Library

English · History · 1882–86

The Himalayan Gazetteer

Edwin T. Atkinson

The monumental colonial survey of Kumaon and Garhwal — geography, history, castes, religion. Still the starting point for researchers.

Hindi · History · 1937

Kumaun ka Itihas

Badri Datt Pandey

The classic history of Kumaon by the leader of the Coolie Begar movement.

Hindi · History · 1928

Garhwal ka Itihas

Harikrishna Raturi

Foundational history of Garhwal and the Panwar dynasty.

Hindi · History · 1960s–90s

Uttarakhand ka Itihas

Shiv Prasad Dabral 'Charan'

A multi-volume history of the region, from prehistory to the modern age.

English · History · 2021

The Chipko Movement: A People's History

Shekhar Pathak

Translated from 'Hari Bhari Umeed' — the definitive account of Chipko by one of Uttarakhand's leading historians.

English · History · 1989

The Unquiet Woods

Ramachandra Guha

Ecological change and peasant resistance in the Himalaya — forests, begar and Chipko.

English · Culture · 1991

Mountain Goddess: Gender and Politics in a Himalayan Pilgrimage

William S. Sax

An anthropological study of Nanda Devi and the Raj Jat.

English · Culture · 2002

Dancing the Self

William S. Sax

On Pandav Lila — the Mahabharata as performed in Garhwal.

English · Travel · 1994

The Nanda Devi Affair

Bill Aitken

A loving account of the goddess-mountain and the people around it.

English · Memoir · 1944

Man-Eaters of Kumaon

Jim Corbett

The world-famous hunting stories — and portraits of Kumaoni village life.

English · Memoir · 1947

The Man-Eating Leopard of Rudraprayag

Jim Corbett

Pilgrim-route Garhwal in the 1920s, seen through an eight-year hunt.

English · Memoir · 1952

My India

Jim Corbett

Corbett's affectionate sketches of the ordinary people of Kumaon.

Hindi · Literature · 1958

Chidambara

Sumitranandan Pant

Poetry collection that won the Jnanpith Award — by the poet born in Kausani.

Hindi · Literature · 1970s

Krishnakali

Shivani

Shivani (Gaura Pant), the beloved Hindi novelist whose stories are steeped in Kumaoni life.

Hindi · Literature · 1982

Kasap

Manohar Shyam Joshi

A love story set in Kumaon, written with Kumaoni flavour by the master of Hindi prose.

Hindi · Literature

Anubhav ke Aakash mein Chand

Leeladhar Jagudi

Sahitya Akademi Award-winning poetry by the poet from Tehri.

Hindi · Literature

Hum Jo Dekhte Hain

Mangalesh Dabral

Sahitya Akademi Award-winning poems by the Tehri-born poet.

Hindi · Literature

Dushchakra Mein Srashta

Viren Dangwal

Sahitya Akademi Award-winning poetry by the poet from Tehri Garhwal.

Kumaoni · Literature · c. 1800s

Gumani Pant ki Kavitayen

Gumani Pant

Verses of the first known poet of Kumaoni.

Kumaoni · Literature

Girda — Kavita Sangrah

Girish Tiwari 'Girda'

The people's poet of the Uttarakhand movement.

Garhwali · Literature

Bhumyal

Abodh Bandhu Bahuguna

A Garhwali epic by one of the language's foremost writers.

Garhwali · Literature

Kanhaiyalal Dandriyal — Garhwali poems

Kanhaiyalal Dandriyal

Poet of Garhwali village life and nature.

English · Literature · 1956

The Room on the Roof

Ruskin Bond

Set in Dehradun — Bond has lived in Landour, Mussoorie, for decades.

English · Literature · 1993

Rain in the Mountains

Ruskin Bond

Notes from the Himalaya — life in Mussoorie through the seasons.

Hindi · Culture

Uttarakhand ke Lok Devta

Search for books on the folk deities of Uttarakhand.

Mixed · Culture

Aipan art of Kumaon

Books and guides on Aipan designs and their meaning.