Capturing 15 years of his journey

For the past 15 years, Hyderabad-based photographer Saurabh Chatterjee has been travelling to the Himalayas. From the first time he started photographing the place, he’s seen places change, roads been built and life change.  Now, after a decade and more of capturing life in the mountains, he has come up with his first solo exhibition of 20 photos from the mountains.

Choosing 20 photos from hundreds of photos clicked over a span of 15 years seems like quite a tough task. Saurabh agrees, “It was. But a famous photographer once said that one needs to be very harsh on yourself while choosing photos. So, here are my best shots.”

Saurabh has gone on at least 10 treks and has had numerous scary experiences. In 2010, Saurabh had one of his scariest experiences on the Rupin Pass Trek.

“At one point, we were at a flat land. Day one was very sunny, but on day two it started to pour heavily, the winds were so strong that we almost got blown away. Five of us held on to each other to avoid being blown away.”

Talking about the experience of shooting the Himalayas, he says, “Every day, early in the morning, the golden light hits the peaks. There are no words or frames to capture the beauty of that scene. It is so breathtaking that you can only soak it in.”

So, how did the place change over the years? “Places have become more accessible. But, that’s also a drawback. 15 years ago, we had to trek to most of the places, and so, very few people accessed those areas. Now, they have built so many roads which have made the place very crowded,” he explains.

However, the lessons Saurabh learnt were quite big. He says, “The mountains have a way of imparting knowledge you could never have learnt. You realise how small you are; they make you feel humble.”