Rejoice in the diversity of this planet in all its variety

Rejoice in the diversity of this planet in all its variety

This photo is of a Nepalese woman and her child. I came across them early one morning whilst I was walking a dusty path through the pine covered hills of Narkanda in the Indian state of Himarchal Pradesh. We were all surprised to see each other; it was early, it was off the main route, it was nearly winter, it was quiet, still, it was just plain unusual to see anyone, but there we were, strangers, meeting on a dusty path high in the hills. I was taken back to her home: a simple collection of sticks, stones, mud and tin, where inside, her husband tended the fire. I drank chai with them. The early morning sun shone through the trees; an orange light filling the hut with a warming glow. It was the best chai ever and it sustained me for months. Outside the day grew lighter, butterflies wandered through the trees catching the sunlight, birds scooted from limb to limb chasing insects, an assemblage of wildflowers bloomed in the shade. I followed the dusty path, winding down through the forest, past open field and apple orchard tended by man bearing compost; sheep grazing beneath trees loaded with red delicious bounty. I followed the dusty path winding down the hillside moving amongst a procession of bell tolling sheep and a family of shepards, past handbuilt houses of stone and mud, past cows, goats and children playing, past streams with verdant growth and sparkling water. Fodder was being rolled by hand and foot and being stored away inside. Potatoes were dug and brought to the house. Corn had been dried and the husks removed. Beans and peels from fruits and vegetables lay on terraces drying. Chickens scattered.

I followed the dusty path back up through the forest past the Nepalese families abode, now empty, on the edge of the forest. I continued on my way to the high altitude montane plateau of the Indian ChangThang and on to Tso Moriri Lake passing field and river, pass and mountain, yaks, herdsmen and small isolated hamlets and saw endangered Kiang, wild ass running free.

Rejoice in the diversity of this planet in all its variety