Monsoon Trails and Quiet Tales

Everyone has their own little bucket list — dreams, wishes, and all those “I’ll do this before I start working” kind of plans. I remember having endless conversations with my friends about this when we realised that our college life was almost over. While some wanted to stay at home with their loved ones, some wanted to travel solo. As for me, I was searching for that 'thehrao' - a moment of calmness in my life where I could understand myself and spend more time with myself.

Right after graduation, things were... UNCERTAIN. There were days filled with hope and days clouded by rejection — a true emotional rollercoaster. But just when I had given up hope of doing the kind of work I love to do- I got a call from one of the studios of my dreams. I knew I had to accept it. But me being me, I did not want to join immediately. I realised that I was so bogged down with job applications, stress and anxiety that I hardly got to spend time with myself.

So I decided to join in August, which gave me two months to do anything I

wanted to do.

The moment I signed my appointment letter, the first person I called was Vipul Sir.

I told him I wanted to explore beyond just portrait photography — to try something new, something wild . He suggested Amboli, and I was all in. Amboli, a quiet little gem tucked away in the Western Ghats, happened to be just a couple of hours from Goa — a place that held its own little chapter in my life, where I had worked for four months the previous year. So I planned to make a short one day stop in Goa to visit my ex-bosses from Moshimbo, then head to Amboli, and finally stop by Hyderabad to see my brother before returning home.

The trip kicked off with a bang! I was staying in Altinho — the charming Portuguese colony in Goa — but what made it truly special was finally meeting Catherene Christian, someone I had only heard about until then. It seemed like we had known each other for ages and had a lot to catch up on. We ate great food and chatted for hours until we were kicked out of the cafe :) No offense, it was way past their closing time. That evening set the mood for the rest of the trip. Meeting her was definitely one of the highlights.

My gorgeous homestay in Atinho, Panjim (Relax Inn Homestay)

Evening well spent with Ms. Catherene Christian

The next morning I headed to Amboli to join Vipul Sir and Mr. Omkar Dharwadkar for an exciting and adrenaline filled 3 days of herping. We stayed at this amazing homestay in Amboli called Mrugaya Nature Retreat Resort. I have to say my roommate- Dr. Pranjal Radke Bari and I had one of the most artistic and beautifully crafted cottages I have stayed in across many of my travels. You can tell that the place was made with a lot of love. It was like living in paradise.

I used to wake up to the beautiful sounds of birds chirping and frogs calling. If you are a photographer, nature enthusiast or just need a break from the hustle bustle of city life, this place should definitely be on the top your list.

After a lot of chit chat, our first herping session began on the 17th of July, 2025. Photographing in Amboli was definitely a greater challenge than in Munnar (which I did last year with Vipul Sir and Wild Ark in 2024) due to the weather mainly. But after I learnt how to deal with this challenge, the mist and harsh Amboli rains let us make some really dramatic images.

Vine Snake (Coloured)

Vine Snake (Black & White)

Malabar Pit Viper in cooler lighting

Malabar Pit Viper in warmer lighting

Malabar Pit Viper (When the flash suddenly turner on)

Practicing creative photography with a snail

The trip in Munnar was firstly about getting the fear of herps out of my head (and photograph ofcourse). But this trip was an upgrade from that. I wanted to experiment with creative photography. My father used to say 'learn to turn your weakness and fear into your strength'. Vipul sir said something similar in our first LRK trip- 'there is a slight difference between fear and the fear of not knowing'. I am happy to say today that this man is an absolute magician. He can make anyone fall in love with herps.

The very rare 'Olive Forest Snake'

Malabar Pit Viper (in-situ image)

Malabar Gliding Frog Silhouette

Malabar Gliding Froglet

Vine Snake

I still won’t be handling snakes anytime soon, but the fact that I came back for another herping trip says a lot. And honestly? I already can’t wait for the next one. To add some masala, during our first session, my camera conked off. It refused to work even on the second day. Ofcourse I was upset. But bad things happen and you have to accept it. So I decided to just enjoy the walk, and it was an exhilarating experience just to observe these beautiful creatures, even if I was not shooting. I decided to take some images on my phone and sketch it out to understand more about these animals. Luckily, the next morning my camera magically started working.

White Banded/Boulenger's Ground Gecko

After three amazing days, I went off to Hyderabad to visit my brother and met my

grand-aunt for the very first time- Ms Rohini Mukherjee.

With my grand-aunt and brother

This trip has taught me so much, not just about photography, but about myself. I have made some great friends and some amazing memories. Now I am all set and ready to start my job in the next few days. Cheers to the next few exciting chapters of my life.