Punjab, North-West Frontier Provinces and Kashmir

The North Western side of the Indian sub-continent presents a most fascinating landscape and exciting history. Under British rule this area was divided into the three regions of Punjab, North Western Frontier Province and Kashmir and from which the country of West Pakistan was carved out, and which even today, in the form of Kashmir, Baluchistan etc. presents a volatile landscape.

This was the region which opened India to a series of invasions which shaped the history and culture of the sub-continent. Waves after waves of people entered through the famous passes and their ethnic and cultural stock is now a part of contemporary India and Pakistan. Geologically and geographically this is a region of utmost variation ranging from rugged mountains to fertile plains and its history and culture cover a kaleidoscope of religions and ways of life, from Hindu Pandits to Muslim tribals, Shiva worshippers to Buddhists.

The region is rich in natural resources, rivers, mountains, forests and minerals and supports diverse modes of subsistence from hunting and pastoralism to agriculture and industry. Numerous crafts flourished here of which weaving and embroidery are particular famous.

Although politically distinct today, the various regions covered by this book share a common heritage and geographical contiguity expressed in cultural continuity. This volume presents the most detailed and comprehensive account of this area, not leaving out any detail on any aspect like, Environment, Flora, Fauna, the People, Trade, History. Archaeology and Artifacts. Factually accurate and profusely supplemented with figures, tables and maps, this work is a storehouse of knowledge.

Anthropologists, Sociologists, Economists, Geographers, and students of Politics and History will find in this volume a wealth of basic data relevant to their particular interest.