Humbled by the Himalayas - Discovering Wild Ladakh

[Dr.Vinod Khanna]

Hi Jayanth
Congratulations and a very good posting. We from ZSI were also there in Ladakh form 1st July 2008 to 18th July, 2008 and visited all those places and recorded many species of birds and mammals. Our expedition team is still and would return after 90 days in the field.
Dr.Vinod Khanna

[Shruthi]

Hey Jay

Thanks a bunch for wonderful pictures and marvelous trip report

Thanks for keeping my imagination quotient live & kicking

U R SIMPLY SSUUUUPPPEEEERRRRBB!!!

Cheers,
Shruthi

[Santosh Saligram]

Allow me to regain my composure after falling off my chair.

In my stupefied mind has emerged now a strong reinforcement for my already profound belief - that you, sir, belong to the extremely endangered pantheon of real NATURAL HISTORY PHOTOGRAPHERS - who, with their intimate knowledge of and passion for their subjects, and impeccable field work, stand in terrific contrast to camera-wielding pretenders - that harrowing class of people often referred to with the euphemistically aphoristic term 'armchair critics or gizmo-freak techno-geeks', who pore and obsess over matters of little consequence on the Web and generally spend time doing everything but what is truly productive or meaningful.

The photographs are breathtaking, as always and by all means, and the report is suitably engrossing, but what really takes the cake is the man and his spirit behind it all. For, this isn't another "safari trip" where wildlife is found and photographed under relatively easier conditions; where the vehicle does the lugging around and the most formidable task one has to undertake is just hang on tightly to the crossbars (with your equipment!) when the strained Gypsy is wriggling itself out of a muddy pothole at an angle that flings insolence at Newton's fruit of hard labour.

Being the 'vehicle', on the other hand, and lugging around several kilos of unwieldy glass and metal while stalking rare birds, certainly calls for heart and muscle to match. Even a tiger has an easier job - it doesn't have to lift any weight whilst stalking! And where the air is thin and the oxygen is scarce, you've shown us that passion is an adequate fuel to drive on.

One achieves much when one portrays a natural history creation or a phenomenon splendidly, thus creating in one a tremendous feeling of wistfulness at the thought of its loss, and makes a case for its conservation. What you've done here is even more extraordinary - gone to an inviolate but inhospitable precinct and brought back pictures to spark off a lot more passionate seekers of the Himalayan wildlife riches.

Of course you've done it in the past - your Orissa expedition was another such watershed. Before every trip of yours there is anticipation, and after it, inspiration. Your holistic approach to wildlife as not merely self-sufficient entities but rather as an inseparable part of the local eco-system and other species that they are compelled to either befriend or avoid, by whom they are either nurtured or tortured, is what is the most outstanding feature of your work.

Many months ago, when I first saw your earliest trip reports, I was thrilled to bits. I found such indubitable truth in your assertion "My love for wildlife is greater than what it was yesterday and lesser than what it will be tomorrow." - a feeling that I'm sure your admirers grew to discover along with you. Today, I am as excited when something new from you is around the corner not because you record existing avenues, but you create new ones. Thanks. For being phenomenal!

As for the pictures, it's hard to pick a favourite when the pouch is full of gems, but if there has to be one, it must be this http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3007/2780311527_33304edb97_o.jpg closely followed by http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3138/2780323325_ba690a30ce_o.jpg . Both, to me, epitomise best all that is rare, beautiful and hard to get - and the immeasurable joy they afford when you employ extraordinary hard work and dedication to get them against odds.

Waiting to be enriched with the next avenue,
Santosh
_________________
Beauty is actually spelt in five letters: T I G E R

[Srini]

I am hardly getting any words for your passionate work.. thanks for getting unseen nature on our destops.. wish you success...

[Nithin]

Excellent trip report...!
Loved it, unlike other trip reports, I spend more time reading this trip report (didt want to finish this soon)...!
_________________
Cheers,
Nidhin
www.Nidh.in

[Guest]

Looks a dream trip.. I am humbled as well..

[Anand Narayanan]

saw the report the moment it came out .. was dumbstruck .. still am...

your images reflect your passion for the wild , months of planning , technical prowess and loads of patience!!

its been a privilege staring at your images... and the biggest lesson ive learnt... take at least 3 weeks for ladakh

congrats to you and rahul and thanks for the treat !!

Anand Narayanan

[prakash subbanna]

Its simply incredible.!!!!.......finding & documenting wildlife in this remote area....its an eyeopener...New way of presenting the still with background music is awesome I was in trance for some time.

keep up the goog work. congrats..!!

prakash subbanna.

[Stalinramesh]

Hi Jay,

Thank's for show me the wild and beauty of Ladakh. Thank's for sharing the best from your trip.

Stalin Ramesh

[sumasuta]

No words!

Words definitely fail my emotions....

Thanks a ton for writing this report....

Thanks again...

-Ashwini Kumar Bhat

[girish vaze]

dear jayanth,
it was absolutely amazing to read your trip report. u have obviously taken a lot of effort to record the wildlife of ladakh and this has really paid off. TFS the photos and your experiences of this amazing part of India

regards
girish vaze

[jadnan]

thanks much Jayanth, my entire family enjoyed the stunning images and your well crafted report !

Had one query: the Route map that you have posted a link to, is that a GPS based track and POIs ?

thanks again, all the very best for your future adventures.

adnan

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Dear Adnan,
Thanks, happy to know everyone at home liked it. Hope your Father in Law, M I L and wife, kids are all fine.

GPS: I didnt use a GPS Device. Couldnt get it on time. How ever the places I have marked are easily reachable/recognizable and dont need GPS to get there again.I didnt go too much off track.

Jayanth Sharma

[amitabh]

You are truly great! Words fail me

[Naveen Pasuparthy]