Book excerpt: Award-winning writer Priyanka Pradhan takes you on a journey into the Himalayas through its stories. You'll find tales of snow leopards and mountain ghouls, bagpiping girls and itchy herbs, and stories even as old as 500 years! See the beautiful state of Uttarakhand, resplendent in its colourful customs and traditional costumes, taste the sweet-sour wild berries, feel the chilly autumn wind on your skin and smell the musky pine forests, in seventeen stories. Welcome to the mountains.