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by Paul S. Sohi (Author)
In the inner west Himalayas, India lies a wonderland known as the Valley of Flowers. Included in the list of eight World Heritage Sites by UNESCO, it is spread over 33 square miles spanning altitudes of 11,000 - 21,000 feet, surrounded by 5 mountain peaks (Niligiri in North; Ghodi and Ratavan in the East; Saptasring in the South and Khunt-Khal in the West). The raging Pushpawati River crisscrosses throughout the Valley of Flowers between glaciers and streams. The river finally drains into Alaknanda, a tributary of the Ganges River at Govindghat. The east and west sides of the river are home to exotic miniature flowers, growing in configurations that only the wildest imagination could conceive. These small flowers can go unnoticed by a naive visitor. Visitors expecting large flowers like the ones seen in a flower show or cultivated gardens will be disappointed. The harsh, rigid and unforgiving high altitude of the majestic Himalayas can easily kill human life, let alone delicate flowers. Only one word can describe the presence of miniature flowers at this high altitude: "miracle." The author believes that the inner Himalayas were home to various Gods and Goddesses who roamed the mountains and valleys, and the Himalayas responded with magical miniature flowers. The author feels that these are the flowers of the Gods. These photographs were taken a few months before the major landslide of 2013, and this book provides a vivid description for those who cannot make the journey themselves.
