Autumn Rice Paddies Reflecting Sky on Forest Floor

Cold silver dawn light washes over a cluster of rice paddies resting directly on a fern-lined forest floor in Jharkhand. The water surfaces act as mirrors, showing the pale autumn sky above in sharp, still reflections. Tall green ferns fringe the edges of the standing water, their fronds dusted with the fine mist that hangs low in the air. The leaves show hints of yellow and brown, marking the peak of the season. The water ripples gently, distorting the reflected clouds into streaks of white and gray. One dark stone rests at the water's edge, partially submerged in the shallow, clear liquid.