [[Jammu and Kashmir]].
+The '''Western Himalayas''' is a major [[landrace cannabis]] cultivation region spanning the mountain valleys of northern [[India]], encompassing traditional ''[[charas]]'' (hand-rubbed hashish) producing areas in [[Himachal Pradesh]], [[Uttarakhand]] and parts of [[Jammu and Kashmir]]. <ref>https://www.pmfias.com/himalayas-regional-divisions-punjab-himalayas-assam-himalayas-western-himalayas-central-himalayas-eastern-himalayas/</ref> <ref>https://archive.org/details/b32222920_0001</ref> <ref>https://www.unodc.org/pdf/india/publications/south_Asia_Regional_Profile_Sept_2005/10_india.pdf</ref> <ref>https://narcoticsindia.nic.in/Publication/2002.pdf</ref>
-The Western Himalayas growing region is characterized by landrace cannabis cultivation in steep valley systems between 500 and 3,500 meters elevation.
+In the Western Himalayas, landrace cannabis is cultivated by local communities and also occurs naturalized across steep valley systems from the Himalayan foothills (~300–600 m) through mid-elevation temperate valleys (e.g., Malana, Kullu, 1500 m through 3200m) to cold-desert basins above 3,000 m; published records extend to ~3,500 m in Lahaul–Spiti. <ref>https://refubium.fu-berlin.de/bitstream/handle/fub188/14541/ThexHolocene-2016-Demske-1661-75.pdf?sequence=1</ref> <ref>https://www.researchgate.net/publication/291116090_Retrospect_and_Prospects_of_Natural_Resource_and_Disaster_Management_in_Uttarakhand_Himalaya_Geo-environmental_Characteristics_Natural_Resources_and_Disasters_in_Uttarakhand_State</ref> <ref>https://www.eresearchco.com/articles/abnormal-meiosis-in-tetraploid-4x-cannabis-sativa-l-from-lahaulspiti-cold-desert-higher-altitude-himalayasa-neglected-bu.pdf</ref>
 The region's cannabis populations are cultivated primarily for [[charas]] production, with hand-rubbing techniques passed through generations of farming communities.
@@ Line 25: / Line 26: @@
 ==Climate==
-== Cultural and Ethnic Context ==
+== Cultural Context ==
+==Ethnic Context==
 ==Cultivation History==
@@ Line 33: / Line 36: @@
 No data at present, further research needed.
-==Growing Areas and Sub-Regions==
+==Growing Areas==
 The Western Himalayas growing region encompasses numerous documented cultivation areas. Browse by administrative division:
@@ Line 39: / Line 42: @@
 ===Himachal Pradesh===
-====[[Kullu District]]====
+==== [[Kullu District]] ====
-{{Region Main|Kullu}}
 The Kullu District contains the highest concentration of documented growing areas in the Western Himalayas:
-* [[Banjar Valley]]
+* [[Tirthan Valley]]
 * [[Janjehli Valley]]
 * [[Kullu Valley]]
@@ Line 50: / Line 52: @@
 * [[Parvati Valley]]
 * [[Sainj Valley]]
-* [[Seraj Valley]]
+* [[Inner Seraj]]
+* [[Outer Seraj]]
+====[[Mandi District]]====
+* [[Seraj]]
 ====[[Kinnaur District]]====
-{{Region Main|Kinnaur}}
-High-altitude region near the Tibet border.
+* [[Lower Sutlej Valley]]
+* [[Middle Sutlej Valley]]
+* [[Baspa Valley]]
 ====[[Lahaul and Spiti District]]====
-{{Region Main|Lahaul and Spiti}}
-Cold desert region with limited cultivation at very high elevations (3,000–3,800m).
+Due to the harsh climate and short growing season, as of 2015 is sparse evidence of current, intentional cannabis cultivation in Lahaul and Spiti districts. There are, however, feral, self seeding cannabis populations found near roadsides, rivers and temples throughout the district. <ref>https://www.eresearchco.com/articles/abnormal-meiosis-in-tetraploid-4x-cannabis-sativa-l-from-lahaulspiti-cold-desert-higher-altitude-himalayasa-neglected-bu.pdf</ref>
+* [[Trilokinath]]
+* [[Udaipur]]
+* [[Keylong]]
+* [[Darcha]]
+* [[Batal]]
+* [[Kaza]]
+* [[Losar]]
 ====[[Sirmaur District]]====
-{{Region Main|Sirmaur}}
-Southern district with scattered cultivation areas, less documented than northern regions.
+====[[Shimla District]]====
+* [[Busahr]]
+* [[Pabbar Valley]]
+* [[Kotkhai Valley]]
+* [[Jubbal Valley]]
+* [[Chaupal Valley]]
 ===Uttarakhand===
 ====[[Garhwal Division]]====
-{{Region Main|Garwhal}}
+* [[Nanda Devi]]
-Western Uttarakhand, including:
-* [[Nanda Devi]] region
 * [[Niti Valley]]
 ====[[Kumaon Division]]====
-{{Region Main|Kumaon}}
-Eastern Uttarakhand, including:
 * [[Johar Valley]]
 * [[Darma Valley]]
+* [[Gori Valley]]
+* [[Saur Valley]]
+* [[Munsyari]]
+* [[Bona (Bauna)]]
+* [[Darchula]]
 ===Jammu and Kashmir===
@@ Line 84: / Line 107: @@
 ====Ladakh====
-''High-altitude cold desert region with limited cultivation''
+High-altitude cold desert region with limited cultivation
 ==Botanical Characteristics==