Photo-essay: Shadows on the Grass

Photo-essay: Shadows on the Grass

There is one group of plants, which supports the largest masses of wildlife in the world and also supports most of our human populations: grasses. This remarkable plant group covers a fourth of all the land on the earth. Almost 70% of our daily diet is derived from grasses. Rice, wheat, maize, barley, are all species of grass which have been cultivated since the advent of agriculture and selectively bred over the last 10000 years by humans.

Today, grasslands are under assault. They are among the most endangered natural habitats on earth and India is just about holding on to the last remnants.

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8 Comments

  1. GT · May 3, 2012 Reply

    As usual…excellent photo essay kalyan…. extremely well photographed and documented…

  2. Vinit Bajpai · May 3, 2012 Reply

    Fantastic and Inspirational Photo Essay. Lets hope it strikes the right chord with people who decide that whether a Grass Land should remains in its pristine form or is ‘developed’ into a monoculture plantation site. Keep up the good work. Stay in Touch.

  3. Sharath · May 4, 2012 Reply

    Superb.. a very informative essay… with a collection of great photos..

  4. Siva · May 4, 2012 Reply

    Fantastic, Excellent capture (as always) very thought provoking. All the best Kalyan!! Hoping for the best to happen….

  5. Pavittra · October 3, 2012 Reply

    I cannot help revisiting the picture of the blackbuck.. the moment has been captured so perfectly.. have no words to describe how perfect.. could imagine myself being there and being awestruck by its sheer magnificence.. ur a Master craftsman Kalyan 🙂

  6. Drum Plastik · January 18, 2018 Reply

    ty for share itttttt. next

  7. Dnyanada Wazalwar · September 13, 2025 Reply

    I read about you in Rashmi Bansal’s book ‘Connect The Dots’ and came here. I was spellbound! such mesmerising photos, you actually feel as if you’re there in that very moment! I am a 14-yr old girl from nagpur and want to be an author when I grow up, but constantly get quite some comments saying it’s better to get a stable job or become a doctor etc etc. But after I read about you, I realized I CAN become whatever I wish to be. Thank you!

  8. Sherritha · November 24, 2025 Reply

    That’s a sobering thought about grasslands being so endangered. It makes you appreciate the simple things, like a sunny afternoon spent outdoors. It’s almost escapist, but sometimes I just want to lose myself in something carefree, like playing Snow Rider 3D – a totally different kind of environment, granted, but still a way to connect with a natural-feeling landscape, even if it’s virtual! Maybe appreciating digital environments can inspire us to protect the real ones.

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