The bird was flying over fishing boats that landed on Elephant Island

After nearly an hour at sea, the ferry arrived safely at Elephanta Island. I stepped off the boat and onto the long pier, making my way toward the famous rock-cut caves, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Glancing toward the shore, I noticed several fishing boats pulled up onto the beach. Until now, I had imagined this island as an uninhabited place, home only to ancient ruins. But that wasn’t the case. A small settlement existed in the southern part of the island, where people still lived. I later learned that Elephanta wasn’t just about its historic caves—active Hindu temples were scattered across the island, still in use today.

As I raised my camera to capture the beached boats, a bird suddenly glided silently across the sky. Carried by the sea breeze, it soared effortlessly, unbothered by the tourists bustling below. In that moment, it seemed to exist outside of time, moving freely above the island, untouched by the rhythms of human history and exploration.

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