Royal Enfield brings a week-long programme featuring exhibitions, performances, workshops and culinary traditions from Himalayan communities
Royal Enfield Social Mission has announced the complete programming for the second edition of Journeying Across The Himalayas, the annual multidisciplinary festival centred on the cultural and natural heritage of the Himalayan region. The 2025 edition will be held from 4th to 10th December 2025 at Travancore Palace, New Delhi, featuring artists, practitioners and communities across the Himalayan landscape.
Guided by this year’s curatorial theme, ‘Ours to Tell’, the festival presents the Himalayas as a living archive of memory, identity and resilience through exhibitions, performances, workshops, culinary experiences and discussions.
Bidisha Dey, Executive Director of Eicher Group Foundation, the CSR arm of Royal Enfield, said, “The second edition of Journeying Across The Himalayas brings together voices from across the region through rich creative expression. A melting pot of diverse narratives, the festival becomes a space for celebration – where community members, artists, and creative practitioners share their stories in their own words. This year, the festival opens a gateway into the lived experiences, crafts and culture of Himalayan communities, reflecting their expressions and spotlighting the theme ‘Ours To Tell’.”
This year’s edition brings a wider line-up of curations and collaborations, highlighting cultural expression from across the Himalayas.
Installations & Exhibitions
Bridging Spaces; Living Roots!
An interactive, multi-sensory installation by Sumant Jayakrishnan crafted from recycled fabrics and materials, using light and reflections to evoke the magic and beauty of Meghalaya’s living root bridges.
Crown: A large-scale metal and mixed-media sculpture by artist Dhruvi Acharya, created from dismantled motorcycle parts, forms the centrepiece of the Helmets for India installation. Shaped as an exploding sphere, the work reflects on impact, fragility and collective responsibility. Sculptural drops in cement, resin and ceramics emanate from the sphere, evoking both loss and renewal.
Echoes of the East: An interactive exhibition by Julie Kagti tracing endangered languages, draping traditions and harvest festivals from Northeast India, presented through soundscapes, textile displays and seasonal rituals.
Hub of Many Heart(h)s: Curated by Prachi Joshi, The Himalayan Hub is a constellation of decentralised pavilions rooted in responsible tourism, conservation and circularity, presenting films, textiles and action-based outcomes.
Materials of Everyday Life: Mapping the Material Culture of the Himalayas
Material Library of India presents an installation exploring circularity and material innovation in the Indian Himalayan region through local systems and regenerative practices.
Materials Lab Feature: Curated by Chris Lefteri in partnership with Design Mumbai, the feature explores material intelligence in contemporary interior design, with a focus on sustainability and craftsmanship.
Unwoven/Spoken: The Ladakhi Pashmina
An immersive multi-sensory exhibition presenting Ladakhi Pashmina through herders, processors, artisans and brands. Creative direction: Family.
The Right to Be Seen, Reframing The Passport Photo in Craft: Conceptualised by The Voice of Fashion and curated by Juhi Pandey, this series of portraits presents artisans interpreting their own faces through craft, highlighting identity beyond labour.
The Cult of the Machine: An Immersive Helmets for India Experience by SFAC
A travelling exhibition housed inside a custom-designed container featuring helmet reinterpretations by twelve artists including Ashna Malik, Ishaan Bharat (Osheen), Nabi, Srijan Jha, Khatra, Kapil Jangid, Shweta Sharma, Jigmet Anglo, How Are You Feeling Studio, Martand Khosla, Vibha Galhotra and Mo Naga.
Live Sand Mandala: Monks from Namgyal Monastery, Dharamshala, will curate a live Sand Mandala symbolising compassion.
The Himalayan Fellowship for Creative Practitioners showcase
Presented by FICA, the exhibition features works by the second cohort of fellows: Arieno Kera, Tsetan Angmo, Wasim, Lalsangzuala, Tetea Vanchhawng, Veecheet Dhakal, Zainab, Kesang Thakur, Zeeshan, Nabi, Sagar Saurabh and Thodum Victor.
Sacred Nature: An installation by Aranyani referencing sacred groves, crafted using invasive lantana and Himalayan flora.
The Fifth Gesture: Curated by Saurabh Maurya, the exhibition explores faith, prayer and protection through handcrafted forms created with the Jomche Community in Darcha and Dharamshala.
Culinary Experiences
Memory on a Plate: A session curated by Avantika Haflongbar introducing Dimasa food traditions through plant-based culinary heritage.
Stendel: An immersive Ladakhi food experience by Kunzes Angmo connecting cuisine with memory, landscape and cultural identity.
Sarai Kargil: A session by Yash Saxena exploring Kargili cuisine through narratives of soil, survival and shared memory.
U Siej: A Culinary Exploration
Presented by Dalarympei Sabrina Kharmawphlang and Evermond Lapang, the session highlights bamboo in the food systems of Meghalaya’s Ri Bhoi community.
च़ॆतस प्योम: An experiential exploration of Kashmiri food preservation traditions by Anmol Chowdhury (Battû Phól).
In the Company of Salt: Led by Nitika Kuthiala, the session examines Himalayan herbs, spices and foraging traditions.
Workshops
Fundamentals of Fiction Writing: A session by Dhruv Sehgal on narrative structure, character conflict and thematic clarity.
The Game is ON: A workshop by Peeyush Sekhsaria exploring the use of games in communicating ideas of nature and conservation.
Art for Nature: An interactive workshop by Manveer Singh (Plasticvalla) using discarded materials to create species-inspired craft.
Clay Narratives from the Himalayas: A workshop by Milimeter, co-led by a local potter, focusing on clay as a medium of storytelling.
It’s a Wrap: Drapes and Techniques from the Eastern Hills
A hands-on session by Julie Kagti on traditional draping styles of Northeastern Himalayan communities.
Postcards from the Future: Curated by Sweety Taur and Gaurav Juyal from Prolog Collective, the workshop examines climate impact through creative postcard-making.
Performances
The festival will feature performances by Lou Majaw, Rudy Wallang and Joi Barua; EvenFlow; Pandavaas; Aji Lhamu artists; Balti Ghazal performers; Gauley Bhai; Girish & The Chronicles; Pahadinama by Bol Collective; Chorun Mugli; Shankuraj Konwar ft. Ereka; Thoda Archery Dance artists; House Of Madness (H.O.M.); and Buland Himalay.
Film Screenings
DIFF On the Road, an initiative of the Dharamshala International Film Festival, will present daily two-hour screenings of films by Himalayan filmmakers from 5–10 December.
Festival Shops
The Himalayan Bazaar, curated by Puneeta Chadha Khanna, will present crafts, culture and Himalayan foods, offering direct engagement with artisans.
Dialogues & Discussions
Panel discussions, spotlight sessions and closed-door roundtables will address sustainable tourism, conservation, textile collaborations, cultural heritage, climate resilience and intangible cultural practices.
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