This unique collection of stories about Kashmir invites readers into the everyday lives of ordinary people. Their homes nestle amid jagged rocks and flowering valleys that inspire fear, love, and closeness with and respect for nature. It is a world filled with giving spirits, powerful snakes, cunning horse thieves, greedy treasure-seekers, magical bowls and enchanted saarangs – drawn from mythology, folklore and lived experiences. Told through finely crafted prose and dramatic illustrations of the landscape, flora and fauna, the stories bring alive a world less known but as real as the turbulence that defines the region today – as fragile as it is beautiful.

The simple yet engaging style of writing has a charm of its own. Proiti Roy’s illustrations are lovely, detailed and appropriate… Educative and thought-provoking, the stories show how closely the fates of people and their animals are intertwined. – Vishesh Unni