I’m thrilled to reveal the cover of my book, ‘Tales from the Himalayas’, published by Rupa Publications, India.
The cover depicts a scene from one of the stories in the book called,’The Explorer’, which is about a real-life hero from Uttarakhand. Main Singh Rabat was one of the first Indian explorers of the 19th Century in British India, who hailed from a small village in Milam, Uttarakhand and went on to survey the Himalayas, not only in India but also in Tibet. He single-handedly determined the altitude of Lhasa, without the use of any professional equipment, uncover as a monk. He also contributed to the ambitious ‘Trigonometrical Survey of India’ and was decorated for his achievements.
The cover design has been made by Mugdha Sadhwani and the illustrations are by Mohit Suneja.
The book has garnered a lot of appreciation, especially by renowned writer, Ruskin Bond, who had picked this manuscript and awarded it, ‘ The Ruskin Bond Promising Writer Award’, at the Dehradun Literature Festival in October 2019.
His quote on the front cover reads,”Enchanting tales, straight from the heart of the mountains. Vivid storytelling and striking themes make it a delightful read.”
Actor Freida Pinto, who was one of the first few to read the manuscript commented,”Tales from the Himalayas has this unique and special storytelling quality that can transport you and your imagination into another world, where the wanderer’s heart and sol truly reside.
It is at once, an entertaining, heart-warming and delightful read for both, adults and children alike.
Themes of family, belonging, loss, wonder and nature dominate the pages.It is the perfect escape from the mundaneness of city life and the urban burden. Even the re-read of the same story is as pleasurable as the first read.”
