if one were to go by picture postcards, women in the Indian Himalaya are pretty and dainty, with rosy cheeks and soft hands. The reality, however, is quite different. The glow on their cheeks is a result of hard labour. And their soft hands are callused from the rough work that is part of their daily lives. The women of Kumaon, one of the two hill divisions of Uttar Pradesh, are no exception. In fact, they may be taken as representative of women in the mountain areas. They are pretty, but they are one of the most hard working women around.

For the rural women of Kumaon, a 20-hour work day is not uncommon. All across Kumaon, one can see women hard at work. The chores that are part of women's lives everywhere