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• Folk Traditions and Ecology in Himachal Pradesh
• Short Stories Of Himachal Pradesh
• Paschimi Himalaya Ki Lok Kalayen (in Hindi)
• Folk Dances of Chamba
• Myths, Rituals and Beliefs in Himachal Pradesh

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Set against the backdrop of snowy peaks, Himachal Pradesh is a nature’s paradise on earth. It is a land of hills and dales, of perennial springs and splendid lakes, of mountain slopes and swift-moving streams, of picturesque hamlets and smiling meadows. While the scenic beauty of Himachal is matchless, the people of the area have added special attraction through their cultural, social and archaeological heritage. From the bountiful nature they have derived their most beautiful way of life. They have a rich folk tradition that manifests itself through rich folk literature.

The present study deals with the folk ballads of mythical, historical, religious and traditional significance. While the jheras and hars exhibit tales of heroism and valour, the sati gathas tell the pathetic sad stories of women who sacrificed their precious lives at the funeral pyres of their husbands. It discusses the folk-tales of ghosts, devils and demons, of birds and animals, of fate and adversities, of kinship and friendship and other social bonds.

The book discusses the folk proverbs of social, professional and historical importance as well as the position of women in hill society. The poetic beauty and metaphoric presentation provide enchanting charm to the folk riddles. It contains a brief history of folk theatre and folk dances as well as different forms of folk dramas and folk dances prevalent in the state. In an absorbing style the book deals with the melodious music and a plethora of musical instru-ments. Among folk songs of Himachal, ritual songs, festival songs, heroic songs, love songs and devotional and divine songs find elaborate discussion.

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M.R. Thakur Born in a remote village of Kullu district in Himachal Pradesh, M.R. Thakur had a brilliant career since his childhood. He did his M.A. in Political Science, Honours in Hindi, Diplomas in Chinese and Tibetan languages winning gold medal. He has worked on multifarious posts like District Language Officer; Registering Officer (Archaeology); Secretary, Himachal Academy of Arts, Culture and Languages; Curator, State Museum; and Deputy Director, Department of Languages and Culture. The jobs on these posts have helped him in strengthening his urge for studying folk-life, language, art and culture. He is an eminent folklorist, linguist and a keen observer of the life of hill people. He has to his credit over a dozen of books and has edited ‘Somsi’ and ‘Himbharati’ for over a decade. His book ‘An Easy Way to Hindi and Hindi Grammar’ was adjudged as one of the best books of Hindi teaching through English medium. His book on Pahari Language was awarded by ‘Uttar Pradesh Hindi Parishad Samman’ and his two other books ‘Himachal mein Pujit Devi-Devta’ and ‘Himachal ke Lok-Natya and Lakanuranjan’ were published with the grant-in-aid by Himachal Academy. His book ‘Manoranjak Pahari Lok Kathaen’ is a fine contribution to children literature. He has been awarded ‘Bhasha Samman’ by the Sahitya Akademi for his valuable contribution to the development of Pahari language and literature.