The illustrated book by a doctor from Chennai shows the Himalayas over two decades in all seasons and terrain

“The majestic mountains and the Himalayan region have humbled me, shattered my ego and taught me many profound life lessons. Numerous expeditions have shown me who I am,” says Dr. Srinivasan Periyathiruvadi, a Chennai-based doctor, founder of Lister Metropolis and co-founder of Jeevan Blood Bank.

Although he experimented with film cameras during his school days in Thoothukudi, it developed into a passion in his twenties when he was studying medicine in Chennai (then Madras). His passion for the Himalayan mountains combined with his love of photography led to the creation of Himalayan moments, an illustrated book.

In 2005, Dr. Srinivasan bought his first DSLR camera. The following year, he accompanied a friend trekking from Gangotri to Gomukh Glacier. In 2009, he trekked to Annapurna Base Camp and in 2013, Rahul Ogra, founder of Mystic Himalayan Trails, took him to Ladakh, Kashmir and many unexplored regions of this vast mountain range.

“So far, I have undertaken over 15 such expeditions and own over 10,000 photographs (taken between 2013 and 2023). From these collections, I selected 40 images and created this illustrated book,” he says.

Dr. Srinivasan has not only explored the Himalayas in all their length and breadth, but has also had enriching experiences meeting herders and other trekkers. “Once I saw a shepherd walking with his flock at a distance. The lighting was perfect and I captured this moment. The shepherd, seeing me from a distance, walked up to me and invited me home, which he described as “mera rajya“(which means ‘my kingdom’ in Hindi). His wife served me roti and cheese. When I left his house, he gave me a huge piece of cheese. I also had some near-death experiences during snowstorms and landslides. I think all these experiences in the mountains have made me a better person,” he says.

Dr Srinivasan’s first solo exhibition of photographs was held at the Lalit Kala Akademi in Chennai in 2012. Four years later, he held another one. During the pandemic, he decided to work on his coffee table book. “When I mentor other budding photographers, I tell them to put down their cameras and enjoy nature with their own eyes. I always look at nature through my telephoto lens. Once, my camera was not working properly in the deep jungle and I saw a cheetah attacking a gazelle. What I saw (and not through the camera) was mystical and fascinating,” says Dr Srinivasan.

Himalayan moments costs ₹2,950. Selected photographs by Dr. Srinivasan are also available on his website: www.natureimages.in.