The Himalayas have fascinated me since my childhood. When I turned sixteen, I started to practice meditation. I got to know many folklore stories of sages and different beings living in those mountains, and those stories fuelled my imagination. A few years ago, I finally got the chance to visit the Himalayas. I was simply overwhelmed by the sheer beauty and serenity expressed by the nature there.

One day me and my wife wanted to visit a temple half a day climb from the place where we were staying. We started our journey a bit late, and the climb took us longer than expected. While we were climbing what was, at times, dangerously steep terrain, I realised how insignificant one human life is in the face of those majestic mountains. Nature is a tough and merciless teacher, she teaches us how to be alert and focused, for example. A moment of distraction and we could fall off the cliff. But at the same time, she is caring and comforting.

I imagined how a small girl who got lost in the mountains would feel and what kind of adventures she could have. This journey was the beginning of “A girl in the Himalayas”, my first graphic novel.

“A Girl in the Himalayas” for me is a story of empowerment about a girl who wants to find her place in a world full of challenges and danger.