Studies of specific mountain areas have almost invariably been contextualized within an integrated picture of highlands in contrast to an 'other'--the lowlands. The Himalayas are no exception. It has been long contended by anthropologists that the inhabitants of the lower Himalayas-stretching from Kashmir to eastern Nepal-share common cultural and historical traditions. Studies show that several characteristics such as inter-caste relations, marriage ...
Natural Premises: Ecology and Peasant Life in the Western Himalaya, 1800-1950