March 6, 2002

Sacred Waters – A Pilgrimage in the Garhwal Himalayas
Sunday, March 17, 2002, 7:30 p.m.,
Max Bell Auditorium, The Banff Centre

On March 17, join writer Stephen Alter as he journeys up the waters of the Ganges River to its source in the Garhwal Himalayas. Using stories and images from his book Sacred Waters, Alter will travel through the mountainous landscapes of northern India and explore how this landscape shapes Hindu spirituality and folklore. Alter’s presentation is part of the Mountain Culture speaker series and takes place Sunday, March 17, 2002 at 7:30 p.m. in the Max Bell Auditorium, The Banff Centre.

Stephen Alter was born and raised in the Garhwal Himalayas. "From childhood I have had a fascination for these mountains and for the flora and fauna of this region. Hindu mythology associated with the river Ganga has always held a personal significance for me," Alter explains. "The mountainous landscape of Garhwal is rich in lore and legend, just as its lush forests are full of animals, reptiles, birds, and insects. In this presentation I will discuss the many ways in which this natural world and the world of spiritual imagination are entwined."

Alter, a writer-in residence in the Writing and Humanistic Studies at MIT, received a Mountain Culture grant in 2000 to complete research on Sacred Waters — A Pilgrimage Up the Ganges River to the Source of Hindu Culture. Sacred Waters is published by Harcourt, Inc.