Nanda Devi Footlands

"I'm Saraswati Johnson," the woman said to Hera. "This is near Nanda Devi, you know."
"Who?" Atroxia asked and shrugged off her mountain coat, thinking that it was too thick for her liking.
"No! Not who! Nanda Devi is the peak of this mountain," Johnson replied. "Before you ask, there's no Shangri-La either."
"Well, miss Johnson, I'm Artisa, and that's my twin sister Atroxia," Artisa said and gestured to Atroxia, who rolled her eyes. "What are you looking for on Nanda Devi?"
"I'm looking for evidence of the ancient Nanda Devan civilization."
"Come again?" the three asked in surprise.
"A race that has been mentioned in Indian legends," Johnson said. "There's a modern village down the mountain named after them too."

Demographics

Mostly Indian from the northern regions, though a quarter of the village are from the south, including Goa.

Government

Is ruled by a chieftain and his council.

Defences

The village is surrounded by mountains on all sides except the southern part. A layer of wooden palisades and barbed wire surrounds the outer borders of the village.

Industry & Trade

The Nanda Devi footland village survives almost solely on tourism. Tourism activities include offering hikes up the mountain of Nanda Devi and selling Himalayan Indian souvenirs.

After a spate of littering from tourists in the 2000s, the village council decided to close applications for hikes until further notice. This embargo only applies to people who aren't Indian citizens.

With regards to food and general supplies, the village trades with Bageshwar in exchange for entertaining tourists.

Infrastructure

They have a central water reserve as well as a granary next to the chieftain's house.

History

In the 17th century, religious ascetics moved to this region to deepen their understanding of mythology, specifically the ones pertaining to the Heart of Kali.

Geography

The village is situated at the bottom of the mountain Nanda Devi, close to the city of Bageshwar. It is quite cold when it isn't summer as a result.

Type

Village

Population

500