New Delhi, Oct. 1 -- The Himalayas have always been more than mountains. They have been sacred landscapes, sources of rivers, centres of pilgrimage and spaces of spiritual contemplation. For generations, people approached them with a sense of awe and humility. Yet today, the Himalayas are increasingly being approached through the language of infrastructure, connectivity, tourism, and commercial opportunity.

The devastating glacier-related disaster in Nepal in August 2026, which sent torrents of water, ice, rock and debris through parts of the Himalayan region, is the latest reminder of the vulnerability of these mountains. The disaster destroyed settlements and infrastructure and caused a major humanitarian crisis.

Perhaps the mountains...