The Himalayan Bond
BETWEEN MAN AND THE ENVIRONMENT
by
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In this colourful journey to the heart of a pastoral landscape, Dani returns home to India with his friend Roland. Dani leads Roland to his ancestral mountain landscape revealing the treasures, the simplicity and spirituality of Dani’s heritage. This is a didactic wander through modern and traditional India providing a rare insight into age-old values somehow untarnished by modernity. Exploring the life and values of his native Himalayas near Shimla, Dani introduces Roland to the charm and magic of India and leads him through any confrontation he may have had. A good and informative read for anyone wanting to travel to the country. – Devdan Sen (Co-author: Rough Guide to India) THE HIMALAYAN BOND is a real-life adventure laced with exploration, history and planetary survival. India and The Himalayas are the backdrop, with Dani the perfect guide, in this fascinating insight into a part of the world embracing ancient traditions and modern technology.– Brian Perkins (Former Presenter: BBC Radio 4) “A must read to understand the impact of our fast paced lives on our natural system and the climate. Explains age-old sustainable facts, very simply described by eye witnessing stories.”- Dr Prashant Kumar (Reader: Dept. of Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of Surrey, UK) I enjoyed the story very much. It’s actually a bit like Kim! (By Rudyard Kipling) really interesting! – Neil Stourton (English Scholar: Newark Academy, USA) The Himalayan Bond gives a fascinating insight into the way of life in India, especially of course in the descriptions of life in the village where Puran was born. I think it would be an invaluable “Vade Mecum” (a handbook or guide that is kept constantly at hand for consultation) for those travelling in the area. I especially see it as appealing to the young adult market, especially those exploring India. Puran is very fair in his criticisms of India as well as his praise. His warnings about scams would be very useful for anyone travelling. –Maggie Pringle (Former Publisher: Sunday Express, London) Puran Bhardwaj is an accomplished guide as well as weaver of tales in the Kipling tradition, as readers of The Kukri (Journal of the Brigade of Gurkhas) know. He richly deserves a wider readership. “Child of the Raj”-Roger Massie (Former Secretary: Council of Europe) The area Puran Bhardwaj describes in his book The Himalayan Bond is quite familiar to me. It is because of the fact that I came to the area in 1958 as a young medical officer of the town Suni. The village, Thali, was just on the other side of Suni on the north bank of the mighty river Satluj, a small Jhula (steel ropeway) over the river connecting Suni and Thali. However, about 56 years later, while reading his book in its manuscript form, I initially thought it as the nostalgic reminiscences of a young man for his childhood days. But after serious reflection, I realised that notwithstanding his laments for the disappearing old ways, there is indeed a universal message in his writings. It goes without saying that extolling the virtues of the old ways is not the underlying message of Puran’s writings though he describes them in some detail. However, by doing so, he vividly illustrates the sharp contrast of the old ways and the modern ways which are virtually wiping out those old ways. Therefore, he has tried to express his intense concern, and has tried to send the unmistakable message that in spite of the tremendous advances in every sphere of life, we the inhabitants of this planet can no longer behave like the biblical Prodigal Son. A time has come for tightening our belts in order to curb the wastefulness, and to learn to live within the resources available in our planet preserving the eco as far as practicable. For that message alone the book will be invaluable reading for those who care for our planet. And as such, I can recommend his book The Himalayan Bond without any reservation whatsoever. –Dr S Ghosh (Former Doctor: NHS, UK)
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About the Book
The Himalayan Bond is about a fascinating journey through India taken by two young men – one Indian, Dani, and one British, Roland – to explore the conflicting issues of globalisation and sustainability that affect both urban and rural areas in modern-day India. They take in the hustle and bustle of Delhi before heading to the lower Himalayas and Dani’s childhood home. Dani introduces Roland to the charm and magic of India and leads him to his ancestral mountain landscape, revealing the treasures, simplicity and spirituality of Dani’s heritage. The themes that the author has tried to explore, and his observations, are thoughtful and compelling. The story takes place against the backdrop of the International Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen in 2009. The author has written a lot of the book from his own experience and feels very strongly about the issues discussed as they threaten his family home and the countryside he is so familiar with. He explains the nuances of everyday living and provides a rare insight into age-old values somehow untarnished by modernity. During their travels, they explore and discuss a variety of topics: the history of the area and what the British Empire meant to people in India; old skills and traditions that are disappearing; the importance of rituals and karma and the way they are passed down through generations; the caste system and arranged marriages; environmental problems; poverty; farming; the effects of building hydro dams; how large corporations are displacing villages; how age-old sustainable ways and skills are being lost in the race for a modern lifestyle in the Himalayas and around the world; and party politics, with power as an end in itself. Tales from India’s history, mythology and changing lifestyle are used to help explain India’s rich past and the challenges for its future. “...A good and informative read for anyone wanting to travel to the country.” – Devdan Sen (Co-author: Rough Guide to India)
About the Author
Puran Bhardwaj was born in a small village called Thali in the foothills of Shimla, North India and he began his career as a school teacher in the Himalayas after his business degree. For the past fifteen years he has set up trekking expeditions and community projects in the area as a founder of Expedition Leaders and the Asra Charity. The issues in his book are very important for both man and the environment as they threaten his family home, village and the farming. His insight of both cultures east and west has enabled him to speak at many European schools, clubs and organisations.