New Delhi, March 21 -- Long before roads brought people closer, trails scripted a region's history. They took traders and scholars across the high passes. Resourceful kings, familiar with the terrain, strategised important battles and claimed territories along the way. For the locals who lived in these regions, survival depended on the link provided by these pagdandis.

Once different modes of transport replaced foot journeys, the functionality of most trails was lost over time. Those that survived were in places where roads still hadn't reached; some gained popularity with hikers like Jaipur-based Manvendra "Manav" Singh Shekhawat, 34, who soon arrived at the idea of documenting them.

In 2021, Shekhawat began exploring trails in the Sah...