Himalaya More Than Mountains

Exploring the Highlands of Himalaya

Whenever one talks about the Himalaya, mighty mountains and deep valleys come to mind. It has been perceived that this range can stop any conqueror and it’s snow, glaciers and steep trails are too formidable for ordinary mortals. But there is more to the Himalaya than this. There are people who live there, they have stories and lives like ours , there are many legends associated with gods and temples. There are people who have travelled across these ranges for generations.

The Himalaya has witnessed four wars in its ranges. The highest battlefield in the world, the Siachen glacier is in this range. These wars have, over the years, changed the world’s approach towards the range. The explorations that began with the arrival of the British continue even today – the last miles of the explorations of the Tsangpo gorge were trod upon as recently as 2004. There are gaddis and gujjars who roam the range with their flock, there are forests and forestry movements by people, there are trekkers and tourists who enjoy the range but cause their impact, there are indigenous tribes with their age old traditions. The range has been a subject of politics, religious travels and visited by mountaineers who have penetrated in deep valleys in search of adventure. There are institutions that study the range; spread knowledge and others that train the young to enjoy it safely. The railways in India were first dreamt of in the Himalaya and the narrow gauge trains on its slope are a wonder worth enjoying. There is a vast literature on the Himalayan range covering many subjects and excerpts from them show what travellers have observed. There have been many famous explorers who opened this range for today’s trekkers, and their life and work is as colourful as the range itself.

Philistines have classified the range in sections for better understanding, observing its flowers and wildlife and major activities, including mountaineering, are well recorded. The Himalaya has influenced the Indian thought and life for long. This book studies the above subjects to understand the range and bring to the fore the knowledge about the Himalaya, which is certainly more than mountains.

With maps, line sketches, photographs and many references, the book will be an invaluable guide to all who wish to enjoy the Himalayan range. Both trekkers, tourists and arm-chair Himalayan lovers will find this vast knowledge useful.