India's first Himalayan Spice Garden inaugurated in Ranikhet
On 04 August, 2022, India's first Himalayan Spice Garden has been inaugurated by eminent historian Shekhar Pathak at Soni, Ranikhet, Almora district in Uttarakhand. The park is home to major Himalayan spice species ranging from Kashmiri saffron to the famous Tejpat, Timur and Van Asafoetida found in the Bhairon Ghati of Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand. This garden was established in two years with the financial support of Japan International Cooperation
Agency (JAYKA) on about four acres of land in Ranikhet.
There are currently more than 30 different species of spice in the park, eight of which belong to the Allium family (onions) of the Himalayan region. The main objective of setting up a spice garden is to popularize and make people aware of the various spices grown in the Indian Himalayan region. These spices are very nutritious and delicious and have been a part of Himalayan cuisine since time immemorial.