Thach Photo | TrekEarth

Photographer’s Note

I have noticed that many people have been following my gallery because of their affinity of the photos from India. So this photo is especially dedicated to all of them and I also want to convey my thanks to them for their encouragement.

I can't remember the name of this meadow (meadow is Thach in the local language). What I do remeber is that I had spent three nights in the kind of a small hut that you see on the meadow.

It was a beautiful place something like half a day trek. I had gone there for a day trip but liked it so much that the next day I got my stuff from base camp and stayed with the gaddi people (who had invited me) for three nights in the same hut that you see in the picture.

Gaddi is a tribe of nomads that graze their herd in the Himalayas. They migrate to lower altitudes in the winters. Very nice people. They fed me a lot of local delicacies, gave me their locally brewed liquor and when it was time to say goodbye, they did not accept any money from me. They told me that they treated me like a guest so they can't accept any money from me. (In many Indian cultures guests are said to be sent by God so people take great care of them.)

FOOD FOR THOUGHT
With this story I just wanted to show how differenty the guests are percieved by different cultures. Most of us in the first world have a hard time when our parents/kids or other family come over for a stay. These people I stayed with had invited me to thier home even though they had never known me and than they did not accept any money even though they were pretty poor people. I was wondering how many of us in the first world can do the same gesture to the homeless people or some poor backpackers.

isabela_sor, riclopes, ChrisJ, digi-mom, rich, chaity, rabani, singuanti, capthaddock, john_c, pamastro, sajith has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

riclopes (32865) 2005-12-04 5:40

Hi Sarju,
I was just about too choose another one from your Indian Gallery, when I found you just posted this one...
What a fantastic place to stay for a couple of days! What an attractive hut that one is!
I loved your note and experience of being a guess in there. I agree with you - it's really amazing how nice, people from poor countries can be!
The shot itself lacks a bit of sharpness, but the landscape is gorgeous and the composition with those layers and colours are marvellous. Great POV, as well.
Thanks a lot for sharing this,
Have a nice sunday,
Ricardo

ChrisJ (69588) 2005-12-04 6:40

Namaste Sarju

It looks like Switzerland! Perhaps I would remove a little red? The trees don't look so green. I have been to Darjeeling in the east of India & it looks similar. I like the compressed perspective & pov. Well done!

[workshop] [compare]

rosaline (0) 2005-12-04 8:00

Sarju
A very nice composition and dramatic in scale. The view is very impressive. I like the workshop version too. Your note is very informative and places a good context to the photograph.
Good work.
Aubrey

rich (1199) 2005-12-05 8:47

Hi Sarju,

Great scenery and nice note. I've also spent a bit of time with Gaddi shepherds but more in Kangra, Chamba and Lahoul then the area where you met them. Did they say where they were from - somewhere around Palampur?

chaity (1539) 2005-12-05 23:56

Hi Sarju, I like the different colors casted on the moutains. Thanks for the thought that sets me thinking.

rabani (9421) 2005-12-06 1:31

I'd probably spent just as much as you did up here. Sadly Sarju, your image of this meadow, is lacking in sharpness. For a scenery like this, you cannot be forgiven for not getting it, as well as it should. You must go here again, and do justice for those that lived here, that had treated you so well.

singuanti (15240) 2005-12-06 22:43

Hey Sarju. What a huge landscape this is. I love all of the different greens you have captured. My only suggestion would be to increase sharpness like the WS. Nice shot Sarju.

gebala (0) 2005-12-07 18:57

hello, amaizing is this view, great free space, great point of view, I love colours here, well done

rgs

sined (4483) 2005-12-08 11:19

love your story , love your picture !
want to be a bird and take of from this thach ..
did you see birds during your travel?
see you soon Sarju and thanks for all !
Denis

capthaddock (28640) 2005-12-09 10:23

Hi Sarju - great story, and the view is quite nice, it does look like a swiss meadow, I still have not seen the lusher face of the Himalayas, I also like the way the ridges converge at top right part. It could be sharper, but being a scan from 1998 it is understandable.

Leksand (708) 2005-12-18 10:54

Hi Sarju! What a fantastic landscape, impressive mountains and lovely colours. Great composition! You is a lucky man that have visited this place. India is such a fascinating country, and I realy like your story!

Best Regards, Peter

john_c (24635) 2006-01-03 12:12

Hi Sarju,
Despite some loss of clarity with the scan, this has all the elements of a well composed and interesting photo. There are four distinct gradations of landforms. The foreground meadow makes a pleasing and contrasting colour to the bleaker mountains. Great depth from this POV. An inspiring and well conceived shot. Good shooting in 2005, Sarju.
John

clopatra_28 (68) 2006-07-09 16:10