The Himalayan Kingdoms

Growing up in a village sheltered by the Himalayan mountain range, Om learned the most mysterious secrets the forest could offer. Now, under the wing of the great guru Rishi Rig Muni, he prepares to learn even more about warfare.But as Om embarks on his quest to become a divinely-blessed warrior, Rishi will reveal a dangerous world of intrigue. Beyond his village, demons roam the hills, and the lurking creatures are beginning to mass against Om's people. After an age of peace, three conquering kings have returned, more powerful than ever, ready to enact their vendetta against the Himalayan kingdoms.It will take all his wits and every friend he can find to enlist an army. But can Rishi, Om, and his new companions defend the Himalayan kingdoms against the rising army of demons?The mission is beyond belief-the consequences of failure, unspeakable. The Himalayan Kingdoms features a folklore-inspired adventure suitable for all ages, featuring adventures, romance, and treasures beyond imagining!

The Himalayan Kingdom is home to some of the most spectacular mountains in the world. Fascinating civilisations with long and glorious histories have sprung-up amidst the dizzying snow-capped heights and the dry, windswept plains beyond them. Sandwiched between China and India, the rich cultures of Nepal, Tibet, Bhutan, Sikkim and Ladakh have nonetheless developed their own unique place in human history, and continue to flourish into the 21st century. Visitors often remark how everything in the Himalayas is tinged with the divine, how the mountains are a fitting backdrop to the teachings of Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam, all of which converge in the Himalayas. Here, where mountain meets man, and man God, eternal dramas are played out: dramas in which the seasons bring rain, the earth yields produce, and man celebrates nature's bounty: dramas in which good and evil clash: dramas of birth, death, reincarnation, enlightenment and spiritual release.

BHUTAN is a smaller companion volume to the world's largest published book, the 5x7' photographic book called BHUTAN. This book opens to nearly three feet, and offers an eyeful of imagery from several expeditions across the legendary mountain kingdom. Teams from MIT and Friendly Planet traveled extensively with two young people, Choki Lhamo (age 14, a girl from Trongsa who aspires to be a doctor) and Gyelsey Loday (also 14, son of the head lama in far-off Phongmey). This book shares a bit of their beautiful corner of the world. Proceeds are largely tax-deductible and are donated to help Bhutan's schools and scholars.

This is the true story of Sikkim, a tiny Buddhist kingdom in the Himalayas that survived the end of the British Empire only to be annexed by India in 1975.It tells the remarkable tale of Thondup Namgyal, the last King of Sikkim, and his American wife, Hope Cooke, thrust unwittingly into the spotlight as they sought support for Sikkim's independence after their 'fairytale' wedding in 1963. As tensions between India and China spilled over into war in the Himalayas, Sikkim became a pawn in the Cold War in Asia during the 1960s and 1970s. Rumours circulated that Hope was a CIA spy. Meanwhile, a shadowy Scottish adventuress, the Kazini of Chakung, married to Sikkim's leading political figure, coordinated opposition to the Palace. As the world's major powers jostled for regional supremacy during the early 1970s Sikkim and its ruling family never stood a chance. On the eve of declaring an Emergency across India, Indira Gandhi outwitted everyone to bring down the curtain on the 300 year-old Namgyal dynasty. Based on interviews and archive research, as well as a retracing of a journey the author's grandfather made in 1922, this is a thrilling, romantic and informative glimpse of a real-life Shangri-La.

This book traces the history and politics of the Greater Nepal movement. It looks at major events in modern South Asia, in and around the Eastern Himalaya region in particular – colonialism, independence and partition, the Chinese aggression in Tibet, formation of Bangladesh, and the merger of Sikkim with India, among others – which deeply affected the nature of democratic movements in Nepal. The volume also studies the role of the monarchy, the demand for Gorkhaland, and the rise of Maoist movements. Further, it sheds light on political participation encompassing Nepalese functionaries, the many political parties, intellectuals and responsible public figures, and the differential influence that these variegated groups had on the movement. Finally, it reassesses the idea of Greater Nepal and offers a critical commentary on its future. The volume will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of international relations, modern history, sociology and social anthropology, politics, South Asian studies, and area studies – especially Nepal and Himalayan studies – as well as policy makers and government think tanks.