Dear World,

I am fortunate to own a place in the middle of the Nepalese wilderness.

︎


Sarang Wildlife Sanctuary is a wildlife resort which lies on the western side of Chitwan National Park.

Our country has been shut down for month, and here I am in the Sanctuary. To find refuge in this place is a blessing, especially because life often gets too busy. People come here to unwind, to disconnect from the everyday busy life.

During this lockdown, I am here with my friend Samir and we spend everyday close to the wild. We walk around the Sanctuary and do bird watching in the morning and in the evening. Life is simple and manageable.

Confinement has made me feel a lot closer to the nature and to Mother Earth; I think she has a lot of solutions for us, if we’re willing to listen.

In this moment of solitude, I find my Sanctuary.

Sincerely,

Solitude Is My Sanctuary

P.S.

I was traveling for an assignment in a city called Pokhara, when we heard the news about lockdown. They had announced lockdown for a week so I thought it is better to stay in Chitwan rather than going to Kathmandu and being stuck at home. In Chitwan, I have a dear friend, Subodh Pradha, who is like a brother to me and owns a resort called Sarang Wildlife Sanctuary in Chitwan National Park. So we decided to go there instead.

Subodh is the owner of the Sanctuary. He has two elephants, Sarang Kali and Shyam Kali, both female. I decided to make an elephant and Subodh my subject because when we say an elephant, it boasts this immense beauty, literally. During our jungle walk, we always stop by to feed these elephants and they are well-trained. They can eat all day and are happy to be around people. Subodh has had these elephants for a couple of years now and he takes really good care of them. The Mahouts tend to them all day and take them to the nearby jungle for feeding and bathing. I wanted to do a promo video for Subodh about his elephants which will be a promotional ad for the property. So, I thought why not make them a part of Dear World photo project as well. I pitched the idea to Subodh and he was more than interested to be part of this project.