CM presented with Smythe’s book on Valley of Flowers

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, October 1

A copy of a book on the Valley of Flowers written by British botanist Frank S Smythe, who discovered the valley in 1931, was presented to Chief Minister Harish Rawat on the eve of Wildlife Week here today.

The activities to celebrate the same also commenced on Saturday.

The Chief Minister, in his foreword to the book, has described it “as an absorbing account of Smythe’s discovery and subsequent visit. Now world famous and also declared as a world heritage site by UNESCO— the Valley of Flowers, its glory, peace and mysterious beauty, unspoilt since Smythe’s time— continues to lure adventurers. Complete with maps and colour photography by the author, this is to me the most authentic account of the Valley of Flowers”.

The book is the story of four happy months spent by the author amid some of the noblest mountains of the world. Smythe was one of the six British mountaineers who took an expedition to the Garhwal Himalayas in 1931.

The team reached the Bhyundar Valley and found themselves in a valley full of beautiful flowers of varying shades and colours, full of fragrance.

Smythe fell in love with the valley and named it the Valley of Flowers. The book is the story of his discovery and his second visit. It is not only a tale of adventure and travel, but is also a spiritual journey and one filled with soul searching meditations.

The Chief Minister hoped that the book would help attract more and more people to return to the hills and enjoy the wilderness of the beautiful state.