If you’ve ever had a slow day on a tiger safari in the jungles of India, you’ll recognise this familiar consolation from your guide: You might not have seen a tiger today, but a tiger definitely saw you. In Maharashtra’s nearly 18 firefly sites this mating season, the equation is reversed. You’ll most definitely see the fireflies; hundreds of them. Whether they really want to see you, is an entirely different matter.

Digvijay Rathore