This presentation describes the writing process of my children's historical adventure novel Caravan to Tibet. The book began as a short story inspired by my family history and after several years of research, evolved into a coming of age book about a boy searching for his missing father.
2. How did this journey begin?
When I learned about my family history
through:
Stories told to me in my childhood.
Accounts of trips to my grandfather’s
village/villages
Accounts of the trade expeditions to Tibet.
Learned about the exploits of two explorers
from my extended family Nain Singh Rawat
and Kishen Singh Rawat.
3. The next stage
Reading about the
journeys of Nain
Singh and Kishen
Singh, the ‘Pundit’
explorers who
mapped Tibet in
disguise.
4. The first book I read:
Indian Explorers of the Nineteenth
Century by I.S.Rawat
Provided detailed accounts of the
journey to Tibet based on the diaries
of the explorers.
Descriptions of the landscape.
Information about animals, birds,
vegetation and climate.
The food eaten on the journeys and
the clothes worn.
5. More details
The different kinds of people and
their occupations.
The local customs.
The hardships and dangers of the
journey—like attacks by robbers.
Other interesting details.
6. Map of the route to Tibet
This map from
Indian Explorers of
the Nineteenth
Century was very
helpful.
The explorers’
route helped me to
work out the
details of Debu’s
journey.
7. Nain Singh Rawat
Explored Tibet disguised
as a Tibetan lama in the
nineteenth century.
Discovered many
important facts like the
altitude of Lhasa and the
source of the
Brahmaputra.
Received titles and
awards.
The character of the Lama
in Rudyard Kipling’s Kim is
said to be based on him.
8. Kishen Singh Rawat
Followed his uncle
Nain Singh in the
work of exploration
and made further
geographical
discoveries.
Captured by robbers
and was lost in
Mongolia for four
years.
Received many titles
and grants as well.
9. The result of all this reading
Articles on the explorers.
A great idea for an adventure story.
A long short story published in the
Target magazine annual.
Published again in Cricket magazine
in the U.S.A.
The idea of turning this story into a
novel takes root…
10. It requires deeper research
Further reading.
Watching films and television.
programmes on Tibet to visualize my
settings and characters.
Talking to knowledgeable people like
Kishen Singh’s grandson and his wife to
know more about local customs.
Visiting some of the places where Debu is
supposed to live.
11. Some more books I read
The Pundits by Derek Waller
A Mountain in Tibet by Charles Allan
Madhya Himalaya ki Bhotia Janjati: Johar
ke Shauka by Dr. S.S. Pangtey
Western Tibet and the Indian Borderland
by Charles A Sherring
Lost World Tibet by Amaury de Riencourt
Kailash-Mansarovar by Swami
Pranavanand
12. Shauka customs
This book provided
details of the
customs and daily
life of the
Shaukas.
Also provided
useful historical
facts about the
trade expeditions.
13. Shauka women-Debu’s mother
probably dressed like this
A photograph which
helped me to describe
Debu’s mother-from
Western Tibet and the
Indian Borderland by
Charles A Sherring, a
British official who
made a journey to
Tibet in the early 20th
century.
14. Shauka men
The term ‘Bhotia’,
more commonly
used, is considered
derogatory now.
When I found out,
I changed ‘Bhotia’
into the acceptable
term ‘Shauka’ in
the novel.
15. Gyanima market
This is the first
Tibetan market Debu
visits.
Charles Sherring's
book was full of
details like the strong
wind and the foul
smelling fuel and the
difficulty of cooking a
proper meal.
16. Dokpa women
This photograph, also
from Western Tibet
and the Indian
Borderland by Charles
Sherring, helped me
to visualize a scene at
a market.
Also add exotic details
about local costumes.
17. A Tibetan official
Again from
Western Tibet and
the Indian
Borderland.
I found many
details about
Tibetan officials
and an account of
the Gartok horse
race.
18. Exploring the actual setting
My grandfather's
house in Quithi,
(kind of
abandoned now).
This village is one
of the places
where Debu lives
in the book.
19. More details to add flavour
to the story
A window frame
from my
grandfather’s
house in a local
museum.
21. Debu enjoyed this view too!
The Panchachuli
mountains glimpsed
from Munsiyari.
According to legend
these peaks get their
name from Pancha
(five) and Chuli
(cooking pot).
They are said to have
been used as cooking
pots for the last meal
the Pandava brothers
had, before their
journey to heaven.
22. Turning a short story into a
novel
Adding another episode to the three
original main ones—the horse race.
Putting in more characters, like the
villainous Cousin Trilok and the other
members of the group, the Garphan etc.
Adding more descriptions and cultural
details.
Fleshing out existing characters.
23. The End
Revising, revising and… revising!
Sending it to a publisher and waiting
patiently for a decision.
Finally the book is accepted and
published by Puffin!