Culture · Naggar, Himachal
Nicholas Roerich's house and paintings
Walk 1.5 km uphill from the castle to the hillside home where Nicholas Roerich lived from 1928 until 1947. See his Himalayan paintings, the family's old car and his memorial stone, then visit the Urusvati folk art collection above.
Photo: Минеева Ю. (Julmin) · CC BY-SA 1.0 · CommonsNicholas Roerich was a Russian painter, writer and explorer who led long expeditions through Central Asia and Tibet in the 1920s. In 1928 he bought the Hall estate at Naggar and made it his family home and base. He set up the Urusvati Himalayan Research Institute to study the botany, languages and medicine of the region, and kept painting the mountains in the strong blues and whites that you will recognise once you have seen a few of his canvases.
The ground floor of the house is a gallery of his and his son Svetoslav's paintings, and the rooms upstairs can be seen through the windows, kept much as the family left them. In the garden stands the stone that marks the place where Roerich was cremated in 1947. The estate is looked after by the International Roerich Memorial Trust. Photography inside the gallery is usually not allowed.
From the house, a path climbs a few minutes to the Urusvati building, which has a folk art gallery with Kullu textiles, masks and household objects. Walk up from the castle through the village, roughly 1.5 km, or take a taxi. Combine it with the Tripura Sundari temple on the way down. The museum usually closes one day a week, so check current status before you travel.
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Questions
Before you book
Who was Nicholas Roerich?
A Russian painter, writer and explorer, born in 1874, who led expeditions across Central Asia and settled at Naggar in 1928. He painted thousands of works, many of the Himalaya, and also campaigned for the protection of cultural monuments in wartime. He died at Naggar in 1947.
How far is the Roerich estate from Naggar Castle?
About 1.5 km uphill by road. Walking takes 25–35 minutes through the village and orchards. Taxis can take you to the gate. The Urusvati folk art gallery is a short climb further up from the house.
Is photography allowed in the Roerich museum?
Usually not inside the gallery rooms, to protect the paintings and respect the trust's rules. You can photograph the house exterior, garden and valley views. Ask the staff on the day, as rules can change.