The Enchanting Himalayas

Lahul-Spiti, in the Central Himalayas, has been a mysterious land with a population of more than 31,000 who are mostly Hindus and Buddhists. Covered by heavy snowfall the two valleys remain cut off from the outside world most of the time of the year. It has been a different country surrounded by myriad myth, mystery and mystique. Its custom, tradition, ritual and polyandrous system are unique. We move about in many countries of the world, the customs and traditions of different places amaze us, but how many of us care to know the peculiar system current among various types of people in India itself? The book gives an enchanting view of an exotic land with its gomphas, legends, Buddhist scriptures and paintings, colourful festivals etc. With ?How to Travel? and ?Basic Information Nos?, (Chapters 15 & 16) the book has become a must for every tourist/traveller to carry it with them whoever venture to visit the unique land. The author has an exquisitely interesting style with a fictional fragrance which will keep the readers infatuated till they finish the book.

Kiranshankar Maitra (b. 1935) after having completed his academic education in the Presidency College and Calcutta University, joined All India Radio as a Programme Executive. As he was promoted to the rank of Station Director and posted to different cities of India one after another, he travelled various parts of the country like Nagaland, Manipur, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Bihar, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Ladakh etc. “Nagaland: Darling of the North-East” and “Himalayan Dreamland: Journey to Kinnarlik” (published by mittal Publications, New Delhi) authored by him earlier were highly acclaimed by the critics in the literary supplements of many newspapers and magazines including, The Statesman. The Hindu, and Weekly Desh, Chaturanga (in Bengali) and many others. Maitra is a established poet and essayist in Bengali and English with two dozen books in Bengali and eight books in English well received by the critics and readers. His recent publications, Twilight Zone: Ladies of the Night and the Nagas Rebel and Insurgency in the North-East are highly commended. As an author, he has been noted in the International Writers and Authors Who’s Who (Cambridge, London) Asia/Pacific Who’s Who, Biography International, Authors and Writers Who’s Who (Sahitya Academy, New Delhi) and many others. The author in his chequered career held many highly responsible posts in All India Radio and Doordarshan and lastly worked as a Senior Director in the office of the Director General, All India Radio, New Delhi.