BOOK 01 · DEBUT MEMOIR
IN THE
SHADOWSOF THEFOREST
A WILDLIFE MEMOIR FROM THE TEA GARDENS OF DOOARS & TERAI
From the
shadows
The tea gardens of northeast India are all mammoth enterprises, carved out of virgin forests. The wildlife that originally inhabited these areas more or less acquiesced – but that didn't mean that it disappeared. Numbers perhaps dwindled, yet it was all there – shy, surviving in the shadows, hidden from view – seen mostly on occasions when one chanced upon it, taking the animal by surprise, or when one actually went looking. In the Shadows of the Forest is a collection of such moments – vivid, personal and utterly unforgettable.
About the book
A fully grown leopard leaping across a windshield at touching distance. An elephant herd standing silent vigil through the night for a calf that had fallen into a reservoir. A young planter travelling sixty miles through dense forest on elephant back—because his elephant had gone into labour and he simply would not leave her.
Kiran K Mehra spent the better part of four decades among the tea plantations of the Dooars and Terai, and these are his memories—of wild creatures encountered fleetingly in the darkness, of extraordinary bonds forged between man and beast, and of a landscape and way of life that belong to a bygone era.
Told with warmth, quiet wonder and deep respect for the natural world, In the Shadows of the Forest is a memoir unlike any other.
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KK, I enjoyed your book; reading about your encounters and experiences during the planting days. Yes, the elephants being killed due to the trains is sad. I wonder if the wildlife department has now made an elephant corridor.
What a superb book Uncle KK.
Mum (Sheila Grimmer) read it first and had it finished within hours. I too couldn't put the book down. You have a lovely style of writing, and it was especially heartwarming to hear about the tea gardens and rivers, so familiar to me as a child growing up at my much loved Lakhipara.
Dad (John Grimmer) would have loved this book so much too - and to be in one of the first stories would have made him so pleased and proud in equal measure. Mum was so pleased that the book was based around the Dooars area, as she and dad often felt that it was overlooked by Assam or Dargeeling areas.
Brilliant, just brilliant. Well done uncle KK. X
A "Jungle Book ". Great stories KK. Reminded me of my numerous visits to Munar. Visiting a Manager, he advised me to leave early so as to reach before sunset to avoid elephants. Now I know the value of that advise. Waiting for the next one. Best wishes
KK, I realised with a shock that you have created a virtual plateau in your book to take the place of those gardens that are irretrievably lost. I love the way you have mapped out the areas in words, documenting all the physical geographical features. I enjoyed 'seeing' Chalsa Hill this way.
The book has captured life in a tea garden in a composite manner. Other than hard work, daily encounters with wild life added more thrill to the planter's routine. The writer has woven this aspect into his writing and presented it in short simple episodes. An effortless read with lots of information about the Dooars region of North Bengal, which has been rechristened the Siliguri chicken neck corridor by government and defence experts, trying to erode the charm of the place. A good read.
Loved the nostalgia. So many anecdotes resonated with my life ‘in tea’, as a child and as a ‘senior lady’. Great job penning these, KK, as life in the plantations nowadays is more urbanised
An amazing initiative with great narrative of your wonderful journey of life while you were in tea… 👍👍👏👏
Congratulations dear kk... Loved each word of your book 'In the shadows of the forest'.
Some of the stories were really sweet..you carrying your new bride in your arms, some were sad..the elephants crossing the railway tracks... But what was good was that what you are trying to convey just stayed with me...the animals forced to adapt..to the changing environment..the landscape under pressure..so on...
Loved each part of the book...The Leopards, the elephants, the hornbills..The tortoise and of course the Litchi tree...
Keep writing kk.. Wishing you the best.. Looking forward to many more from your desk. Health and Happiness...
Dear K K first thank you for sharing your writing.
The stories are very well narrated and your experiences feel very close to home. The nostalgia of being back in the Terai and Dooars was relived.
Excellent Reading, It transported me back to Tea Gardens. Great Job Done KK, Now that all these stories are in black & white they will be there for future generations to read.
