What a packed and wonderful program on Friday. I didn't make it to everything, but what I did attend was:
- Manjari Mehta speaking on her ongoing anthropological study of a Garhwali village and the impact of the education of girls in the village and the influence of modern culture (cars, mobile phones, etc.)
- Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner speaking and showing images of her successful ascent of K2 - stunning photographs!
- William Sax speaking on "Nanda Devi: Mountain Goddess" - years of anthropology field work concentrated on the Nanda Devi Yatra.
- Silvo Karo, a rock climber, speaking and showing images of his successful climb up the middle peak in the Bhagirati complex.
- Nandini Purandare & Deepa Balsaver on their work to record the history of the Sherpa climbers who live in Darjeeling.
- Patrick French on his book about Younghusband, "the last imperial adventurer."
- Book release of Butterflies of India by Peter Smetacek and Dr. R. K. Varshney (book due out in about 10 days)
- Book release of Stephen Alter's The Secret Sanctuary, a children's story set in the Jabbarkhet Nature Reserve.
- Dinner at the home of SN, a Woodstock alumn who has built a new house at the top of the hill.
