The tiny state of Sikkim is known for its orchids. Gangtok boasts of an excellent Orchid Sanctuary, while many hotels and resorts in the state have their own orchid collections. My visit to Gangtok did not coincide with the time of the year when Orchids bloom. Yet, I got to see many flowers as I walked along the lush slopes of the town. A few pictures here. I would be grateful for any help in identifying them.
Prints of all the images available. Request for prints. Some images can be seen at a higher resolution on paintedstork facebook page.
I was browsing through the archives of my images when I saw some old pictures taken at the ski slopes of Garhwal many years ago. Looking through the pictures of the vast, bright expanse of snow that had once hurt my eyes, I felt a wish to highlight the purity and brightness of these slopes. Here is a second look on the images from the ski slopes of Auli.
A snow beater preparing the slopes for the day’s skiing
A lone skier looks at the slopes and the ski lifts far away
Men of Indo Tibetan Border Police at a skiing session on the slopes
Skiers slowly making their way up the slopes
A skier pulls herself up the slopes using the ski lift
A man walks down the slopes carrying his skis on the shoulder after the end of a skiing session.
Stairs leading to a small temple at the base of the slopes, buried in snow.
Images of wild dogs from Kanha National Park.
yawn.. this guy was looking forward to settle down and sleep for a while.
Can you spot the third dog in the picture?
Prints of all the images available. Request for prints.