A Chennai-based medical practitioner’s coffee table book captures the Himalayas across the seasons and terrains over two decades

‘Himalayan Moments’ is a coffee table book of photos from the mountains

“The majestic mountains, the Himalayan terrain, humbled me, smashed my ego and there were many profound life lessons. Numerous expeditions made me understand who I am,” says Dr Srinivasan Periyathiruvadi, Chennai-based medical practitioner, founder of Lister Metropolis and co-founder of Jeevan Blood Bank.

Though he dabbled with film cameras during his school days in Thoothukudi, it developed into a passion during his 20s when he was in Chennai (Madras, then) as a medical student. His fervour for the Himalayan mountains combined with his love for photographs, led to the creation of Himalayan Moments, a coffee table book.

In 2005, Dr Srinivasan, purchased his first DSLR camera. The next year, he joined a friend who was trekking from Gangotri to the Gomukh Glacier. In 2009, he trekked to the 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.

“Thus far, I have undertaken over 15 such expeditions, and have over 10,000 photographs (shot between 2013 and 2023). From these collections of mine, I have curated 40 images and designed this coffee table book,” he says.

Dr Srinivasan, did not only explore the length and breadth of the Himalayas, but has also had enriching experiences meeting shepherds and other trekkers. “Once I saw a shepherd walking at a distance with his herd. The lighting was perfect and I captured that moment. The shepherd who saw me from a distance walked towards me and invited me home, which he referred to as “mera rajya” (meaning my kingdom in Hindi). His wife served me roti and cheese. When I left his home, he handed me a huge chunk of cheese. Besides this, I have encountered some near death experiences during snow storms and landslides. With all these experiences in the mountains, I think I have become a better human being,” he says.

Dr Srinivasan’s first solo photography exhibition was at Lalit Kala Akademi in Chennai in 2012. Four years later, he hosted another. It was during the pandemic, that he decided to work on his coffee table book. “When I mentor other budding photographers, I tell them to put down their camera and enjoy Nature with their own eyes. I always look at Nature through my telephoto lens. Once my camera malfunctioned in the deep jungle and that was when I spotted a cheetah attacking a gazelle. What I saw [instead of through the camera] was mystic, mesmerising,” says Dr Srinivasan.

Himalayan Moments is priced at ₹2,950. Select photographs of Dr Srinivasan are also available for sale at his website: www.natureimages.in.