Nature is something that Humans can admire the most, Be it the trees, birds, animals, Mountains, Rivers. Every path you explore teaches you a new lesson. So in a world that is made for us to admire, we must keep exploring the nature, believes Neelima Vallangi, A passionate traveler from Vizag. She quit her job decided to start traveling the world, one place at a time. Ranging from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, she covered almost all the states and the neighboring countries and posts the pics on her Instagram and Websites and inspires her followers. Here are a few of them:
1. The iconic blue skies of Ladakh!
2. Trekking to Auden’s Col, for Beauty and Belief
3. Okay, it's official! Royappuram harbour is the prettiest place in all of Chennai. As much a mountain person I am, there couldn't have been a better place than an ocean side to witness today's gorgeous supermoon. Rising as a pink fireball over a striking blue horizon to setting the sky on a silver fire, today's moon was the stuff of dreams. The uncharacteristic cool winds of Chennai, minus the insane coastal humidity was such a welcome surprise. But the cherry on top was that I saw a shooting star on a full moon night, despite the glittering city lights, right by the side of a highway. Chennai, I never fell in love with you before but if this is your true color, I can't wait to see more of you in future.
4. Have you ever heard of Overlanding? I did, in Mongolia and this is how the nights are when you "overland"!
5.Trivandrum was the capital of the Princely State of Travancore, which was ruled by Hindu Kings and Queens, and it continues to be the state capital of the present day Kerala
6. There are certain moments that stay with a person long after they first experience them. Your first crush, your first heartbreak, and the first time you climb a mountain. (Himachal Pradesh)
7. In Kashmir when we wake up and say ‘Good Morning’ what we really mean is ‘Good Mourning’.”
8. What are they? Kiangs. Where are they? Kiangdom! I cannot even begin to explain how much this tickles me. Whoever named it so, you sir, have my utmost admiration! You see, Kiangs are Tibetan Wild Asses only found in Changthang Plateau in India. They look athletic and primarily thrive in the grasslands of Changthang. Naturally, this corner beyond Tso Moriri with its huge marshes and meadows, is a haven for Kiangs. They can be seen in large numbers here, their kingdom if you will. And so, some genius decided to name the area “Kiang”dom. Or so goes my theory. No clue what’s the real reason for this name but I just cannot stop laughing at this pun!
9.Now that I’m going down that memory lane, here’s one more ace memory from Tamilnadu. Sunrise from the iconic Kanyakumari, the southern tip of mainland India
10. Of late, winters == snow. But before the advent of winter tourism, winters in India meant wildlife safaris. Granted, summer is the best time to see wild creatures. But winters present an enchanting opportunity to see the forest cloaked in unreal mist and golden glow, exotic birds and and the wildlife of course. Doing a #ThrowbackThursday to a winter spent in the jungles of Kanha and Bandhavgarh National Parks. No trip since then has even come close to the beauty of what I saw then.
11. The way to Rammang-Rammang, through narrow channels and meandering pathways!
12. How can we go to Ziro and not meet the famed tattooed ladies of Apatani tribe? Here's another tip for Ziro: That these women have been the subject of prolonged curiousity by outsiders and are mighty hassled now. So do not go pointing your cameras in their face if you happen to see these women. Try and talk to them first and ask if they're okay with being photographed. A lot of these old women we met didn't want to be photographed at all. Of course, it is not even fair to expect them to be willing to be photographed by random strangers. Thankfully, we were walking with people from Ziro who broke the ice first and let us steal few shots. #TheArunachalOdyssey
13. Know what's one of the hardest things about being a freelancer? Working out a set of ethics and sticking to it! In a regular job, most of these legalities and conundrums are taken care by the company terms and conditions. But when on my own, I need to make these decisions on a regular basis, something I wouldn't have given a second thought in my earlier line of work. Ever since I left a corporate job, I cannot help but think how mollycoddled I was, with the convenience afforded by working for an established company, totally immune to the numerous moral quandaries of life before. Whether it is declining a campaign paying good money to promote a product loved by most but one I don't support or deciding if I'm essentially ruining a place by writing about it as a travel writer or turning down a competing company product no matter how swanky and appealing it is or figuring out if it is okay to write a print media piece from travel arising out of a paid digital media campaign, taking these ambiguous decisions day in and day out has been tiresome. Where exactly do you draw the line? I'll never know until pushed to the wall I guess. But the silver lining is that it is also helping me grow immensely as a person!
14. This is the photo that made me fall in love with photography, shot using a humble Sony Cybershot in the hot, burning summer of 2009 in Chattisgarh! Do you remember the first image you took that completely surprised and awed you? Thus, in the process, instilling great joy and some confidence in you that you may be able to take good pictures?
15. Born in the month of June on a day when heavens opened up like a flooded reservoir, my parents tell me my name is inspired by the dark blue of a stormy evening. Perhaps that why I have always felt a strong connection with the monsoon. A child (and an adult) with a hyperactive imagination, I weaved strange stories of a past life to explain to urge to drop everything and watch when it rained. Two decades later I was still no where close to understanding that obsession but I figured I didn't need to understand it at all. I could just revel in it instead. So I spent the next decade chasing monsoons and being a kid about it again. Just published 30 Reasons(& Photos) to Love Monsoon, from a decade of Chasing Rains in India! (Chirapunji)
16. White Rann Of Kutch
17. Here's nature wishing you a happy valentine! ? Can we all now give some ? back to our most precious resource?
18. Think Andaman and the first thing that pops into mind is probably Havelock. So as any offbeat traveller worth her salt, I did what I had to do – skip Havelock entirely to find more about the emerald isle's little known charms. Not only was I able to evade disappointment about my decision to skip the well known, I was also generously rewarded with long stretches of pristine beaches all to myself.
19. As the Norwegian saying goes, there's no such thing as a bad weather, only bad clothes! Until you sort that out, there's no enjoying winter, trust me. ? Looking at all the recent snow photos from north, I'm reminded of my last winter in Bernese Alps of Switzerland.
20. because the parched lands get a new lease of life and we only have the rains to thank for that! Shettihalli, Karnataka | Monsoon 2011
21. There's nothing more glorious than watching the milkyway arch across the sky! Taken during a night hike to Bali's highest mountain, Mt. Agung.
22. I spent the whole of last week in Ziro documenting the fabulous Myoko Festival which pushed me so much out of my comfort zone that I'm super happy because we all know where magic happens(outside our comfort zone, for the uninitiated). I had to photograph people and not landscapes for a whole week which was a colossal challenge for me. Then I had to eat all sorts of meat for a whole week, 1 year old smoked & boiled pork and some intestine juice cooked in bamboo including, to gain acceptance of our hosts. (Normally, I can stomach only chicken and that too boneless and skinless) I had to take down notes meticulously to document the strange and elaborate rituals of the Apatanis. I had to see so many animal sacrifices and screaming pigs being readied for killing as part of the extensive documentation. All said and done, loved the whole week though, because I felt one step closer to being a photographer who can work on a complete project. Going forward I would love to take up much larger tasks telling detailed and elaborate stories through my words/pictures. Very little is written about Myoko Festival in the mainstream media and working on stories like these is right up my alley! Needless to say, loved the challenge, I quit my job to do exactly this kind of work. :) Seen here is the Shaman chanting under a peach tree during the opening ceremony of the Myoko Festival. Surreal, isn't it?
