Nobody needs pity. And they only sometimes need sympathy. Mostly, people need empathy. For me, working in slums is about seeing people with the same labels you see yourself: man, woman, child, sister, brother, mother, student, worker, friend. Not poor or rich. It’s about working alongside them, understanding where they are coming from, but not…
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Let’s face it. No one can resist a good, ol’ fashioned amusement park. Especially in India where the safety of the rides is questionable, the crowds are intense and the lighting systems ultra-techno. These photos are taken in different locations (from Old Delhi to Kalkaji to Madikieri) with different cameras (from an iPhone 5c…
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Indian men are under a lot of pressure – to earn, to be tough, to provide, to be stable, to be cool. Here are a few glimpses of that in action at Kalkaji Mandir, Delhi. To see more images related to masculinity – check out the photo essay on the flower market of Calcutta.
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Frankly, I find them scary. But apparently Lajpat Nagar Central Market has unanimously decided that clowns in full make-up and costumes standing outside a store are a good marketing strategy. I wonder how these guys feel in 46C/115F heat, wearing such elaborate ‘work’ uniforms – are they proud? Or do they feel foolish? How long does…
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It once blared Indian MTV and all the latest Bollywood music videos. But now it’s out of fashion – and like your neighbors and friends – you want a newer version. Or maybe there was a wedding in the family recently and a new TV appeared with the rest of the gifts exchanged. Or your…
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Shambu and Kanchan are the same age, more or less: 50. And they’ve lived their whole lives together, more or less. When he was just 10, Shambu started training with his dad in Bihar to learn how to take care of elephants – and after 10 years, finally got Kanchan to himself – and he has taken…
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Look up in the sky. There you see them. Black and white and brown and grey. Flying in circles over your head. Following each other and the wave of a white cloth on a distant rooftop. Pigeons – no longer the dirty vermin of the sky, but majestic kings of the clouds. Pigeon keeping is…
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I’m not quite sure what attracts me so much to streetside barbers. Maybe it’s that they epitomize the lack of division between public and private in urban India – where something as intimate as shaving can be done out in the open for everyone to see. Maybe it’s their simplicity – just a stack…
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Magic |ˈmajik| noun : a quality that makes something seem removed from everyday life, esp. in a way that gives delight chaos |ˈkāˌäs| noun : complete disorder and confusion If you look hard enough (or maybe exactly when you stop looking), Delhi’s chaos turns into magic and the city becomes enchanted with djinns, palaces, mysterious incantations, spicy potions, and bikes made out of balloons (for…
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Wander and Wonder