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Exploring
The Highlands of Himalaya
Harish
Kapadia |
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Whenever
one talks about the Himalaya, mighty mountains and
deep valleys come to mind. It has been perceived that
the Hima-laya can stop any conqueror, and its snow,
glaciers and steep trails are too formidable. But
there is more to the Himalaya than this. There are
people who live there, they have their own culture;
there are legends associa-ted with gods and temples;
there are people who have travelled across the Himalaya
for generations.
The Himalaya has witnessed four wars in its ranges.
The highest battlefield in the world, the Siachen
glacier, is in this 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 Himalaya with their flock;
there are forests and forestry movements by the people;
there are trekkers and tourists who enjoy the Himalayan
range; there are indigenous tribes with their age-old
traditions. The Himalaya has been a subject of religious
travels and has been visited by famous mountaineers
and explorers who opened this range for today’s
trekkers. The railways in India were first dreamt
of in the Himalaya, and narrow gauge trains on its
slopes are a wonder.
The Himalaya has been classified in sections for better
understanding, observing its flowers and wildlife
and various other activities, including mountaineering.
The Himalaya has influenced the Indian thought and
life for long. This book studies its various aspects
to understand and bring to the fore the knowledge
about the Himalaya.
With 12 maps, 17 sketches and 81 photo-graphs, the
book will be an invaluable guide to trekkers, tourists
and Himalayan lovers.
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Foreword
by Sir Chris Bonington
Crazy about the Himalaya: An Introduction
- Indian Himalaya:
The Nagadhiraj
- Arunachal Pradesh:
The Land of Rising Sun
- Sikkim: The Land
of Five Treasures of the Snows
- Nanda Devi: The
‘Bliss-Giving’ Goddess of Kumaun
- Garhwal: Where
the Ganga Flows
- Kinnaur: The
Land of Musicians
- Spiti: The Land
of Mountains and Monasteries
- Kullu–Lahaul–Kishtwar–Kashmir:
Mountains of Middle Kingdoms
- Ladakh and Zanskar:
The Land of Passes
- East Karakoram
and the Siachen Glacier: The Land of Rubble and Roses
- Chronology of
Himalayan Events
Appendices
- Rules for Climbing
and Trekking in the Indian Himalaya
- Mountaineering
Clubs, Institutions and Publications
- Formation of
the Himalaya and Classification of its Ranges
- Himalayan Rivers
- Influence of
Himalaya on the History of India
- War in the Himalaya
- A Peace Park
for Siachen
- People of the
Himalayan Regions
- Himalayan Railways
- Pilgrimages in
the Himalaya
Select Bibliography
Index
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Harish
Kapadia began climbing and trekking in the
range around Bombay, the Western Ghats. His first visit
to the Himalaya was almost 35 years ago. He has never
looked back since, still trekking and climbing actively.
His main contribution to Himalayan climbing has been
to explore unknown areas and, in a number of cases,
to open up climbing possibilities. Some of his major
ascents have been of Devtoli (6788 m), Bandarpunch West
(6102 m), Parilungbi (6166 m), and Lungser Kangri (6666
m). He has led five international joint expeditions,
four with the British and one with the French.
Harish Kapadia
has made a unique contribution to our knowledge of the
Himalaya: as editor of the Himalayan Journal, one of
the most authoritative and comprehensive records of
exploration activity in the Himalaya; and through his
numerous books and as a leader and organiser of countless
expeditions over the years. He has written with deep
knowledge about his Himalayan journeys in his 12 books
and several articles that are erudite and practical,
skillfully combining historical, geographical and practical
guidance to increase our understanding of the region.
His books Exploring the Hidden Himalaya (with
Soli Mehta), High Himalaya Unknown Valleys
and Meeting the Mountains cover his various
trips to the Himalaya, climbing and trekking in different
regions. He is the editor of the prestigious Himalayan
Journal for the past 20 years.
He was elected Honorary Member of the Alpine Club, London.
He was a Vice-President of the Indian Mountaineering
Foundation (1997-1999) and was awarded the IMF Gold
Medal in 1993. He was honoured with the Royal Medal
the “Patron’s Medal”, by the Royal
Geographical Society ‘for contributions to geographical
discovery and mountaineering in the Himalaya’.
He was the first Indian to receive this award after
125 years. He was invited to several countries to lecture
on his Himalayan exploits and is a member of several
organisations.
Harish has a degree in Commerce, Law and Management
from Bombay University.
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