“All of them sat facing the setting sun. The sunlight spread over their faces and they glowed red. Very quietly, they began to sing. It was actually not a song—they were just humming. But all of them hummed in one voice. There was not a single discordant note. It felt as if three thousand musicians were playing three thousand violins together, without even a single note out of place.”

By the time I reached the final chapters of Jeyamohan’s Chasing the Yeti: An Adventure in Snow, I was so mesmerised that those three thousand musicians seemed to be humming inside my own head. I was transported to an ancient forest where prehistoric civilisations existed. The Yeti reminded me of a friendly bear hugging his honey jar, quite unlike the ‘wild man’ labels it has been given by Western explorers.

Translated from Tamil Pani Manidhan by V. Shyamala, this is a soul-stirring tale of the mystical abominable snowman and a yearning for a world that remains beautiful without human interference.

The Search for the Big Foot

The story begins with a massive footprint discovered in the snow by an Indian Army patrol party in Ladakh. Major Pandian is assigned to lead the enquiry. Mounted on a mule and accompanied by a local guide, he sets off into the rugged terrain to solve the puzzle. Warned in advance that the ‘giant-footed snowman’ might be a spirit from local folklore or an untraceable entity, Pandian is given just one week to submit a closure report.

What unfolds along his journey is a tapestry of philosophical wisdom, scientific observation and detailed knowledge of the Himalayan landscape—from snow topography and mountain cuisine to village life and Tibetan Buddhism. Through the central enigma of the Yeti, the quest connects three central characters: a 10-year-old Ladakhi boy named Kim, a scientist, Dr Divakar, and Major Pandian.

Bridging Fact, Fiction and Mountain Lore

If, like me, you live in the plains, Ladakh is an enigma—a flat, cold desert bounded by impassable peaks, inhabited sparsely by locals and guarded by the armed forces. Jeyamohan weaves a narrative that offers a vivid, atmospheric glimpse into this high-altitude world.

What makes this book unputdownable is how it bridges storytelling with education, making it an accessible, fast-paced read for all age groups. Blending myth, indigenous traditions, scientific curiosity and historical awareness, each chapter ends with factual nuggets collected from science, ancient texts and evolutionary processes. The story is so well crafted that you learn much more than you would in an actual classroom.

Each chapter has a lesson related to:

• Survival & Terrain: The mechanics of walking on snow, understanding snow topography, surviving harsh climates, and prehistoric flora and fauna.
• History & Science: The formation of the Himalayas, regional geology, the 1962 Indo-China War, and insights into early human history. There’s also a lot about the evolution of the human brain and that of other animals.
• Culture & Faith: The history of the Himalayas, the wisdom of Buddhist monks, Maitreya Buddha, and local indigenous traditions.
• High-Altitude Wildlife: Insightful observations on Himalayan wolves, eagles and fragile ecosystems.

A Reflection on Human Overreach

The narrative flows simply and smoothly, like a meandering mountain river revealing a new perspective around every bend. With the invisible Yeti leading the way, the book subtly questions man’s ways of investigating, conquering and analysing every corner of the natural world.

It reminded me, in parts, of the movie Avatar, where the Na’vi way of life is threatened by humans in search of precious metals. In both, there is a deeper question about what happens when human curiosity, ambition and the desire to possess enter a world that has flourished without us.

Chasing the Yeti compels us to consider the importance of leaving nature untouched. It reminds us that sometimes, faith and solitude allow seers to perceive truths that science and human interference cannot reach.

The book is a good read for all those who love magical beings, believe in saving the world and want to leave the planet a better place.

Book Details

• Author: B. Jeyamohan
• Translator: V. Shyamala
• Publisher: Juggernaut Books
• Length: 256 pages
• Genre: Middle-Grade / Children’s Literature, Adventure & Nature Fiction, Translated Literature
• Price: INR 399

Ambica Gulati is a multimedia journalist and editor whose work explores global affairs, travel, environment, and the intuitive arts. She has authored books for children, a series of six books on Monuments of the World published by Om Books International. Away from work, she enjoys birding, reading, and yoga.

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