New Delhi, 1999, 1st edition. 229 pp, 61 plates, 13 maps. Kumaun is often confused with the other parts of Garhwal--indeed there is no official border to demarcate the region. Its eastern boundary runs along the Kali river which separates India from Nepal. The tributaries, Kuthi, Darma and Lassar, flow into the Kali at different points. The Kali valley is now a standard trade route from India into Tibet over the Lipu Lekh pass.
There are many famous valleys like Milam, Pindari and Sunderdhunga. There are beautiful peaks like Panch Chulis, Chiring We and Hardeol. The centre-piece of Kumaun region is, without doubt, the Nanda Devi Sanctuary. Until 1934 the gorge of the Rishiganga and the immediate area around Nanda Devi was the least known and most inaccessible part of the Himalaya. The early Indian surveyors and mountaineers alike were unable to penetrate the Inner Sanctuary.
The book details the entire history of exploration and climbs into the Sanctuary. This books is based on author's several visits to Kumaun, exploring its valleys and climbing peaks. It concentrates most valuably on extremely rewarding summits, unknown passes and remote valleys, which have been hitherto neglected due to lack of information or difficulty of access.
Complete with several maps, illustrated with many photographs, tables of road distances and trek routes, this book is an exhaustive reference work on this area. The author's experience in Kumaun takes one to transformation of Kumaun from an ancient civilization to a tourist destination. The book will be essential reference for all travelers, trekkers, mountaineers and historians interested in Kumaun or as a simple armchair travelogue.
Contents : - List of Illustrations My Himalaya : An Introduction 1. The Valleys of Kumaun 2. Mountaineering in Kumaun 3. The Nana Devil Sanctuary 4. Exploration and Ascents of Nana Devil Peaks 5. Accident and Rescue in the Nana Devil Sanctuary 6. A Trek in the Drama Valley 7. Climbing in the Milldam Valley 8. Peaks and Passes of the Kalabaland Glacier 9. First Ascent of Chiring We 10. Ascents in the Panch Chuli Group 11. Accident on Panch Chuli 12. The Sunderdhunga Valley 13. A Trek in the Saryu Valley Appendices 1. Regions and History of the Indian Himalaya 2. A Note on Climbing Mountains in India 3. Major Passes in Kumaun 4. Major River Valleys in Kumaun 5. Nomenclature and Notes 6. Major Peaks in Kumaun 7. Major Road Distances in Kumaun. Hardcover, DJ, New.
