Dehradun, Dec. 7 -- late Sri Ram Swaroop of Glamour Studio

By: Ganesh Saili

'Why are they bent on killing Landour & Mussoorie?' asks Harish Jasani, a young shopkeeper in the Library. It's late when he phones to give me the news. And once he gets going, there is no stopping him. Careening on, he says: 'These tourists back their cars, take out LPG cylinders and cook on our veranda!'

In disbelief, I listen.

Driven by Instagram influencers, the Ugly Tourist has found out about our nineteen square miles of magic mountain. At Mullingar, thousands of scooters zip through our narrow lanes.

'Write your book before everything you love about this place vanishes!' Harish advises me.

That is exactly what I had set out to do. This is where I was ...