Hidden Kingdoms. An Archive of Indian Ecology by Nirupa Rao.
Exhibits
Click
on each star
to discover
Kanara Nutmeg
Gymnacranthera canarica
Find out more about this tree in the exhibit’s Flora & Fauna chapter.
Myristica Bambootail
Phylloneura westermanni
Find out more about this insect in the exhibit’s Flora & Fauna chapter.
Indian Scimitar Babbler
Pomatorhinus horsfieldii
Find out more about this bird in the exhibit’s Flora & Fauna chapter.
Gollum Snakehead
Aenigmachanna gollum
Find out more about this fish in the exhibit’s Flora & Fauna chapter.
Malabar Pit Viper
Trimersurus malabaricus
Find out more about this snake in the exhibit’s Flora & Fauna chapter.
Wight’s Crest-Petal
Lophopetalum wightianum
Find out more about this tree in the exhibit’s Flora & Fauna chapter.
Magnificent Nutmeg
Myristica magnifica
Find out more about this tree in the exhibit’s Flora & Fauna chapter.
Wight’s Sago Palm
Arenga wightii
Find out more about this plant in the exhibit’s Flora & Fauna chapter.
Spirit of the Forest
Best viewed with:
Spirit of the Forest film
Our short animation Spirit of the Forest tells the story of a little village girl who stumbles upon a ‘sacred grove’—a pocket of the forest largely untouched by human hands thanks to centuries-old practices of protecting natural habitats. This particular sacred grove happens to be a ‘Myristica swamp’, a freshwater ecosystem named after the wild Indian nutmeg tree. When the girl picks up a nutmeg seed from the swamp floor, she disturbs the spirit of the forest, sending her on an adventure to uncover the origins of this ancient wetland. View this exhibit to delve deeper into the film’s context: each chapter covers themes ranging from the formation of the Western Ghats at the breakup of Gondwanaland, to the flora and fauna of Myristica Swamps, the history of sacred groves, and the discovery of a new swamp by conservationists!
Fantastical Plants of the Western Ghats
Best viewed with:
Hidden Kingdoms: Fantastical Plants of the Western Ghats book
This exhibit spotlights the incredible native flora of India’s very own Western Ghats—from carnivores to parasites to flowers that stink of rotting flesh! Discover more about the plants featured in your book, with images by National Geographic photographer Prasenjeet Yadav.