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In the Shadow of the Devi Kumaon: Of a Land, a People, a Craft
About the Book
The untamed beauty of the Himalayas immediately captures our collective imagination with visions of serenity, natural splendour and mysticism. But these mountains also dictate the lives of those who live by its laws—the resilient hill dwellers, or paharis, whose work and lives are shaped by their surroundings.
In the Shadow of the Devi: Kumaon details the legacy of a land, a people and a craft deeply intertwined with its environment. Manju Kak looks at this enigmatic land of Kumaon through the prism of woodcraft, unique in its aesthetic in this part of India, documenting the styles, influences and techniques used by the craftsmen of Uttarakhand, as well as Kumaoni artisans’ worldview and beliefs. In addition, this book is an important document of the life of paharis, as it also discusses communities, forest policy and the status of women, analysing and unraveling facets of hill life that made the claim for statehood so unique.
The book is beautifully complemented with photographs by award-winning Kumaoni photographer Anup Sah, among others. It is also a visual delight for those who have an interest in the region. It adds to the existing knowledge on Uttarakhand, emblematic of other Indian hill states though its focus is on Kumaon, the land that lies in the majestic mountain Nanda Devi’s shadow, as the title suggests.
About the Author
Is a writer, critic, scholar and artist, who, for two decades, through word, image, research or curatorial theme, has been intensely exploring some unique aspects of Himalayan life. It led her to make the documentary, They Who Walked Mountains (2002). She has edited the book Nicholas Roerich: A Quest & Legacy (2011) and curated an ethnographic exhibition titled Kashmiri Pandits, A Vintage Album: The Making of Modern India (2013). As a painter, her last show was Ranikhet State of Mind (2016). Her PhD is in the History of Art from the National Museum, New Delhi. A few of her art works are in private and public collections in India and Hong Kong. Her short stories have won acclaim. They include First Light in Colonelpura (1992), Requiem for an Unsung Revolutionary (1995) and Just One Life and Other Stories (2015).
The untamed beauty of the Himalayas immediately captures our collective imagination with visions of serenity, natural splendour and mysticism. But these mountains also dictate the lives of those who live by its laws—the resilient hill dwellers, or paharis, whose work and lives are shaped by their surroundings.
In the Shadow of the Devi: Kumaon details the legacy of a land, a people and a craft deeply intertwined with its environment. Manju Kak looks at this enigmatic land of Kumaon through the prism of woodcraft, unique in its aesthetic in this part of India, documenting the styles, influences and techniques used by the craftsmen of Uttarakhand, as well as Kumaoni artisans’ worldview and beliefs. In addition, this book is an important document of the life of paharis, as it also discusses communities, forest policy and the status of women, analysing and unraveling facets of hill life that made the claim for statehood so unique.
The book is beautifully complemented with photographs by award-winning Kumaoni photographer Anup Sah, among others. It is also a visual delight for those who have an interest in the region. It adds to the existing knowledge on Uttarakhand, emblematic of other Indian hill states though its focus is on Kumaon, the land that lies in the majestic mountain Nanda Devi’s shadow, as the title suggests.
About the Author
Is a writer, critic, scholar and artist, who, for two decades, through word, image, research or curatorial theme, has been intensely exploring some unique aspects of Himalayan life. It led her to make the documentary, They Who Walked Mountains (2002). She has edited the book Nicholas Roerich: A Quest & Legacy (2011) and curated an ethnographic exhibition titled Kashmiri Pandits, A Vintage Album: The Making of Modern India (2013). As a painter, her last show was Ranikhet State of Mind (2016). Her PhD is in the History of Art from the National Museum, New Delhi. A few of her art works are in private and public collections in India and Hong Kong. Her short stories have won acclaim. They include First Light in Colonelpura (1992), Requiem for an Unsung Revolutionary (1995) and Just One Life and Other Stories (2015).
