Humans of Sixt — Arvind, the Nemophilist
“And into the forest, I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” — John Muir
This 150-year-old quote holds relevant even today for millions of people across the world, who frequently trot into the “natural” wild to get away from the “created” wild — our cities — making us wonder, which one is “wilder”! Fortunately for us, Arvind Raj (part of the UX team in India) is one such lover of the woods! Arvind has been visiting different forests in India for more than 10 years now. He has a tremendous collection of photographs and videos from his visits to the forests. Recently, Karnataka Forest Department has approached him to share his collection for their publications. Fascinating! Isn’t it? Let us hear from him about his story amongst the wild!
Following are some excerpts from the interesting conversation we had with him:
Q. When did you start going to the forest?
Arvind: My first forest visit was a simple weekend getaway back in 2009 to Bandipur Forest in Karnataka, a place where a new journey awaited me. It wasn’t a life-changing experience yet, but it was a start.
Q. What made it a regular affair?
Arvind: In 2010, I saw the first tiger in Nagarhole Forest. It was such a thrilling experience that I craved for more of it and then the forests became my second home and since then, I have photographed elusive species like tigers, leopards, dholes hundreds of times now.
Q. How often do you go to the forest?
Arvind: I use my weekends and ensure I make a visit at least twice a month.
Q. First significant experience that you can recall?
Arvind: In one of my early visits, I saw a pack of wild dogs hunt down a deer. I was like — “poor animal got killed.” That experience was quite disturbing. I even asked experts why we let this happen (animals killing animals). They said that they do not intervene in how the jungle operates. Now when I look back at how I reacted, I realize I was an amateur (laughs). But then I started to explore more about different species.
Q. Any close encounter?
Arvind: This was about 6–7 years ago. At that time, in most of the forests, trekking was allowed — meaning government safaris were not the only way to get into a forest. This has changed in the last 4–5 years with more and more forests being restricted. We were three friends, walking past the jungle and suddenly everything went silent, and a tiger appeared less than 50 meters away. I went numb — no thoughts — just froze. I now realise that it was a mistake. We should have gone with people who knew the jungle better.
Q. How do such people help? Or would they know if a tiger is approaching?
Arvind: Three ways:
- They know the paths, so you do not get lost in the jungle, and believe me it is very easy to get lost.
- They understand the different sounds in the jungle. Animals, especially monkeys, make different alarm calls and someone experienced would be able to identify if it is a call of danger.
- Just knowing the right way to react at that very moment can be the difference between life and death. Foresters know mechanisms to deal with such situations and that makes a big difference.
Q. One of your best memories?
Arvind: Last year I spotted a black panther. That was an emotional moment for me. I had waited five years for this. :)
Q. Given what you do involves some risks — how about support from your family?
Arvind: I grew up in a very caring environment at home. Till my 12th standard, I did not go out much — not just the forests. After my first trip to Bandipur, I told my parents that I wanted to do this more often. I showed them some of the pics that I had shot, and they were OK. They felt that they should have encouraged me to do this earlier. So, I was lucky in that sense.
Q. How have these visits helped you in life and specifically in the work you do?
Arvind: Apart from just wild animals and those stunning views, the forest has offered me priceless lessons like patience, acceptance, hope, persistence, positivity, and more. I would gladly say the forests parented my adulthood and made me the person I am today. Forests are great ego crushers. In the forest, you are just another living being. Whoever you are in the human world, an animal can strike you and kill you — as simple as that.
Speaking about work — since forests are colorful especially the birds, many of my color pallets have derived inspiration from there.
One Learning?
Patience! ;) I have waited 5 years and numerous visits to have a glimpse of the black panther. That certainly was a lesson in patience.
Q. Advice for people who are looking to visit the forests?
Arvind: A few!
- Always always always remember that your safety is the most important. If you want to go on a trek, go with someone who knows the forest. In a jungle, unfortunately, your city-skills account for a zero.
- If you are thinking of starting to go to the forests, just pack your bag and go — start sooner than later.
- If the purpose is to see animals, be ready to be disappointed. It can be quite likely that you see nothing on your first trip.
Q. Any bucket list?
Arvind: Some of the forests in North India especially Jim Corbet national park and Masai Mara in Africa to see the cheetah.
Final thoughts!
I will always be in debt to the forests to make me realise what an amazing planet we live in and celebrate life beyond just money, awards and material success!
Trust you enjoyed the rousing story of Arvind. If you want to explore more of his collection, visit his Instagram handle. You can reach out to him in case you want to know more about his journey or have queries for your own travels!
Thanks for reading. Remember to like the story!! :)
Team — Humans of Sixt
