Book Review - The Scent Of Himalayas

 


This book is a collection of twenty short stories based on folklore and legends that are a part of the Himalayan ranges. The author has written a story on almost every state where the Himalayas are spread out.

The stories are beautiful and poignant in their concept. Be it the berry fruit, which is local to Uttarakhand, the majestic Ashoka tree with an interesting legend behind it, legendary queens, kings and princes – every character has a unique story that brings these characters to life. The author’s soulful description of the places, her precise insight into the traditions followed by the tribes and communities of the hills and the interesting tidbits of information that she has shared in the stories lend a surreal aura to the tales of the hills and bring them to life.

While the legend of the Kaafal broke my heart, Naak-Kati-Raani motivated me to develop a spine. Tales from our ancient scriptures feature in this book as legends from the Himalayan ranges. These include the story of Markandeya, the immortal sage and Panch Kedar, the temples dedicated to Lord Shiva, which were built by the Pandavas.

Every story is laced with mysticism and intrigue and leaves a lasting impact on the reader. The Himalayas have always fascinated me and reading these tales from the ranges has only increased my adoration for these timeless mountains that have existed since eons.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading these stories and recommend this book for soulful and poignant reading.

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