By: Tania Saili Bakshi/ Lakshika Bajaj
Pic Courtesy: Shailendra Kant
Dateline Dehradun Celebrating its 20th session, VoW|Shabdavali’s ‘Author from the Valley’ hosted at the VoW Café-Gallery-Library-Studio discussed Anmol Jain’s debut book “Wanderings in the Land of Mist,” published by Rupa Publications. The 232 pages book has 16 chapters dedicated to the interesting facets of Mussoorie from 1808 to present day.
No stranger to the written word, Anmol Jain, born and raised in Mussoorie has an MBA degree. He was a consultant with international development agencies focusing on climate change and rural livelihoods along with a regular contributor to the Times of India.
The author put in extensive research into his work which took him close to five years to complete. He added footnotes to authenticate facts that he wrote about. What makes the book unique is the fact that it has 47 QR codes that his young son suggested doubles-up as a travel guide and introduces the reader to offbeat trails and treks in and around the hill-station of Mussoorie and home to the author for five generations. The book has all the ingredients of humour, history, facts and hidden gems that one must read about. Illustrated with hand-picked images, postcards and advertisements make it a fascinating read.
Anmol was in conversation with fellow-senior journalist and colleague Yogesh Kumar whose journalistic career spans two decades from Times of India, India Today and Statesman. Yogesh spear-headed the launch of Times of India, Dehradun in the year 2014 and has since then made the city his home. At present Kumar is Founder and Editor of story.co, a web-portal focusing on positive stories.
Himself an author of comic books like Heroes of Uttarakhand and Corona Yodha that are popular among children, Yogesh discussed the background research that went into the chapters. The process and field work that went into the book as well as.
Festival Director VoW\Shabdavali, Dr Sanjeev Chopra said, “The author has given a fresh account of Mussoorie’s history with an entire chapter dedicated to the history of the six cinema halls that once dotted the Mall Road; its schools; breweries, churches; Olympic heroes and of course everything about ‘a town where stories never seem to end.”
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