Ancient sea turtles nesting on remote uninhabited beaches, translucent jellyfish floating in warm, fecund tropical waters, giant rainforest trees holding up the blue heavens, little edible-nest swiftlets darting in and out of deep limestone caves... the Andaman & Nicobar Islands are a place of exceptional beauty and fragility. From the north in Diglipur to the extreme south to Indira Point on Great Nicobar Island, exploring these remote islands can be as exhilarating as it is humbling.

It is imperative that the ecological balance of these islands is maintained. Otherwise, scores of species native to Andaman & Nicobar will soon be endangered or worse. The photos here are a small sampling of the richness of these islands and also the challenges they face.

Part of the exhibition ‘Island Worlds’ at Gyaan Adab, a centre for the arts and literature in Pune, they were all specially reproduced on silk fabric to offer a new visual and aesthetic experience even as they explore the many moods and dimensions of the islands. The exhibition ends today.

Pankaj Sekhsaria is a writer and photographer based in Hyderabad

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