habitat, altitude of occurrence, nature of
growth etc., to locate each species. The irony
of orchid research in India is that, there is
plenty of information on known and common
species. But, there is very little information or
altogether no information available on rare
species, not to mention the photographic
evidence.
When I started working on orchids in the
region, my priority was to locate rare and
undocumented species. Interestingly, the list
to document was longer than the list already
documented. I have to mention the grueling
research and pursuit I undertook, to locate
each of these species in its natural habitats.
Yes, looking back to the resources available
on orchids when I started working in the
Himalaya back in 2011 and the contributions
I made to update them, makes me a happy
man. But, I am sure there are many more
species to be documented from the vast
expanse of the Himalaya.
Diplomeris hirsuta (Lindl.) Lindl. - A species with
incomparable beauty and rarity. Many believed that the
species is on the verge of extinction from the region of Sikkim-
Himalaya because of habitat loss. However, I was able to
locate 4 untouched habitats deep inside the virgin forests of
the region, where the species is thriving in its full glory.
Nikon D4S 105mm F/32 1/60s ISO100
the district of Darjeeling in the state of West
Bengal for 4 years, traveling more than 45000
km on foot and documenting 562 species
from the region. Currently, as an extension
of my work on orchids, I am working in
Arunachal Pradesh. Altogether the number
of species I located and documented is
nearing 1000. Probably no one on the Indian
sub-continent, let alone anyone on Earth, has
seen such a magnitude of orchid species in
the wild. Hence, many address me as Orchid
Hunter of India.
However, I love to be addressed as Puspa
Mrga, which my GuruMaharajShri has
bestowed upon me, literally meaning “the
flower hunter”.
How was it- discovering the ghost orchid
that was considered to be extinct?
The Ghost orchid, Epipogium aphylum Sw.,
found mention in the iconic books of Sir
J.D. Hooker’s Flora of British India (Volume
V I. 1894) and then in King and Pantling’s
The Orchids of the Sikkim-Himalaya. After
that, even though it was mentioned in many
books and publications, there was not a single
photographic evidence of the plant made
available. This prompted the thought that
the plant has remained elusive all these years
and its description by other researchers are
a mere copy and paste from the two books
mentioned herein.
The rediscovery of the ghost orchid was
made possible only after a massive research
spanning more than 2 years spread across
two continents and 7 countries. Even after all
the grueling research and field-work, I never
expected to locate it in the region of Sikkim-
Himalaya. However, the find proved that
“impossible is nothing”, even if it is in the case
of the rarest of the rare plant ever recorded
on the planet.
Was there any place that you especially
liked, where you lost yourself in the joy of
being there?
Yes, there are many places in the Himalaya
which I liked the most. However, two of them
stand above all those beautiful places. They
are Muguthang in North Sikkim and Ziro in
Arunachal Pradesh.
Muguthang is a high altitude and one of the
remotest places in the Himalaya, very close
to the International border, accessible only
on foot traversing a snow covered 18000 ft
high pass. However, the place is a paradise
on Earth for adventure botanists. No other
humans other than occasionally visiting
nomads and security persons who guard
the borders live there. I am blessed with the
opportunity of a lifetime by living there for
two continuous flowering seasons spanning
almost five months each, documenting
almost all its floral population.
Ziro is a place with an altitude range of 5400
to 7800 ft., famous for its cultural and ethical
background and unending rice fields. In a span
of 2 years, I have located and documented 184
species of orchids from there. No other region
has such a concentration of orchids anywhere
in India, thus proving that this small land
mass is the capital of orchids in India.
How do you feel about the fact that most of
the plant species documented in your book
have never been photographed before?
Locating each species, whether it is rare or
common is a result of studying the species
in detail. One should have knowledge of its
What equipments do you use for
documenting the rare plants in the
Himalayas?
Equipments play a pivotal role in
documentation. I am a Nikon user and an
NPS member since 2013. Currently I am
using Nikon D4s and D5, along with a range
of Nikkor lenses - 10.5/2.8, 14-24/2.8, 60/2.8,
105/2.8, 70-200/2.8, 200/2, 400/2.8. Also, for
the stunning flower close ups, I use R1C1 kit
along with 7 to 12 SB-200 flashes.
You gave up priesthood for your PhD in
Liverpool. How hard or easy was it for you
to make that decision?
The most difficult decision I have had ever
taken or rather would ever take. It was
an emotional decision between my sewa
(service) at the Lotus feet of the Lord and my
eagerness to study further. It was a decision in
which I left all those loved ones who cared me
since I was a small child. However, looking
back I have no regrets, rather I am happy
that I contributed so much to the scientific
world. I am sure the future generations will
be benefitted greatly with my decision. I have
to say the Lord has blessed and guided me
immensely on this new journey.
He is the author of two books, Terrestrial
Orchids (2016), a collection of 108 rare to
extremely rare ground orchids from the
region of eastern Himalaya and Hidden
Treasures: Rare Plants of the Alpine Himalaya
(2017), depicts 100 extremely rare species
which can be found above 15000 ft in the
Himalaya. He can be contacted at naresh@
naresh.org.in.
Prateek Kashyap
[email protected]
An adventure seeker by heart,
his passion for photography was
ignited in the Great Himalayas.
Clicking clear frames and
solving the mysteries of life, he
just wants to spend his time as a
confused photographer.