Darjeeling and Sikkim Himalaya, with their sublime snowy ranges and the tabulous Kanchenjungha, have no parallel in their physical charm and the mountaineering challenges it offer. Explorer and writer K.C. Bhanja has depicted the land and the people, the legends and expeditions, the religions and rituals of the region in authentic colours. He has delved deep into the mystique if the Himalayas, bringing out yet unknown historical facts and figures, including the expeditions by brave men who came here for the love of adventure and opened the virgin territory for others to see and enjoy. The mountains and lakes, streams and rivers, glaciers and avalanches, fauna and flora, monasteries and lamas, yaks and yatis come alive in his description. The book includes a lengthy account of Tibet, the forbidden land, and the numerous mysteries it contains. This includes the holy peak and lake, Kailas and Mansarovar. The firsthand account gathered by the author makes the narrative authentic as well as fascinating. For any tourist in the region it is an informationpacked handbook.