Photos: Speakers and artists from the hillside and beyond attended the first edition of the LLAF in Landour to shine a light upon literature, history, art, music, poetry, film, and more. By Karan Madhok

Editorial: With the intention of promoting the arts borne and inspired from Landour, Mussoorie, and the Garhwal region, The Chakkar and the Mussoorie Heritage Centre [MHC] are launching the Landour Literature & Arts Festival. The first edition of LLAF will shine a light upon history, literature, art, music, poetry, film, and more. By Karan Madhok

As a generation of Indians move from living in houses to apartments, Vipin Labroo argues that we must envision our new spaces to reflect better synthesis with the rhythms of nature, the way that our traditional homes once were.

In a new collection, Goan artist Harshada Kerkar paints intimate portraits to celebrate the lives of locals and villagers around Mussoorie. By Karan Madhok

Photo Essay: Amidst the gorgeous Himalayan backdrop in the hamlet of Landour (Mussoorie) Gopala Krishna finds strange beauty in the old Bazaar, where history has long stood still for the local community.

A lifelong resident of the Clock Tower area in Landour writes about an eerie new reality post the COVID-19 lockdown in the hill-station. - By Surbhi Agarwal

‘The yeti is the mountain. He’s the mountain’s teeth and the mountain’s claws, a manifestation of the power of nature, and a reminder to act with respect.’ Zachary Conrad recalls an awe-inspiring hike to the Himalayan summit of Bandarpunch

Short story by Jamie Alter: ‘Suddenly, from just ahead of the lamppost in front of the hawa-ghar, appeared the frame of an elderly man. Mr Rathore could swear that nothing had been there just seconds ago.’

Stephen Alter’s Wild Himalaya: A Natural History of the Greatest Mountain Range on Earth was published in August. Here’s an excerpt, where Alter delves deep into the world of an unlikely predator: the carnivorous sundew.

Let’s slow down and appreciate the genius - The Chakkar Team