It was lovely reading the account of wildlife sightings and escapades of KK. Having visited him when he was at Lakhipara way back in 1975 I can certainly relate to the wonderful description penned by him of the area, the ambience, and his sightings of the wildlife. My regret that I didn't get to see any animal though tales galore were there even then. The vivid description of the gardens makes one want to go there again for a visit. The one thing that stays after reading the book in one sitting is the thought that the magnificent wildlife is best suited for its domain in the jungle.
First of all thank you so much for sharing a piece of your writing with me. I felt so honoured to be holding your first work in my hands. It captures your years spent in the tea gardens in the proximity of these beautiful creatures very well and also reflects your heartfelt experiences in their environment. You have displayed great sensitivity in bringing out their beauty and the dangers they face in their natural habitat, wish all humans could understand and live in peace with them.
Your words perfectly capture what makes good nature writing powerful and have the ability to transport the reader into the wild and make them feel a connection with each of the animals and draw the reader into their world.
You must continue to chronicle more such experiences as they make for great reading and expose us to areas we have not had a chance to explore .. Thanks for the wonderful experience…
Had planned to enjoy "Cakes" book, over several weekends! Ended up finishing it in a few hours. He tells it, with feeling and understanding of the life we lived in the '60's! Honoured to have been a friend for over 50 years!
In his economical and understated style "Cakes" takes me through half a life time spent in Tea! He tells it, the way that he expresses best! Honest, sincere and compassion. An honor to have known you.
Got the book in office today and couldn't wait to open it. Have just finished Leopards and I was immediately drawn to my own experiences in most of the gardens KK. The episodes are so well chronicled that I found myself living almost every one of these. Will go through the rest at a slower more leisurely pace at home. Great effort and a brilliant creation KK. Thanks ever so much for sharing a copy and bringing back in some measure the days we all spent and loved so much. Almost like being there
Dear Kiran,
Congratulations on your debut book! In the Shadows of the Forest is a wonderful accomplishment, and having the discipline to document four decades of life on the tea gardens—along with all its original illustrations—is no small feat.
What makes the book truly special is its incredible sense of place and authenticity. By documenting specific tea gardens, villages, regions, and local communities, you have preserved a valuable piece of regional history and culture that might otherwise be lost. The deep respect for wildlife, the quiet wonder of plantation life, and the real-life illustrations make the entire book feel like a grounded, honest, and visual archive of a bygone era. It is informative, sincere, and thoroughly worth the read.
If there is one gentle critique or suggestion to consider, it lies in the narrative pacing of the encounters. At times, high-stakes moments—like coming face-to-face with a wild leopard or dealing with an unpredictable elephant—are presented very factually, almost like journal entries or calm recollections. While this understatement reflects the pragmatic reality of a seasoned planter, adding a bit more dramatic “juice” could heighten the reading pleasure even further.
Leaning into sensory suspense—describing the sudden silence of the jungle before an encounter, the pounding of the heart, or the immediate rush of adrenaline—would draw the reader directly into your shoes. Building that emotional tension and pacing around wild encounters gives the storyline an extra “kick,” turning brilliant personal memories into a thrilling adventure on the page.
As you move forward with your next two writing projects, I hope you take full license to embrace these techniques! Give yourself the artistic freedom to craft a tighter narrative, build in stronger hooks, and play with dramatic pacing. You have a treasure trove of lived experiences, and taking a little creative leeway with scene-building will make your future stories completely unputdownable.
Thank you for sharing your experiences and creating such a detailed record of the Dooars and Terai. It is a fantastic first effort, and I look forward to seeing where your pen takes us next!
What a delightful read. Having served in East and travelled / flown extensively in that region, I can relate to all the tales penned by my old mate KK. Had the fortune to even visit and stay with him in Gangaram TE.
What is fascinating about this book is the humane approach towards the wild life struggling to survive amongst these huge tea estates. It urges introspection of human behaviour and the injustice meted to these wonderful creatures. Akin to adivasi and tribals displaced from their land. KK has done a great service by highlighting the tales in simple, witty and excellent narratives. May your pen never dry my friend. A BIG THANK YOU for gifting me a copy. Also the illustrations are beautiful.