When we think of Kashmir today, we think of militancy and conflict, but it was once an unspoiled land, lush, beautiful-heaven on earth. Kashmir take us back to this paradise, to a time when militancy had not yet struck and rendered most parts of it inaccessible. Romesh Bhattacharji first began trekking in Kashmir in the 1960s-it was the start of a love affair that endured for decades. Having travelled to even the most remote parts of the region, where inner-line permits are now required, he gained a reputation for possessing encyclopaedic knowledge of the Himalayas. In this book, he describes, in meticulous detail and with the help of hand-drawn maps, the topography and geography of the region, and the charm of Kashmir's nooks and crannies, the splendour of its lakes and meadows, valleys and peaks. Eloquent and absorbing, Kashmir: Travels in Paradise on Earth, will put you under its spell and have you longing to set off on your own adventure through this breath-taking land.