When we think of Kashmir today, we think of militancy and conflict, but it was once an unspoilt land, lush and beautiful-heaven on earth. Kashmir takes 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 Himalaya. 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, and the beauty of its valleys and peaks.