Pillars of Life is an illustrated book on the rainforest trees of the Western Ghats, in southern India. The book features images and text on 30 native species, including the whole tree, its leaves, fruit, flowers and seeds. 

For millions of years, the forests of the Western Ghats mountains have been home to a host of extraordinary trees. These range from the peculiar conifer, Nageia, whose family origins can be traced back to the age of the dinosaurs, to the grand trees in the rudraksh family, to the jack and fig trees that occupy a familiar presence in India’s forests and countryside.

This book by Divya Mudappa and T. R. Shankar Raman showcases thirty remarkable tree species through beautiful botanical illustrations and artwork by Nirupa Rao. It conveys the wonder arising from the beauty, the diversity, the individuality, and magnificence of trees in the Western Ghats, and evokes a greater sensitivity to the diverse values and enrichment that trees bring to our lives.

Published July 2018, Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysore.