Sunlight and Shadows: An Indian Wildlife Photographer’s Diary

This new edition of Sunlight & Shadows brings together a fascinating collection of black-and-white photographs taken by one of India’s leading wildlife photographers, M.Y. Ghorpade. Vintage vignettes, of an elephant with a mischievous glint in his eyes, a brave boar beset by wild dogs, a tigress with her kill, give us a rare glimpse into the captivating world of India’s jungles and their inhabitants. Interspersed with the pictures are anecdotes culled from Ghorpade’s diaries. The vivid accounts of his idyllic childhood at Sandur spent amidst nature, of evening drives on hilltops abounding with chowsinghas, wild boars and panthers, and of his forays into the sanctuaries of Bandipur, Nagarahole, Kanha, Gir, Kaziranga, Sawai Madhopur, Bandhavgarh and Bharatpur make for a great read, even as they deftly supplement the photographs. Stark in their simplicity, the stunning photographs testify to the variety, richness and beauty of India’s fauna and make an impassioned plea for its conservation.