Shasikala Rai

Project title: Between the mountain and home. 

I approached this documentary as a storyteller driven by human connection. Originally planning to document Himalayan transport logistics, my story evolved in the mountain village of Surke when I met Deekraj Rai (23), a jhopkey owner and seasonal worker.

This documentary follows Deekraj’s journey from the lower trails toward Everest Base Camp, offering an intimate look at the reality of mountain life, survival, and the evolving relationship between tradition and modernization. By focusing on one man’s resilience rather than just the mechanics of transport, I aimed to create a deeply human portrait of a way of life that sustains the world’s highest peaks.