It’s always a delightful experience for me to visit the forest and connect with nature. Growing up near the foothills of the Western Ghats in Kerala, I was fortunate to have nature as a constant companion during my childhood. Although I later relocated to Chennai and Bangalore for higher studies and work, returning home always filled me with warmth and joy. The lush greenery, fresh air, birdsong, and monsoon rains had a lasting impact on me, fostering a deep appreciation for nature in its purest form. This connection naturally led me to pursue nature, bird, and wildlife photography as a passion.
Sacred Wilderness: A Documentary on Faith vs. Plastic
Through photography, I met many like-minded individuals, and some became close friends. One such friend, Mr. Sunil from the Periyar Tiger Reserve, approached me with an exciting project. He wanted to create a documentary to educate Sabarimala pilgrims about the importance of reducing plastic waste and asked if I could help. Without hesitation, I agreed, eager to revisit Sabarimala, which I hadn’t visited since my school days with my father.
We made multiple trips to Sabarimala for the documentary. During our first visit, I interviewed the chief priest and others, capturing their messages for pilgrims. We also filmed animals like lion-tailed macaques and took aerial footage with my drone. To get a wider perspective, we ventured deeper into the forest to a higher vantage point, where we captured stunning views of the temple amidst the vast jungle.
The journey to the top of the hill in a four-by-four vehicle was exhilarating, with breathtaking views of vast grass meadows where elephants and gaurs grazed. After capturing the necessary footage, I worked on editing the documentary, which was later uploaded to the official social media handles of the Periyar Tiger Reserve.
You can watch the documentary here: