What is the origin of the fear that a monster lies beneath the surface of the high blue lake of Pangong Tso? Who was the Englishman who carved out his own kingdom in the Himalayas? What gourmet dish was created by a ruler to feed his famished subjects? What is the epic tale of the white shrine where the weapons of a martial saint are revered? This is not a travelogue or a guide book or even a retelling of ancient folklore. It is however a little bit of all three. It is a conversation with two well informed people who have travelled & questioned & analysed. They are convinced that every legend every custom has grown out of a hard core of fact a historical event whose impact was so great that it was branded into the racial memory of the community. It then became encased in multiple layers of myth. In The Alluring North" while describing their experiences in their gently evocative style Hugh & Colleen Gantzer also uncover many fascinating gems of other enduring realities that glitter within our intriguing India."