Headstrap: Legends and Lore from the Climbing Sherpas of Darjeeling. This item is unavailable.Headstrap: Legends and Lore from the Climbing Sherpas of Darjeeling

"This book ensures that the Sherpa community gets the recognition they deserve" -- Library Journal

Banff Mountain Book Competition Climbing Literature Winner • Boardman Tasker Award for Mountain Literature • Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award Winner • Himalayan Club Kekoo Naoroji Book Award

This captivating chronicle delves into the untold story of a tribe of people who have played a significant role in mountain exploration and climbing in the Himalayas. Situated in northern India, Darjeeling was developed as a colonial retreat by the British in the early 1830s and soon became famous for its tea gardens, attracting locals from around the region, Nepal, and Tibet in search of work. When Darjeeling became the jumping-off point for early Himalayan expeditions, workers from the Sherpa and Bhutia communities soon established themselves as the preferred high-altitude porters, bringing fame, entwined with tales of valor, courage, and sacrifice, to the city. These are some of their stories.

Over the course of a decade, authors Nandini Purandare and Deepa Balsavar conducted a series of interviews with Sherpas from Darjeeling, as well as their family members, descendants, friends, and contemporary climbers. Headstrap weaves a vivid tapestry of this particular Sherpa community, giving them the recognition in mountaineering literature that they deserve.

Nandini Purandare is editor of The Himalayan Journal, a recognized global authority on the Himalaya. With a background in economics, Purandare has consulted for various organizations and is an enthusiastic trekker and reader of mountain literature. Visit them online at himalayanclub.org.

A well-known illustrator and storyteller, Deepa Balsavar has created more than 30 award-winning children's books. Balsavar is an adjunct professor at IDC, the Design School, IIT Bombay. Visit them online at himalayanclub.org.