They say that to be from Tajikistan is to know Tajikistan. But while I thought I knew my country well, it was not until I trekked into the two regions of the Pamir and Zarafshan Mountains that I discovered more sides to it. To venture into these places was to be a witness to two very different agricultural landscapes, one coloured by a constantly shifting history and harsh conditions, unknown to most Tajiks; and the other, the Pamir, a place of gentle traditions, music, and cooperative spiritedness. I am drawn to these remote locations through my love of travel, exploring vast distances on foot, and then in being able to share those experiences with others through my photographs to reveal the rural life and nature of Tajikistan.

Alovaddin Kalonov is a Guest Photographer for Panorama. This is his first published work in a literary journal. Follow him on Twitter.