Bharat

The Captivations Of A Traveler

“The Captivations Of A Traveler” is a collection of photographs by Bharat Joshi who is inspired by the brilliant play of light on colours and silhouettes in the Himalayan landscape.

As he travels across Tibet, the stark beauty and surreal colours are captured through his lens in all shades and hues. This “roof of the world” is teeming with images in myriad shapes and form – temporary and immortalized. And to reflect a glimpse of that art in nature is the musing of this photographer.

The photographs are put together to express the vastness and vibrancy of this world in which we find ourselves sometimes looking, sometimes not.

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DETAILS

  • Two Roofs
    The roof of a monastery in Zhangmu, a small transit town on the border of Nepal and Tibet, which is also known as “The Roof of The World”. The vivid sky creates the appearance of a larger roof enveloping the monastery.

  • Rainbow
    Buddhist prayer flags stretched across a mist mountain pass above Zhangmu (Tibet). This area is abundant in waterfalls- one can be seen in the background as well.

  • Pilgrimage
    A speeding SUV follows another (in the distance) on one of the few roads constructed in Tibet. The journey to Kailash, made by modern SUVs, at first appears incongruous to the conventional notions of  pilgrimage. A vast majority of the journey comprises “off-roading” and living in tents and humble accommodation.

  • Green Valley
    This photograph captures the stark difference in vegetation at different heights. Much of Tibet lies at too high an altitude to encourage much fauna and is therefore barren. The valley seen here is low enough to allow farming.

  • Touch Down
    Clouds hang over the immense stretch of a valley, as if meaning to land gently thereon.

  • Three Kings
    Here three geometrically elegant hills appear similar to pyramids- each built for a monarch of the same lineage. The vibrant skies and the flash of green in the foreground enhance the desert-like ambiance of the landscape.

  • Starting out
    This picture exudes a sense of beginnings- in this case of a momentous journey, across varied landscapes. This is one of the new roads being built in Tibet, where for generations, dirt tracks existed. Snow capped peaks can be seen in the distance (on the left).

  • Bridge of Clouds
    Carefully arranged clouds seem to form a bridge over this high altitude lake in Tibet. Different layers of clouds can be seen here.

  • Tibetan Cowboy 1
    Its common for Tibetan’s to wear hats resembling those of western cowboys. Yak rearing is a major economic activity, and here these Yaks are being ushered for grazing. Mountains rise up from the horizon on this valley, in place of sky.

  • Tibetan Cowboy 2
    A cowboy rides his horse (on left of photograph), among a linear formation of his yak. These cowboys control and direct yak through a range of methods, including whistles and riding alongside.

  • Hometown
    The small village of Prayang (Baryang) that lies a day’s journey short of Manasarovar Lake. Local traditions and practices are still preserved in this remote settlement. For instance, the architecture and houses that are mostly constructed from local materials.

  • Greener Pastures
    Tibetan mountain goats and sheep graze on the vast and plentiful meadows that form in a valley. Snow capped peaks and traces of sunlight can be seen over the horizon.

  • The Fairest
    Sheep drinking from a pond in a valley. The sky seen here is unusually clear for Tibet.

  • In her stride
    A young girl watches over her grazing flock in the vastness of a meadow.

  • Down to Earth
    The black of a freshly constructed road in Tibet enhances the colours of its surroundings. Layers of earth, clouds, water and sky appear to rise above the road.

  • Shadow Play
    Surreal shadows form in the play of light and shade on mountain sides. Heavy clouds hang low above the mountain slopes.

  • Totem for Safety
    Near the banks of the spectacular Manassarovar Lake- a region revered by Hindus, Buddhists and Bonpos alike- drivers circumambulate this totem clockwise  before proceeding towards the lake.

  • Reverence
    A Tibetan Mastiff walks along the banks of Lake Manassarovar-  the source of four of the greatest rivers of Asia namely Brahmaputra, Karnali, Indus and Sutlej.

  • Manasarovar
    Lake Manasarovar is unique in many ways. In this picture, multiple hues of blues and greens can be seen along the water. Maountains ring fence the lake, adding to the spectacle.

  • Pilgrim’s Porter
    A yak, loaded with duffel bags, ready to make the trek from foothills towards Mount Kailash.

  • The Maze
    Myriad patterns form on a river bed. Taken during the trek that must be made on foot towards Mount Kailash. The altitude is is excess of 15,000 feet.

  • Gather no Moss
    Stones in the foreground of a valley en-route to Kailash.

  • Flight at Kailash
    An eagle soars down Mount Kailash. It flies low, at the point of intersection of two mountains.

  • Convoy
    A caravan of SUVs zip down a highway. Layers of cloud formations dwarf the travellers below.

  • C
    Two ‘C’s form in this picture: one by the clouds, and an opposing one by the road.

  • Slide winder
    A roads winds far into the distance- merging with mountains that slide downwards.

  • The Bridge
    A lone yak in contemplation before a bridge. Taken near the arid, desert-like stretches of Tibet.

  • The Calm before the Tempest
    A lone steed gazes into the distance, as signs of an approaching storm emerge.

  • Home on a Hill
    A panoramic picture of a settlement, whose inhabitants have built their homes into the massive rock face of a hill.

  • Tibet’s Bowl
    A high altitude lake nestled among peaks of the Himalayas. This panoramic photograph gives a complete perspective of the breathtaking view.

  • Kailash
    Mount Kailash- the legendary home of Shiva is a delight for pilgrims, geologists and naturalists. Even to the untrained eye, this gleaming black rock stands apart from the mountain range its located it.