Himalaya watch

For 85 years now, The Himalayan Journal&nbsphas been the pre-eminent publication of record of the great range. The club itself, formed in 1928 and modelled after the Alpine Club, has endured and flourished under a careful unbroken stewardship that has enthused many generations to climb and explore the Himalaya. In a country where mountain pursuits are still largely governed by and dependent on the whims of the Home Ministry and the army, this civilian club keeps mountaineering an egalitarian effort, sponsoring expeditions, holding talks and seminars, and of course, producing this annual journal.

Now in its second year under Rajesh Gadgil&rsquos editorship,HJ68&nbsphas the usual collection of long expedition reports and essays, a smaller section on expedition notes, book reviews, memorials and correspondence. Every year has a certain theme, with a majority of stories focussing on one region, so to speak. In this issue, it&rsquos Sikkim. This includes Anindya Mukherjee&rsquos exploration of the Zemu Gap area, former editor Harish Kapadia&rsquos record of the Chumbi valley  and Pradeep Chandra Sahoo&rsquos account of the ascents of the remote Dome Kang and Jongsong East peaks by new routes.

Some of these and other accounts in the journal are admittedly dry, but then not too many mountaineers are more than functional writers. However, in each article, the information provided is invaluable for those who&rsquod like to visit these areas themselves. Every issue has one or more articles which are of considerable literary merit as well. In HJ68, that&rsquos Amrita Dhar&rsquos superb essay &lsquoThe Unaccommodated&rsquo.

There are three classic climbs in this issue &mdash Sandy Allan&rsquos account of the ascent of Nanga Parbat by the terrifying Mazeno ridge Jimmy Chin, Conrad Anker and Renan Ozturk&rsquos alpine- style climb of Meru Shark&rsquos Fin in Garhwal and a Swiss-Austrian team&rsquos ascent of Cerro Kishtwar by a new route and a successful first ascent of White Sapphire in the little-visited Kishtwar.

This journal isn&rsquot for everyone. Only mountain lovers of a certain kind would be happy with a travel publication that is focussed solely on mountains, and that too just the Himalaya. ButHJ68, with its Himalyan stories and colour plates, is a treat. Can&rsquot wait for HJ69.