It was a soft, rainy morning inside the lush Durga Wildlife Sanctuary, Karkala. Along with Shivashankar Sir, Rajmohan, and Kartik Bhat, we wandered quietly through the dripping forest, our eyes searching for movement among the green.

Then, in the middle of a mossy tree, we saw it — a Common Emerald Dove, shimmering like a jewel in the rain. Tiny droplets clung to its feathers, glistening like pearls on green silk. The gentle patter of rain, the hush of the forest, and that radiant bird. It all came together in a perfect frame.

The emerald dove reminded us that beauty shines brightest when nature wears her simplest dress — rain, silence, and grace.