हिमालय हिन्दी हाउस

नलूँणा, उत्तरकाशी

उत्तराखंड

HIMALAYA HINDI HOUSE

Study Hindi in the perfect environment beside the Ganga river in the Indian Himalayas

Haridwar - Gateway to the Garhwal Himalayas

Haridwar - Gateway to the Garhwal Himalayas

Himalaya Hindi House is a non-profit venture which:
-         Provide meals, accommodation and learning materials for school students from nearby villages. These students would ordinarily have to walk up to six hours each day in harsh conditions to attend school as they are from remote villages. These students stay at HHH, Nalunna during the week so they can attend school and return home for the weekend and school holidays;
-         Offers Hindi courses for international students; and
-         Offers a paying guest and retreat facility for those wishing to stay in the serene and beautiful Himalayas on a journey of self-discovery.

Himalaya Hindi House, Nalunna

Himalaya Hindi House is located between the Uttarkashi-Gangotri Road and the river Ganga at Nalunna, 21 km north of Uttarkashi, Uttarakhand, India. Nalunna has a mild and pleasant climate during the Indian summer. Surrounded by the indescribable majesty of the Himalayas, it is an ideal place for those who love wilderness and simple living. Main attractions of the region are the Gomukh Glacier, Valley of the Flowers, and the four major pilgrimage centers: Gangotri, Yamunotri, Kedarnath and Badrinath.This region has a very powerful presence and is still very peaceful despite being a very important centre of Hindu pilgrimage.

Himalaya Hindi House offers short intensive and long courses in Hindi with a Himalayan experience of a lifetime. Only visitors speak English so the venue gives ample opportunity for practising Hindi. Away from the hassles of big and trendy cities, this place gives plenty of opportunity to learn and become fluent in Hindi as well as gaining a more profound knowledge of the Garhwali culture.

Please note that these courses have been suspended for the years 2012 - 2014. This page will be updated if the courses are resumed. We apologize for any inconvenience.

HINDI COURSES:

Courses are offered throughout the year depending on student demand and availability.

FOUR To EIGHT WEEK ELEMENTARY INTENSIVE HINDI COURSE:

Beginning from the basics of Hindi, students acquire the ability to read, write, and have a simple conversation by the end of the course. No prerequisite is required.

The course is 3 hours a day and five days a week; 15 class contact hours weekly and a weekly assignment.

It is conversationally oriented with emphasis on one to one communication with Hindi speakers.

FOUR To SIX WEEK INTERMEDIATE INTENSIVE HINDI COURSE:

Gram Devata - Village Deity at a Local fair : Photo by Matthew Bunt

At the Intermediate level, the prior knowledge of Hindi is applied to consolidate language efficiency. Emphasis is given to conversational Hindi while enhancing reading and writing skills.

Prerequisite : a basic knowledge of the language.

The course is 3 hours a day and five days a week; 15 class contact hours weekly and a weekly assignment.

After you have completed the intermediate course with us, you may continue to the Advanced Hindi level course.

The Advanced course is usually offered on demand. Advanced level classes are conducted in Hindi discussing contemporary literary and cultural issues.

Staff

HHH staff

Yogendra Yadav taught Hindi at the Australian National University as well as in the U.S. and Europe for more than three decades.

He has authored a number of publications including Hindi texts and the grammar An Introduction to Hindi and Urdu, VI edition 2000. Yogendra has also assisted a number of students undertaking individual research projects on aspects of South Asia.

Apart from being a very competent teacher of language, Yogendra's easygoing nature has won him many friends all around the world. Over the past two decades, Yogendra has conducted accredited intensive Hindi courses in India on behalf of Australian and US universities. Yogendra is assisted by local monolingual female and male tutors.

ACCOMMODATION AND TUITION FEES

Some residents of village Syaba:photo by Leah Hardy

Weekly tariff for lodging and boarding is INR 7500 for independent rooms with attached bathroom. Hot water is provided in buckets. The family vegetarian kitchen is run by clean and friendly people at Nalunna.

Tuition fee is INR 5000 per week.

DEPOSIT

Panoramic view of village Syaba:photo by Leah Hardy

To reserve your place, a deposit of INR 5000 is required two months prior to the commencement of the course. This deposit is non-refundable if you cancel. The tuition fee and room charges in Indian Rupees is payable in advance on a fortnightly basis.

