Ladakh: The Trans-Himalayan Kingdom

LADAKH: THE TRANS-HIMALAYAN KINGDOM, Ramesh Bedi, illustrated with color photographs by Rajesh Bedi, hardcover with unclipped dust jacket (price never printed), 1st edition, 1981. BOOK CONDITION: very good. The text block and illustrations are in fine condition, with no tears, dogears, or marks. There is a small white spot at the bottom of the first six pages and at the bottom of the front pastedown. There is no bookplate or signature of a prior owner. Not a library book or remainder. The black cloth boards are in very good condition (two bumped corners). The dust jacket is in good condition (the original bookstore price tag is affixed to the back cover; a small stain on the interior; smudging of the glossy black paper). 11 x 8 1/2, 192 pages, 33 ounces XX [From the dust jacket flaps] Ladakh, the land of lamas and gompas, lies across the Himalayas. This trans-Himalayan kingdom is enchanting, colourful, inhospitable and craggy. The predominant culture of this inaccessible land is Buddhist and has been maintained in its pristine form. It can still boast of the pure Aryan stock of the Drokpa community. However, with the recent opening up of air services to Ladakh, the outside world has burst upon this region. This book records the history of the region as well as provides some valuable insights and information regarding the land and its people. The spirit of Ladakh is captured in the vivid descriptions of monuments and monasteries, the fascinating accounts of rituals, festivals and the social life of the people. The 182 illustrations in colour ably support the text. The haunting beauty of the landscape, the quiet, somnolent and insular culture of Ladakh, the monasteries in isolated splendour, the austerity of the lamas and the gaiety of mask dances all come alive through the photographs. Some of these photographs are indeed rare - the funeral rites and the winter scenes have never been recorded before. The lavish colour illustrations together with text help recreate the fascinating experience that is Ladakh. XX RAJESH BEDI is a freelance photographer. His photographs have appeared in some of the leading international magazines like National Geographic, Geo, Life, etc. Rajesh Bedi's photographs have also been reproduced as postage stamps both in India and Bhutan. DR. RAMESH BEDI is a specialist in Indian flora and fauna. Over a period of years Dr. Bedi has collected priceless specimens of dried plants from the Himalayan and trans-Himalayan regions and the Bhagirathi, Mandakini and Alaknanda valleys. His specimens and photographs can be seen in the Kew Herbarium, London, Royal Herbarium, Thimpu, Bhutan and the Botanical Survey of India, Shillong and Calcutta. Dr. Bedi has to his credit more than thirty books in the field of medical botany and wild life.…