Himalaya is a Sanskrit word meaning abode of snow. It is the tallest mountain range, whose spiny ridges spread out halfway across the world's largest continent; The formidable range with at least eighty peaks above 20,000 feet, the snow covered silvery summits spread out beyond the horizon, gigantic glaciers, high plateaux, the magnificent roaring dark gorges, are an awe inspiring spectacle that transcends description. But this great abode of snow is more than ice, snow and rock. Since antiquity it has been home of a great diversity of people, who have developed many magnificent cultures. With passage of time all these become one with the great wonderland, Hill woman bedecked with Jewellery that is India. Like many other, the culture of Garhwal and Kumaon have their rich and definite contributions to the ocean of great Indian Culture. The traditions folk art of the region was preserved in its original form, since Garhwal and Kumaon were inaccessible in the past, due to the high mountain ranges and rugged topography.

Temple Architecture
Temple Architecture was patronised by wealthy and powerful kings of of the region. They encouraged the construction of big stone temples, wood carvings, ornaments etc. Big stone temples were erected with highly intricate and ornamental carvings, having beautiful stone and metal idols. Kamaleshwar Temples of Srinagar (Garhwal) and Nanda Devi Temple (Distt. Almora) are fine examples of these.

In the Garhwal-Kumaon region, one can find a temples with lotus shaped roof, lion over the elephant which is projected over lower Shikhara normally covering the audience hall and outer walls executed either in Panch Rath or Sapta Rath pattern, giving the temple a cylindrical shape. The main temple is invariably surrounded by a couple of smaller temples, which house deities of lower hierarchy.

Wood Carving
Craft-persons of the Uttaranchal had mastered the art of wood carving. Abundant in Wood and wood product, the artisans of the region has designed simple and beautiful designs on carvings on Doors, windows and ceilings in the houses of the region. These beautifully ornamented doors and windows still attract art lovers. The motifs, ordinarily of the Gods or Goddesses, add to the richness of the carvings. The craftspersons also used to do specific latticework to fill in the open space of the windows in order to give a screen like effect.