Of the numerous Himalayan kingdoms and princely states that survived until the British left India, only two - Nepal and Bhutan - are now fully-fledged sovereign states. The others have been annexed or otherwise 'integrated' into their larger neighbours. Yet in many cases, the royal family survives and remains the focus of local traditions and loyalties. Jonathan Gregson has travelled widely throughout the Himalayan region, to Bhutan, Nepal, Sikkim, Mustang and Dharamsala, in search of their kingly rulers. Kingdoms Beyond the Clouds is the story of these journeys and of his conversations with these often elusive leaders - some of whom scarcely ever grant interviews to outsiders. 'A delightful and thought-provoking read about a fascinating part of the world' Mark Tully

Wedged deep in the Himalaya between India and China, the secretive kingdom of Bhutan guards its independence while its neighbors have been swallowed by the giants. Bhutan markets itself as the last Shangri-La, but a closer look shows crime, discrimination and religious manipulation. Murray Gunn and his French wife came to understand Bhutan better while living there for two years - but risked their marriage in the process. A travel memoir of discovery and change.

The highest mountain range on Earth, the Himalayas from the northern border of the Indian subcontinent in Asia. The mountains extend in a massive arc for about 1,550 miles from west to east with more than 30 peaks rising to heights greater than 24,000 feet above sea level. Together the Himalayan mountain system is the planet's highest and home to all fourteen of the word's highest peaks. One of the high biodiversity regions of the world, it provides shelter to a large variety of flora and fauna. The Himalayan region has a rich and unique cultural heritage, and has managed to preserve its established traditions throughout history whilst absorbing customs, traditions and ideas from both invaders and immgirants. Many cultural practices, languages, customs and monuments are examples of this co-mingling over centuries.

A warm and unforgettable portrait of a family letting go of the known world to encounter an unfamiliar one filled with rich possibilities and new understandings. Bruce Kirkby had fallen into a pattern of looking mindlessly at his phone for hours, flipping between emails and social media, ignoring his children and wife and everything alive in his world, when a thought struck him. This wasn't living; this wasn't him. This moment of clarity started a chain reaction which ended with a grand plan: he was going to take his wife and two young sons, jump on a freighter and head for the Himalaya. In Blue Sky Kingdom, we follow Bruce and his family's remarkable three months journey, where they would end up living amongst the Lamas of Zanskar Valley, a forgotten appendage of the ancient Tibetan empire, and one of the last places on earth where Himalayan Buddhism is still practiced freely in its original setting. Richly evocative, Blue Sky Kingdom explores the themes of modern distraction and the loss of ancient wisdom coupled with Bruce coming to terms with his elder son's diagnosis on the Autism Spectrum. Despite the natural wonders all around them at times, Bruce's experience will strike a chord with any parent—from rushing to catch a train with the whole family to the wonderment and beauty that comes with experience the world anew with your children.

This book traces the beginnings of democracy in the three Himalayan kingdoms of Sikkim, Nepal and Bhutan. Charting the mobilisations and political experimentations that took place in the former buffer states under monarchies to establish democratic regimes, this book investigates their varying degrees of success, and offers a critical commentary on the consequent socio-political histories of this region. The volume sheds light on the nuances of their different geo-political contexts of the three Himalayan states, while tracing the social origins of the movements. It also undertakes a close analysis of the political participation and leadership involved to understand their achievements and limitations. A comprehensive analysis of a hitherto unexplored chapter in South Asian history, it will be of an immense interest to scholars and researchers of international relations, modern history, sociology and social anthropology, politics, South Asian studies, area studies, especially Nepal and Himalayan studies, as well as policy makers and government think tanks.