This new film puts the spotlight on the elusive snow leopards of Spiti

A helpless Karma during his last days. Pics Courtesy/Bedi Films

One cat, said Ernest Hemingway, only leads to another. The big man might have an inkling of what Messrs Naresh and Rajesh Bedi felt when they spotted a rare elusive snow leopard. It inspired their latest documentary, Spirit of the Mountains that unravels the story of the species in Himachal Pradesh.

"By nature, they are elusive and shy," Naresh Bedi tells us. The 75-year old Padma Shri-awardee spent five years shooting the film, alongside his brother, Rajesh Bedi. "To spot them is one thing, but to document their movement on camera is another matter entirely," he tells us.

The first sight

The brothers first spotted the snow leopard in Ladakh in 1993. The grace and beauty of the cat inspired them to make a film, but funds and commitments led to delays. In 2015, they moved to Spiti in Himachal Pradesh which had reported sightings. They set up camp in the village of Chicham, adjacent to a gorge that was part of the herd's corridor.

Pema with her cub moving away to safety at the slightest disturbance

Recalling the first spotting, Bedi says, "We were coming out of the valley, and a shepherd shouted ‘leopard'. We didn't really believe him, butthen, I saw it emerge." While the shout scared it away, Bedi decided to set camp and wait for its return. "My hands and feet were frozen, but I waited with one hand on the tripod trigger. I was tired, but shaking with excitement. Those are the moments you take a chance on."

Logistical challenges

The filmmaking process involved more than just steeling against the weather. "We were funding ourselves. There was research as well," Bedi points out, adding, "You spend years to study and understand their behaviour. To capture a film that showcases their behaviour, without having to explain, is quite challenging."

(From Left) Naresh and Rajesh Bedi

There are many logistical issues. "The only means of transport were yaks," he says. Then, come recruiting scouts, setting up camera traps and waiting for days on end. Occasionally, the filmmakers found that their subject had moved on before they arrived. "That is the risk of wildlife filmmaking," he says, "Your subjects have a mind of their own." So what keeps them going, we ask? "A passion to document something no one else has," is his simple reply.

Rare footage

One thirty hours of footage is quite precious. Even more precious, Bedi claims, is the first documentation of a snow leopard den. "It was pure chance that one of our trackers found it," the filmmaker admits, "It gives proof of their growth."

The passing of the generational torch forms the crux of the film, Spirit of the Mountain. Bedi shares, "We have kept it as real as possible, without dramatising the story. The key moment was the footage of the death of the dominant male, Karma. When we saw the sequence of his last moment, the story clicked into place."

What the future holds

While the Spirit of the mountain is a one-hour feature, another part of the journey is titled Chasing Shadows. "I don't think there has been any other film of such depth to understand one animal," he remarks. The former had its premiere in Delhi, on April 7, and has already been picked up by National Geographic Channel-India as part of their showcase, Bedi reveals.

Yet, there is concern for the cats. Bedi has seen eco-tourism grow in the region. "There are special snow leopard winter packages that bring droves of tourists," he says. While profitable, the desire to spot a snow leopard might adversely affect the species. "I am a little concerned about it because it has to be controlled, and it might encourage baiting for pictures," he says. For now though, their spirits roam the mountains in peace.

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