WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:12.110 [Traffic noises and car horns] 00:00:35.289 --> 00:00:40.307 This is the town of Jorhat in the remote North East of India. 00:00:41.887 --> 00:00:47.623 I suppose Jorhat is not really that different from any other city in India. 00:00:47.960 --> 00:00:50.947 People here work very hard. 00:00:50.947 --> 00:00:56.424 They keep their heads down and push ahead. They don't look back. 00:00:57.191 --> 00:01:03.053 Life here is difficult for some and even more difficult for others. 00:01:03.053 --> 00:01:09.812 My name is Jitu Kalita and Jorhat is where I was born and where I live. 00:01:09.812 --> 00:01:14.523 My house is located just outside of Jorhat. 00:01:16.807 --> 00:01:19.454 This is my nephew. 00:01:21.743 --> 00:01:25.544 He is suspicious of cameras. 00:01:27.254 --> 00:01:31.924 In Jorhat I do many different things but mostly I am a photographer. 00:01:31.924 --> 00:01:34.790 I love photographing nature. 00:01:34.790 --> 00:01:41.341 I take shots of the beautiful birds and wildlife that live in our part of India. 00:01:41.641 --> 00:01:49.350 In my house I keep some of my photography awards but I don't like to show them off. 00:01:50.499 --> 00:01:58.129 A few kilometres North of Jorhat lies one of the largest rivers in India, the Brahmaputra. 00:02:00.060 --> 00:02:03.717 Millions of people live along its shores. 00:02:03.717 --> 00:02:08.249 Every year during the monsoon the river floods everything in sight. 00:02:08.249 --> 00:02:15.183 Destroying homes and farms and eroding away hundreds of square kilometres of land. 00:02:18.165 --> 00:02:22.525 One of the worst affected areas is Majuli island. 00:02:22.525 --> 00:02:26.180 Majuli is the worlds largest river island. 00:02:26.180 --> 00:02:30.501 And it is home to over 150,000 people. 00:02:30.501 --> 00:02:38.263 Since 1917, Majuli has lost over half its land mass to erosion. 00:02:38.281 --> 00:02:42.489 And the rate of erosion has recently accelerated. 00:02:43.645 --> 00:02:50.004 Well the erosion of Majuli. There are several causes. The first is that: 00:03:26.252 --> 00:03:31.970 This islander lost his home and his temple. He points to where it once stood. 00:03:52.441 --> 00:03:58.061 This temple may be next. It's located only 2km from the river bank erosion. 00:03:58.061 --> 00:04:01.758 The temple is nearly 250 years old. 00:04:01.758 --> 00:04:08.222 Unless something is done in as little as 5 years this temple could be washed away. 00:04:18.797 --> 00:05:04.871 [he sings a prayer] 00:05:09.616 --> 00:05:13.481 The Brahmaputra is where I take most of my photos. 00:05:13.481 --> 00:05:21.535 One day in 2009, I was exploring a barren part by boat when I something strange. 00:05:21.535 --> 00:05:25.214 It looked like a forest far in the distance. 00:05:25.214 --> 00:05:30.410 I began walking towards it and when I reached it I couldn't believe my eyes. 00:05:30.410 --> 00:05:35.549 I had found a dense forest in the middle of a barren wasteland. 00:05:41.137 --> 00:05:47.554 When I left the forest I saw a man far in the distance so I began following him. 00:05:47.554 --> 00:05:54.269 I found him by the riverside. At first he thought I was a poacher and tried to attack me. 00:05:54.269 --> 00:05:57.765 But he stopped when I told him I was just a photographer. 00:05:57.765 --> 00:06:00.358 I asked him what he was doing in the forest. 00:06:00.358 --> 00:06:05.756 He explained he was planting trees and he had been since the 1970's. 00:06:05.756 --> 00:06:10.333 He told me his name was Jadav Payeng. 00:06:28.388 --> 00:06:35.138 When I discovered Jadav Payeng and his forest I wrote an article about it in the local newspaper. 00:06:35.138 --> 00:06:40.283 Soon after he became known throughout India. We are now very good friends. 00:07:13.317 --> 00:07:16.364 This is Majuli island. 00:07:16.364 --> 00:07:21.188 Since I was a child Majuli has been a place of wonder for me. 00:07:21.188 --> 00:07:24.388 Once, I ran away from home and came here. 00:07:24.388 --> 00:07:29.169 I spent days exploring and drawing pictures of the plants and animals. 00:07:29.169 --> 00:07:31.970 To me Majuli is heaven. 00:07:33.174 --> 00:07:40.944 Scientists recently announced that in 15-20 years Majuli island could be completely gone. 00:08:05.871 --> 00:08:10.272 This is the forest mans home on Majuli island. 00:08:24.461 --> 00:08:32.192 Every morning the forest mans family helps him prepare for his journey to the forest. 00:09:07.189 --> 00:09:14.822 [motor boat engine starts] 00:11:29.619 --> 00:11:46.599 [mobile phone ringtone plays] 00:11:46.599 --> 00:11:48.561 Hello? 00:13:22.579 --> 00:13:26.841 The forest man is being honoured in a nearby city. 00:13:27.769 --> 00:13:32.367 Payeng has won dozens of awards for his incredible achievements. 00:13:32.367 --> 00:13:36.800 But I think he feels frustrated by getting awards. 00:13:40.236 --> 00:13:45.768 Local government has tried to get Majuli listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site 00:13:45.768 --> 00:13:49.566 but their application has been rejected each time. 00:13:50.510 --> 00:13:54.424 Payeng has many brilliant ideas about how to save Majuli. 00:13:54.424 --> 00:14:00.942 He tells everyone his ideas but so far no one has adopted them. 00:15:22.900 --> 00:15:30.455 Sometimes I wonder what 10, 100 or a thousand Payengs could do. 00:15:30.455 --> 00:15:36.142 He once told me I worry about the fate of the world just like everyone. 00:15:36.142 --> 00:15:41.055 I see bad things happening on my island and I do what I can to help. 00:15:41.055 --> 00:15:44.711 I'm just a simple man. There are many just like me. 00:15:44.711 --> 00:15:50.273 When I asked him if he thought Majuli could be saved he replied - Yes.