Tale of Hills and Aphrodisiacs

Chait is the first month according to the traditional Hindu calendar and when a bird hymn—‘Kafal Pako min ni chakho’is sung. The bird hymn is premised on a soulful tale from the hills of Uttrakhand, a land tucked far away from the hustle and bustle of the cities and metros meandering its way through the rapidly changing contours of the world. Anil Yadav in his travel memoir of Uttrakhand weaves the colloquial tales and lives of several families of Uttrakhand with the sordid politics of the world beyond the hills.