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What if you woke up one day at night and witnessed the Milky Way from your backyard in all its glory? Something similar happened to photographer Brijesh Naik, from Kepu, Mangalore, who took to Instagram to share the story.
Thousands of travellers from around the globe travel to areas with no light pollution, chasing dark skies, to witness the Milky Way. Moreover, in India, places like the Rann of Kutch, Nag Tibba, Pin Valley, Ladakh, and many other destinations are known for being the best places to marvel at the Milky Way. However, Brijesh managed to witness it at his village.
Witnessing the Milky Way at a village in India
In a post shared on August 2, captioned, “Saw Milky Way for the first time,” Brijesh revealed that his village had no electricity for two days because of heavy rain and strong winds. Bored at home, he stepped outside for some air, and it was then, he witnessed something beautiful.
“I looked up…I saw something unusual. It looked like a cloud. Since it’s the rainy season, I didn’t think much of it. But then I noticed…the stars were shining through it. I grabbed my camera and took long exposure photos. Then I realised it wasn’t clouds. It was…the Milky Way. No power that night…but the universe lit up,” he wrote in the video. The photographer also shared pictures of the galaxy that he captured that day.
How did the internet react
The internet loved Brijesh’s video and showered him with compliments. Some also criticised how light pollution has ruined witnessing night skies for people.
An Instagram user wrote, “Light pollution is the greatest enemy for astro photography. Your captures are really awesome. I wish I could take photos like this, too.”
A user commented, “I still remember those nights from my childhood, like around 2012, lying on the rooftop, staring at the stars. The Milky Way was clearly visible back then, and I used to wonder… what’s really out there.”
Another wrote, “I liked the reel even before the photos arrived, because I knew it had to be good…stunning capture.”
Best places to stargaze in India
1. Hanle, Ladhak (It is the home to the Indian Astronomical Observatory and also the only dark sky reserve in the country)
2. Pangong Lake, Ladakh
3. Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh
4. Mubra Valley, Ladakh,
5. Rann of Kutch, Gujarat
6. Coorg, Karnataka
7. Jaisalmer, Rajasthan
8. Nag Tibba, Uttarakhand
