To those who associate Siddhartha's enlightenment with 'magical' happenings, "Light of the Himalayas" is an answer. The novel traces the gradual development of Siddhartha from an inquisitive child to a serious explorer-- on a trajectory of science and objectivity -- until his discovery of the elixir of life, the eight-fold path and the four golden rules. The book de-centers many myths and misconceptions about the life of the Buddha and invites readers to engage in scientific discourse about the religion.