Uttardkhand 197
untouched by the influences at work on both sides of them, viz.,
in Tibet and India. In fact, it speaks volumes for their character
that although they have been for centuries in constant touch with
Tibet for business purposes, they have never absorbed into their
own simple religion the extravagances of Hinduism or demonology
of Lamaism of Tibet.
It is significant that while rest of India was reeling under the
effects of Islamic expansion and conversion, the Himalayan
kingdoms remained safe from the foreign inroads and Islamic
influence as a result of which most of the religious beliefs that
exist in Uttarakhand are of original character, some of which
have already been described elsewhere in this book at appropriate
places.