Explorations of a transforming Himalaya: everyday religion, sustainable environments, and urban Himalayan studies

This text serves as an overview of the Everyday Religion and Sustainable Environments in the Himalaya (ERSEH) project with an emphasis on the conceptual possibilities that motivate and sustain the initiative. The content includes discussion of diverse ways to approach categories such as ‘Himalaya’, ‘Everyday Religion,’ and ‘Sustainable Environments’. Particular attention is given to the potentials for integration and innovation that can emerge when examining the complexity of these categories in urbanizing Himalayan centers. We contend that there is ample scope to push new avenues of inquiry in the region by looking to the syncretic beliefs and practices that are emerging in these urban zones as they adjust to the influence of novel ideas, technologies, and markets. The text also provides an introduction to the investigations associated with the ERSEH project, the results of which are included in this special themed section.Georgina Drew, Ashok Gurun