Hidden Wonders of India

Did you know that the Ganga and the Brahmaputra sequester nearly 20 per cent of the global carbon? Or that Bengaluru owes its unique climate to a tectonic event that took place 88 million years ago? For the first time, a book comprehensively collates all scientific streams about the natural history of the Indian subcontinent. Down To Earth speaks to PRANAY LAL, author of Indica, on the jaw-dropping facts about our natural history.

- Pranay Lal

How did the idea come to you? How long did it take to research the book?

I have been fascinated with nature and always wondered why certain things happened the way they did. In particular I wondered how landscapes, landforms, forests, rivers and creatures came to be, and why they existed in one place and not in the other. I began seeking answers from scientists and experts. It has taken me a little more than 22 years to put all the answers to all my questions in one place. Though I cannot for a moment confidently say if I have asked all the right questions or if my answers adequately address those questions.

Is there any other place that can match the diversity of the natural history of the Indian subcontinent?

I believe most ancient landmasses have very interesting places, sites and stories associated with them. I am fascinated by each of them, and all these can shed light on the overall story of the evolution of life. India has a wonderful diversity for most periods of time, and it is important we conserve the landscapes and geological formations that exist in this country.

Did you find any aspects that conflict with "Western science"?

I don’t think there is ever a conflict in “science”, and I believe that there is nothing like “Indian” or “Western” science. All science must constantly be tested through rigorous protocols and be verified and validated. One fascinating discovery which I found interesting was the discovery of grasses in dinosaur coprolite—a polite term for fossilised dinosaur dung—made by scientists of the Birbal Sahni Institute of Paleobotany (bsip) in Lucknow in 2005. Until quite recently, scientists believed that dinosaurs survived by feeding on the needles of conifers, on ferns and mosses, and that grasses were completely absent from their diet.