Kashmir, or Kasperia as mentioned in Ptolemy's Geography, is an oval valley enclosed on all sides by high snow-capped mountains. At one time this was covered by a vast lake known as Satisar. Kashmir finds mention in several Puranas from ancient times as a land of great beauty and of learning, having produced famed sages likeUtpaladeva, Patanjali, Panini and others. Kashmir has the unique distinction of having written geographical and historical records available, in contrast to the other regions of India. The 6th century Nilamata Purana lists specific religious sites with corroborating topographical information, and the magnum opus Rājatarangiṇī composed by Kalhana in the 12th century CE provides the “river of kings (Parthivavali)” from around 3450 BCE. The book also provides information about various long-forgotten ancient sites along with excellent illustrations and photographs. Furthermore, by throwing light on many lesserknown natural wonders of the region, the author provides tourists with fascinating new options to explore during their visit to Kashmir. “Historians have been unable to connect the past with the present effectively, which has resulted in ambiguities and misconceptions about Kashmir's history and the central role it has played in Bharat's emergence as a civilization. This book provides an insight into this missing link, which is conveyed without clutter, making it easily comprehensible even to a lay reader. The book also describes numerous ancient places, knowledge about which has been lost over time.” ~ General (Dr) VK Singh, Union Minister of State for Road Transport, Highways; and Civil Aviation; former Chief of Army Staff