This year, I have spent a significant amount of my time staring and observing trees. It is one of those therapies that I cannot quantify.

As an extension to my Instagram series, this post includes more visuals of trees from Kumaon in Uttarakhand. Also known as the fruit belt of India, I’ve been to the region in Spring and Autumn this year. Although the landscape—terraced farms, the lone Kumaoni homes and the shadowed hills—have largely remained unchanged, the trees and the colours do change seasonally.

In Spring, the green leaves flourish, the farms are ploughed and the fruit trees bear blossoms. This visit was solely about identification. I spent time studying and recognizing the flowers of the different trees.

Autumn was about admiration. The colours turned into more earthy browns or sombre yellows. The saturation did not come from the sun. The contrasts outdoor were insipid.

Dried Rhododendrons filled my way. Near Mukteshwar.
Dried Rhododendrons filled my way. Near Mukteshwar.
The light and shade of the robust sal trees. In Ramnagar.
The light and shade of the robust sal trees. In Ramnagar.
(Probably) A plum blossom ushering Spring. In Nathuakhan.
(Probably) A plum blossom ushering Spring. In Nathuakhan.
The imperial grove of deodar. In Jageshwar.
The imperial grove of deodar. In Jageshwar.
Apple blossoms in Spring. In Gangachaur.
Apple blossoms in Spring. In Gangachaur.
The Fall way flanked by pine trees. In Almora.
The Fall way flanked by pine trees. In Almora.
The enigmatic and gorgeous persimmon tree. In Mukteshwar.
The enigmatic and gorgeous persimmon tree. In Mukteshwar.
Full moon rising behind a pear tree. In Bhatelia.
Full moon rising behind a pear tree. In Bhatelia.
Possibly a chir pine tree under Venus, at twilight. In Gangachaur.
Possibly a chir pine tree under Venus, at twilight. In Gangachaur.
The ageless 1200-year old deodar. In Jageshwar.
The ageless 1200-year old deodar. In Jageshwar.

Read: People of Kumaon, Uttarakhand 

Do you also gawk at trees?

See more photos from Uttarakhand on my Facebook page and follow my photo series on Instagram.

Amrita Das

I have been a travel and culture independent journalist. My bylines have appeared in many publications worldwide including National Geographic Traveller India, Lonely Planet Magazine India, The Indian Express and World Travel Magazine. A fellow of Media Ambassadors India-Germany 2019 program by Robert Bosch Stiftung and Centre for Media Competence, University of Tübingen. Currently, I am the photo editor for RoundGlass Sustain, a wildlife and conservation e-publication. I live in India.

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