There was a time when their roars echoed across vast stretches of Eastern Europe, Central and Southern Asia even parts of the Balkan Peninsula. The Asiatic lion once ruled a territory much more diverse and expanded than their African counterparts. It is hard to imagine in the present context these animals during the early 19th century had a wide habitat range in India, ranging from Punjab in the north to the outer reaches of Bengal in the east and as far as the Narmada river valley in the south. Yet another magnificent animal had succumbed to the worst form of plague this planet has ever witnessed-the greed and cruelty of humans. An animal which once ranged across continents, several countries and numbered in few hundred thousand was reduced to a shocking mere fifteen individuals in one narrow stretch of forest in the eastern Indian state of Gujarat by 1913.
The misty mountains of the Western Ghats hide in their lairs countless secrets, still waiting to be unearthed. These mountains are home to hundreds of endemic species, each of them incredibly beautiful and awe inspiring with their ways. There is something so enigmatic, so magnetic about these mountains they have drawn naturalists, animal enthusiasts, explorers to their folds since time immemorial. Yet we know precious little about this diverse and intricate eco-system. All the elements of nature, all the creatures of nature have successfully conspired to web this almost surreal environment which carefully, almost with motherly affection has preserved this delicate eco-system in its laps. The thrill of uncovering a new surprise every step of the way, the chill in the moisture laden air, the joy of observing some of the most remarkable species of nature in their utmost glory and above everything else the temptation of exploring more of this vast and unique wilderness cast a hypnotic spell on nature lovers and almost draw them into this wild realm.
The city of Kolkata is an incredible mosaic of the new and the old. Keeping up with the spell of rapid modernisation taking place all over the country large neighbourhoods of the city decided to jump on to the bandwagon and metamorphosed into something which fits the description of a 21st century modern Indian city. This change is noticeable in the changing faces of the city’s architecture, with modern high-rises beginning to dominate the city’s skyline, luxurious shopping malls opening their doors to their customers bringing to them the top brands and amenities, eateries and restaurants opting for the much needed facelift in order to keep up with the changing exterior all around them, in other words the city has steadily dawned a glittery mantle well suited for the modern times.
Coastal Kutch in Gujarat is a quite secluded gem of the natural world. Vast stretches of picturesque beaches along the calm blue waters of the Arabian Sea dominate the landscape of this region. These quant beaches nestled along one arm of the Gulf of Kutch are home to a large and diverse population of wader birds and other marine and aquatic species of animals.
Here is a selection of the best entries made by our members to our facebook group Indian Photo ARTS over the past 2 months. Join our facebook group Indian Photo ARTS and stay tuned for more such updates in the future and give yourself a chance to get your work featured with us. Instagram users can follow us at @ipamagazine and tag your entries with #IPA or #ipamagazine to get featured with us.
