Himvant - The Face Of Tara

“Himvant - The Face of Tara”, a compilation of photographs of the high mountains and valleys of Lahaul, Spiti, Ladakh, is the second volume of Dr Debal Sen’s trilogy on the Indian Himalayas. Adorned with deep narratives, it is primarily a book for seekers of spiritual evolution / enlightenment. As one uses pieces of music or chant mantras to get into a meditative state, the pictures in here do the same, if not better. The moon here being the centrepiece of attraction.

It's for Nature lovers too, who visit, get absorbed, get lost and in the process find their True Selves. It's for adventurers who would not be able to resist the indomitable pull the stills carry in their wombs. Stark mountainscapes having the most divine shades of blue in their faithful companion - the sky, make the viewer fix gaze on any one picture and stay there forever. There are teasing splashes of green and droplets of violet through some flowers. Some of the black and whites evoke mystery, others are simply breathtaking.

Dr Sen's magical narratives reveal the photographs in their myriad dimensions, to the human mind. One reads a portion, goes into seeing the plates, only to return to the tale, as if to sense and touch what the traveller photographer was experiencing like "The Chortens worshipping by alpenglow" (page 181), one even sits beside the gorgeous Suraj Tal (page 145 ) or sees the most serene pink and violet hues of "On the turning away - The Last Light (page 241)"

HARDCASE	325 x 325 x 38 mm 122.8 x 12.8 x 1.5 in	244 PAGES