Congratulations to DSR faculty Frances Garrett, and DSR graduate students Annie Heckman, and Barbara Hazelton on the publication of Hidden Lands in Himalayan Myth and History: Transformations of sbas yul through Time in Brill's Tibetan Studies Library. Frances is the co-editor with Elizabeth McDougal and Geoffrey Samuel.
From the book: In an era of environmental crisis, narratives of ‘hidden lands’ are resonant. Understood as sanctuaries in times of calamity, Himalayan hidden lands orsbas yul have shaped the lives of many peoples of the region. Sbas yul are described by visionary lamas called ‘treasure finders’ who located hidden lands and wrote guidebooks to them. Scholarly understandings of sbas yul as places for spiritual cultivation and refuge from war have been complicated recently. Research now explores such themes as the political and economic role of ‘treasure finders’, the impact of sbas yul on indigenous populations, and the use of sbas yul for environmental protection and tourism. This book showcases recent scholarship on sbas yul from historical and contemporary perspectives.
For more information on the book, please go here.