Time behaves differently in the wild.

At Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, moments stretch and compress in ways that resist haste. Birds wait. Water settles. Life reveals itself when it is ready. This photograph by Baiju Patil holds that rhythm with rare clarity.

In the frame, a snakebird rises from the water, fish secured in its beak. Nearby, a grey heron stands still, eyes fixed, body alert. The exchange lasts seconds. The preparation behind it spans years. Light, position, behaviour, instinct. Everything aligns briefly,........

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