Vinod Bodh, the founder of Igloo Sethan Village in Himachal Pradesh, is making igloos a reality in India.

Vinod was fascinated by Igloos and the Eskimo way of life. However, the necessity of earning an income in his village motivated him to start crafting these snow structures.

In 2016, he decided to start a homestay business. “I always wanted to do something different to attract more people. I started to brainstorm ideas, and that’s when I thought of making Igloos,” he says.

He met an Australian friend who had previously lived in Alaska and knew the way an Igloo is made. “He gave us an idea of how the science behind the construction works,” says Vinod.

Furthermore, Vinod also used the internet to study an igloo’s construction and sustainability aspects in India while looking up YouTube videos to understand how people lived in it.

His village Sethan, located over 15 km from Manali and near Hampta Pass, experiences temperatures as low as -12 degrees Celsius, making it an ideal location for constructing igloos. By 2017, after months of research and trials, Vinod cracked the code and was ready to show the world his creation.

Speaking about the initial reaction of the people, Vinod recalls, “People were elated. There’s a fascination with snow, and they responded very well to the Igloos.”

He says some people also had a few doubts and would ask him if it would fall! “I would sometimes explain to them the construction process to assure them that they are safe,” he says.

Up and running for more than six years, Vinod has hosted hundreds of guests in Igloo Sethan Village. He encourages guests to participate in activities such as bonfires, ice skating, exploring the woods etc.

He says the business runs from the end of December to March first week when the temperatures start to rise.