Himalayan reading

Er, no - I meant the N&W map . That's what you were referring to.

It will be quite interesting to note that in the book Wanderings in Himalaya,Swami Tapovanam has mentioned some names of the places, rivers and peaks somewaht differently from what we know today. Examples :

Dhumdhital (Dodital)
Vanarapuchchha (Bandarpunch)
Bhoorjavanam (Bhojwasa)
Pavvali (Panwali)
Satyapatha lake (Satopanth lake)
Ukhimadha (Ukhimath)
Dronagiri (Dunagiri)
Villangana (Bhillangna)
Reewal (Reewalsar)
Pathankote (Pathankot)
Manikarnika (Manikaran)
Khoxer (Khoksar)
Champa (Chamba of HP)
Kelang (Keylong)
Lavel (Lahoul)

Sadanand

Oh...I bought N&W map of 2001 at Nainital in November 07.

Sadanand

These may well be his own versions of the place names, rather than an indication of common parlance in those days. Local names for villages wouldn't have changed much in the last 100 years. For instance, according to Akhandananda's book, Ukhimath was known by its current name even in 1887, more than 30 years before the travels there of Tapovanam. Also, swamis and some outsiders were probably prone to Sanskritising local names, as in Dronagiri for Dunagiri. Even recently, in a TV programme on the claim by Ramdev's organization of having found "sanjeevani," his colleague Balkrishan kept referring to Dunagiri as Dronagiri.

Raghu.

Look out if you can find Bhutanese folk tales. They will take you to a completely different world...

Joined to this one at least through the Himalaya, I hope.

Raghu.

Aha, Reewal was also mentioned in this thread. I suppose 'Himagiri Vihar' is the original name of the book (in Bengali?) whose English title is 'Wanderings in the Himalaya'. Or are they two different books?

I suppose Dunagiri is the same as Dronagiri of Hanuman and Sanjivani buti fame? Some interesting tidbits here, and wud tend to confirm the two as the same:
http://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=945369

Another reference to Dronagiri peak, viewed from Tolma:
http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Asi...hoto993023.htm

And our very own rajkumar refers to the village in this post only as Dronagiri, in connection with trek to Bagini Bamak:
Bagini Bamak (Garhwal)

Same by the husband of another member (mridula) in her blog:
http://www.gonomad.com/traveltalesfr...uest-post.html

Some interesting info about the Tapovan hot-spring in connection with Hanuman's air-dash to Dronagiri:
http://www.sawf.org/bin/tips.dll/get...422&pn=&arch=1

Keylong is actually wrong! British colonial laziness at its best. The HP govt and others spell it in Devnagari as Kelang, basically - albeit then too with two versions : केलांग or केलंग
Whereas the Survey of India has it as - Kyelang! Which, seeing they are the official custodian of place-name spellings and also based on the region it's in, I have no doubt is correct.

I do not doubt that at least some of the "present-day" names (even when hundreds of years old) were 'corruptions' of the ancient names, which the swamis possibly/probably had from ancient texts.
E.g. Joshimath = Jyotirmath, Mana = Manibhadrapuri, so Dunagiri = Dronagiri.

Quite possibly, thus making it a case of "resanskritising" rather than mere "sanskritising." Anyway, a rose by any other name, etc.

Raghu.

The original work was Himgiri Vihar in Malayalam by Swami Tapovanam. The English virsion Wanderings in Himalayas was translated by Mr Keshav Pillai and publshed in 1977 by Central Chinmaya Mission Trust, Powai, Mumbai.

Sadanand

Aha. Thank you, Sadaji.

I know this is posted in 2006, but do not want to skip it because I have read this book by Ramchandran (OD not know he is written in English though) "Thapobhoomi Uttarkhand". A very descriptive travelogue. Amazing details.

He seemingly one of those blessed guy who could travel to Kailash by foot. I mean he took rounds by foot. That is not permitted to everyone being in chinese possession.

He travelled to himalayas several times it seems.

Thought I'd share this link, to download Kipling's "Kim":

http://manybooks.net/titles/kiplingretext00kimrk12.html

Its a site where out of copyright books are free to download.

There are lots of old british books on india and the himalaya, if that's your thing.

I have read the book "In the Forbidden Land". Its out of print now, its a story of Britisher who goes to Tibbet, and what he goes through there.
One of the books I really like "Tantra the supream Understanding"
publisher full circle; Osho disclosure in Tilopas Mahamudra, its one of the most beautiful books I have read. It gives a rare incite Tantra Concept, which is very much a part of Tibetan buddhism.
Herman hessee's book: Siddtharta, Narcissus and Golmund, Steppenwold are also beautiful read.

I haven't read this thread in detail; so not sure if Himalayan Journals are already discussed here or in any other thread on IM.

The annual "Himalayan Journal" (HJ) issues of "The Himalayan Club" (HC) are amazing reads on everything concerning the Himalayas; particularly the thrilling first-hand journals and descriptions by famous Explorers, Trekkers and Climbers in the Himalaya regions/mountains.

These annual volumes must have started long ago, maybe before independance, as the latest is Volume#64, of 2008. The Club was formed in 1928 as it celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2008.

Just last week I contacted the HC (of which I am member since 2008) and was happy to find a treasure trove of 19 past HJ's are still available for sale!

I ordered these 19 issues (vol# 34-35, 47-60, 61-63) all just for Rs 4330/- including Rs 280/- courier charges! Maybe these prices apply for non-members too?

So I now have an amazing collection of Himalayan stories, to read (particularly in advanced stages of my retirement, when I can no longer trek in the mountains ).

Anybody interested in these HJs can contact The Himalayan Club at Mumbai: (022) 2491-2821
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I have found Paul Brunton's Hermit in the Himalayas to be a very good read. Brunton's prose is very measured, laced with a trace of sarcasm and dry wit, and his years of practice as a journalist is evident in anything he writes.