Overall costs are lower as compared to other programs because of the simplicity of the venue. Besides meeting high academic standards of learning in Hindi language and culture in a friendly environment, you will also have an unforgettable experience. The courses are a lot of fun and a very good way to become fluent in Hindi.

TRAVEL

Wandering sadhu : photo by Leah Hardy

Get your tourist visa well in advance.
You are expected to make your own travel arrangements to reach Nalunna a day before the commencement of the course, although it may be possible to meet you in either Rishikesh or Haridwar for the cost of a Nalunna - Haridwar taxi fare.

When you arrive at Delhi airport, you can purchase a prepaid taxi voucher from the official Prepaid Taxi Counter. This voucher covers the cost of taxi travel from the airport to your chosen destination in Delhi or selected locations in the National Capital Region.
For more services now available at Delhi Airport, please see the To and From Airport page

A Delhi Metro Airport Express line connects Indira Gandhi International Airport with Connaught Place (Rajeev Chowk) and New Delhi Railway Station.

Delhi Transport Corporation runs regular air-conditioned bus services between Indira Gandhi International Airport and Inter State Bus Terminus (ISBT) Kashmiri Gate.

There is a regular bus service from ISBT (Kashmiri Gate) to Rishikesh, a seven hour journey. There are also fast trains from Delhi to Haridwar. The train schedules are available from the Indian Railways website. Just outside the Haridwar railway station, shared (Rs.25) or non-shared taxis (Rs.900) are available for Rishikesh.

To get from Rishikesh to Uttarkashi (180 km.), travel by taxi from the taxi stand near Natraj Hotel, Rishikesh. Approximate fares are: Rs 2500 if travelling alone or Rs 250 per person for a shared taxi. If you wish to travel by taxi from Haridwar/Rishikesh to Nalunna, it is preferable to hire a taxi from Natraj Hotel, Rishikesh since the Rishikesh taxi drivers are more familiar with driving in the mountains.

To get from Uttarkashi to Nalunna (21 km.), you can take a taxi (Rs 400), a shared taxi (Rs 30) or a bus (Rs 20). A taxi all the way from Rishikesh to Nalunna-Senj should cost around Rs 3000. for a six hour journey.

Due to rising fuel costs, these fares are liable to change at short notice.

LANDMARKS

Himalaya Hindi House, Nalunna is situated on the Uttarkashi-Gangotri section of National Highway 108.

View Larger Map

Nalunna is located 21 km north of Uttarkashi and 9km south of Bhatwari.

- At the 21 Km milestone on the Uttarkashi-Gangotri road, there is a bridge over the Ganga river called Syaba Pul. Nalunna is just about 50 meters north of this bridge.
- Nalunna is located 2 kms south of the village of Senj and 5 kilometres north of MANERI DAM.
- The signboard of Nalunna is visible from the road.

On the way to Gangotri: photo by Yogendra Yadav

Please try to reach Nalunna well before DARK to check in at Himalaya Hindi House.

Also do ensure that you get down at HHH Nalunna as the bus and taxi drivers often drop off passengers at the nearby popular hotels and ashrams.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Picture of two boys

Two Garhwali boys:photo by Leah Hardy

Get your Tourist visa well in advance.
It is highly recommended that you take out travel health insurance before you leave home. There are basic medical facilities available at the district hospital, Uttarkashi as well as private doctors. More complete medical and hospital facilities are found in Dehradoon or Delhi.

Besides a travel pack, bring along a flashlight, comfortable walking shoes, a small medical kit, vitamin supplements, prescription for replacement glasses (if needed) and warm clothing. Bring spare clothes for the rainy season (June - September).

As soon as you land, change some currency at the airport foreign exchange counter for travel purposes. Carry your money in different denominations and do not accept torn or worn out currency notes.

At Nalunna we accept Indian currency. Three ATMs have opened in Uttarkashi. This facility may accept many of the popular credit cards.
Always drink bottled mineral water (available everywhere) and carry a bottle with you at all times.

Contact details -

Ms Ratna, Manager
Himalaya Hindi House, Nalunna
Post Office : Lata-Saur
Uttarkashi 249194
Uttarakhand, India
hhhnalunna@gmail.com

धन्यवाद

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to ask.
Thank you for showing interest in our program.