Traditional Water Mill Revival in Hill Settlements

Wooden water mills, known as ghattas, once ground grain in nearly every hill village before being displaced by diesel mills. A new cooperative is rebuilding them with modern efficiency while honouring the original design.

The rebuilt mills bring multiple benefits to mountain communities:

• Zero-emission milling that runs on gravity-fed canal water and requires no fuel.
• Local carpentry and masonry work keeping repair skills within each village.
• Community milling schedules that reinvest profits into mill upkeep.

The foundation plans to restore a dozen more mills this year, pairing each one with a training program so younger generations inherit the craft of building and maintaining them.