Holistic development in the western Himalaya: A native cognition

All over the world, in spite of global efforts, there are no discernible changes in the direction of sustainable patterns of production and consumption. In addition, the perception of developmental interventions varies according to contextual factors. Some large-scale interventions in the Western Himalaya exemplify it. They have been creating dissonance in native's cognition, which is perhaps the precursor of a pioneer environment movement. It is an alternative approach to development, which is articulated here in the form of a native cognitive model. In this model the harmonious relationship and judicious blend of head, heart and hands, signifies a positive mental state of well being. We visualize the application of this model in four areas: the development of environmental consciousness; the evaluation of rehabilitation process; in evolving humanistic approaches to solve environmental problems; and, for improving community care services.