From the Publisher

At the stern heights of the Himalaya, between historic passes and spectacular peaks, lies the great Himalayan desert. Extending from Mustang in Nepal, it includes the Indian districts of Ladakh, Lahul, Spiti and Kinnaur. This vast area of brown hills, Spiti and Kinnaur. This vast area of brown hills, barren, dry and dusty, is covered in snow and sand.

This is also one of the harshest regions of the world. Temperatures dip below-50 degree centigrade, icy winds howl through the valleys causing rock and ice falls, illusory sounds draw the unwary to death and water is dearer than life.

But braving these adversities are the people of this desert who preserve and enrich an ancient culture. At the crossroads of various civilizations, they are a happy mixture of Indian, Tibetan, Chinese as well as Islamic and Buddhist cultures. This book studies, most sensitively, the physical, cultural and social life in the Himalayan desert, through eloquent prose and breathtaking pictures.

Author Description

Nina Rao heads the Department of Tourism at the College of Vocational Studies, University of Delhi. Her association with the Himalayan desert began on a visit to Leh in 1982 and grew in 1988 when she was appointed Consultant for the Leh Development Plan by the Jammu and Kashmir government. Nina is also actively involved in non-governmental work on tourism.

She is interested in the independent kingdoms along the ancient silk route in the Central Asian region and the links between Indian and Tibetan Buddhism.

Contents

1.	The Land of Citadels and Fortified Monasteries	13
2.	Trans Himalaya: The Tibetan Empire	39
3.	Ladakh, Lahul, Spiti and Kinnaur	53
4.	Buddhism: The Creator and Preserver of the Himalayan Kingdoms	85
5.	The Karma and Dharma of Daily Life	103
6.	Mustang: The Land of Peace and Frugality	115

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