India, one of the most populated countries in the world, has an endless diversity, starting from geographical features to languages, religions, art and crafts, customs and traditions, flora and fauna, demographic structure, and so on. Indian culture, which is a fusion of several cultures from all the Indian subcontinents, has been influenced and shaped by a history that is several thousand years old. The diversity of India is unique, giving us reasons to think of India as a ‘mini world’. In order to understand a culture, one has to experience it. This project was undertaken to experience a particular culture, understand it, and then express it visually.

Dronagiri village in Chamoli district of Uttarakhand was chosen as a place with untouched culture to experience and understand a lifestyle that is not known to the outside world. In this village situated at 11,800 ft. altitude, a mountain worshipped by locals is believed to be the one that Hanuman disfigured during his search for the life-saving herb Sanjivani.

This report describes the experience of getting exposed to a new cultural environment, the culture shock one may face because of the unfamiliar way of life, and how we adapt to it. And the process through which the culture is experienced is translated into a visual form.