256 pages, Hardcover
Published June 1, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 17, 2018
An Interesting Book for the Travelers, and Ethnographers on a journey to Picturesque Kumaon Region in India
In the book "In the Shadow of the Devi Kumaon: Of a Land, a People, a Craft" author by Manju Kak has documented several moods of the Kumaon range of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand state. Manju Kak is a noted artist and writer, who used her acumen to make this book a journey of photo-documentary on different shades of Kumaon hills alongside its Himalayan trails. The author provides an insightful introduction to Kumaon hills, their pre-colonial past, and the emergence of hill stations during the colonial period. Kumaon division consists of six districts namely Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat, Nainital, Pithoragarh, and Udham Singh Nagar. The Buddhist scholar Hsuan Tsang (Xuan Tsang) visited the Kumaon hills extensively when he came to India from China in the seventh century CE/AD. The author explains how the name was being given, "Ancient literary and religious sources suggest that the name Kumaon comes from the word Kurmachal; 'Kurma' being the Hindu god Vishnu's incarnation as a celestial tortoise." Different Hindu epics, such as Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Puranas mentioned different places of Kumaon. On the other hand, various Buddhist monks as well as Hindu sages explored the hills of Kumaon in different centuries, making this part of Himalayas a sacred place for both the religious followers. In fact, the pilgrims' favorite places in Kumaon include Baijnath, Nanda Devi, and other centuries-old temples. The book explores the craft traditions of Kumaon very extensively, in chapters namely, 'A Craft Tradition' (chapter 3), 'Legacies in Wood' (chapter 4), 'The House that Gangu Built' (chapter 5), 'Documenting Tradition' (chapter 6), and 'A Craftsman's Village' (chapter 7), while providing details of specialty craftsmanship in woodcarvings. These craftsmen are very talented, acquired skills through generations. The book then features the hills or 'Pahad' and the indigenous people or 'Paharis' in two chapters, namely, 'Pahad & Paharis' (chapter 2) and 'More about Pahad & Paharis' (chapter 8). The author also provides a brief narrative of caste structure and women empowerment in this region. The author briefly elaborates historical contexts whenever necessary; for example, chapter 13 narrates the story behind the formation of a new state Uttarakhand as an outcome of a people's movement. Indeed, this book serves as a good knowledge source for understanding of the region. The book is also useful to the travelers and pilgrims planning to visit Kumaon division in the Himalayan foothills.
In the book "In the Shadow of the Devi Kumaon: Of a Land, a People, a Craft" author by Manju Kak has documented several moods of the Kumaon range of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand state. Manju Kak is a noted artist and writer, who used her acumen to make this book a journey of photo-documentary on different shades of Kumaon hills alongside its Himalayan trails. The author provides an insightful introduction to Kumaon hills, their pre-colonial past, and the emergence of hill stations during the colonial period. Kumaon division consists of six districts namely Almora, Bageshwar, Champawat, Nainital, Pithoragarh, and Udham Singh Nagar. The Buddhist scholar Hsuan Tsang (Xuan Tsang) visited the Kumaon hills extensively when he came to India from China in the seventh century CE/AD. The author explains how the name was being given, "Ancient literary and religious sources suggest that the name Kumaon comes from the word Kurmachal; 'Kurma' being the Hindu god Vishnu's incarnation as a celestial tortoise." Different Hindu epics, such as Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Puranas mentioned different places of Kumaon. On the other hand, various Buddhist monks as well as Hindu sages explored the hills of Kumaon in different centuries, making this part of Himalayas a sacred place for both the religious followers. In fact, the pilgrims' favorite places in Kumaon include Baijnath, Nanda Devi, and other centuries-old temples. The book explores the craft traditions of Kumaon very extensively, in chapters namely, 'A Craft Tradition' (chapter 3), 'Legacies in Wood' (chapter 4), 'The House that Gangu Built' (chapter 5), 'Documenting Tradition' (chapter 6), and 'A Craftsman's Village' (chapter 7), while providing details of specialty craftsmanship in woodcarvings. These craftsmen are very talented, acquired skills through generations. The book then features the hills or 'Pahad' and the indigenous people or 'Paharis' in two chapters, namely, 'Pahad & Paharis' (chapter 2) and 'More about Pahad & Paharis' (chapter 8). The author also provides a brief narrative of caste structure and women empowerment in this region. The author briefly elaborates historical contexts whenever necessary; for example, chapter 13 narrates the story behind the formation of a new state Uttarakhand as an outcome of a people's movement. Indeed, this book serves as a good knowledge source for understanding of the region. The book is also useful to the travelers and pilgrims planning to visit Kumaon division in the Himalayan foothills.
July 1, 2024
Detailed Review here - https://www.anuradhagoyal.com/kumaon-...
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews