Akashlina by Shankar Chattopadhyay [Hardcover]

Among all the creatures of life, only birds were granted permission to fly in the sky. With no artificial aids or mechanical assistance, they glide effortlessly through the open sky. While land animals took their first steps into the air, two soft, feathery wings grew on either side of their backs. This transformation wasn't just driven by the allure of diversity, but by necessity - nature pushed them to leave the earth behind. From the cradle of creation to the present day, nearly 450 million years have passed, during which this planet has faced numerous cataclysms. Destruction and the extinction of many species have occurred, and the very structure of the earth's geology has changed. Seas have turned into deserts, vast mountains have crumbled, and torrents of water from the oceans have swept across the land. After every destruction, nature has regenerated itself, giving rise to new life, evolution, change, and growth, which, in turn, eventually faces annihilation. 

At some point in this cycle of creation and destruction, birds took flight in the sky. Who were their ancestors, and have they found a place in today's world? Even if they have not, birds are not without their lineage. They are the incredible gift of creation - beings that gradually changed, bringing new life to the world’s landscape. Change itself is not isolated; it is not one-directional. Creation constantly shakes the earth’s head, bringing forth new life, pushing it into the sky, and causing evolution. 

Even in these turbulent times, diverse forms of life were born. The search for the origin of birds, their rise and fall along the path of evolution, and their journey of flight - this continuous story spans the prehistoric world of 220 million years.