Mortals of Devbhoomi: Capturing the Sacred and the Human in the Himalayas

Deep within the high folds of the Indian Himalayas, Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu Valley exists at a rare intersection of the earthly and the transcendent. Revered since antiquity as Dev Bhoomi—the Land of Gods—this is a landscape where the sacred is not merely an abstract belief, but an immediate, lived reality. Every village is home to resident Devis and Devtas who govern local life, offering counsel, protection, and judgment through the Himachali shamans who serve as their living conduits.

In her powerful photographic series, Mortals of Devbhoomi, acclaimed filmmaker and author Anu Malhotra invites us into this mythical realm—not through grand landscapes, but through the intimate, weather-worn faces of the people who inhabit it.

A World Captured in Passing

The photographs in this collection were born during the intense, years-long journey of filming her documentary series and authoring her award-winning book, Shamans of the Himalayas. While traversing remote, far-flung mountain settlements, Malhotra turned her camera toward the village folk who welcomed her into their lives.

What emerged is an extraordinary archive of human dignity. The portraits capture a quiet strength: elders whose eyes carry generations of oral tradition, shamans caught between states of trance and solitude, and everyday villagers whose lives remain closely tuned to the rhythms of the earth and the dictates of the divine.

The Power of Community and Wisdom

Beyond the mystic undertones of the valley, Mortals of Devbhoomi is fundamentally a tribute to the human spirit. Malhotra holds the Himachali people in profound regard, drawn to their deep-rooted sense of community and their enduring wisdom traditions. In these isolated valleys, survival and harmony depend entirely on togetherness, shared heritage, and a profound respect for nature and faith.

Her portraits honor this interconnectedness. There is no distance between the photographer and the subject—only warmth, mutual regard, and an unspoken understanding of a shared moment in time.

A Vanishing Heritage

Today, as modernization and rapid connectivity reach into the highest reaches of the Himalayas, the traditional way of life in Devbhoomi is undergoing irreversible change. Ancient customs are shifting, and the quiet isolation that preserved these sacred traditions for centuries is gradually dissolving.

This gives the Mortals of Devbhoomi collection an urgent cultural resonance. More than exquisite visual portraiture, these photographs serve as vital historical records, capturing the soul of a fragile, beautiful world before it fades into memory. Through Malhotra’s lens, the mortals of the Land of Gods remain timeless, inviting us to pause, reflect, and honor a legacy carved into the heart of the Himalayas.

“I have always sought to capture India’s rich cultural heritage and vibrant living traditions through my films photographs and books. Today, when wise living traditions are dying and a stressful urban lifestyle is leading us into disease and discontent, we need a reminder of the value and wisdom of our time-tested ways of life that are wholesome and fulfilling.” – Anu Malhotra

The Mortals of Devbhoomi , a series of Black and White photographs will be launched at Wide Angle -An Exhibition of photographs Presented by Wonderwall  gallery , India Habitat Center, New Delhi from 6^th to 10^th October 2026.