Wild Ruins

While exploring the Western Ghats of India during the monsoons, I was keen to find interesting perspectives and compositions that would inspire me to capture in a moment of time - this beautiful forest and it's denizens. Visiting Kavaledurga, a 9th century relic, gave me the best of both worlds - the ability to combine my love of landscape and wildlife.

Through incessant rain and a reasonably hard trek I stumbled upon this pretty pond. During my entire trek up there was constant cacophony of croaks which settled into a comfortable harmony. The sound in the backdrop of these ruins created a suspended moment where the past and the present seamlessly entwined. What I came across next were a few foam nests of Malabar Gliding Frog near the pond walls. What I most vividly recall is the "tuck-tuck-tuck" sound melding with my own thudding heart beat as I waited in anticipation. What I saw did not disappoint. There in the groove was this bright colored frog.I decided to wait with the hope of capturing the frog near the pond on these ancient ruin walls surrounded by this enormous forest cover in the backdrop, the chance of capturing the Malabar Gliding Frog in its true element.

The Malabar gliding frog is endemic to Western Ghats.This large green frog is characterised by large red coloured webbing between yellow-coloured fingers and toes. They are often encountered on vegetation around shallow ponds or in water fountains in houses. They can be seen gliding from the tops of trees from early evening into the night. With long slender limbs, they are excellent climbers.