Yamuna: Once proud, now reeling (ongoing)
Yamuna River, the second largest tributary of the Ganges remains deeply intertwined with the lives of millions of people spread across the states of Uttarakhand, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh. One of the most prominent rivers to flow through India, Yamuna originates in the Yamunotri Glaciers, far removed from any human settlement at a dizzying height of approximately 6400 meters near Bandarpunch peaks in the lower reaches of the Himalayas in the state of Uttarakhand. Before it merges with the Ganges in Allahabad (Prayagraj), Yamuna travels a massive length of 1376 kilometers. According to an estimate more than 60 million people in India rely on the Yamuna for freshwater daily. This project intends to document the current status of the river from the Himalayas until its merges with the Ganges in Uttar Pradesh
Before Dawn 2017 - 2021
I had grown up listening to RDP broadcast on All India Radio and watched Republic Day parade on Doordarshan, but after I shifted to New Delhi, I made every effort to watch it live. My involvement started long before the main event. I turned up to catch the rehearsals on Rajpath which start in December culminating in a full dress rehearsal two days before the main event. I would shoot for a couple of hours, from 5 am to 7 am, and then head to office in the cold winter morning when it was still dark. The thing I noticed, though the RPD is primarily a visual spectacle, music plays an important role in the event. I was specially struck by the military bands, who serve the key role of not only raising the troop morale and instill patriotic fervour in the audience, but also provide rthymic beat which help maintain synchronity during the march.
Fighting Souls 2015
Face is a valuable asset for every human being as one’s identity is marked by the face only. When it is being attacked in some way, it affects us not just physically, but mentally and emotionally too. When it gets disfigured it disfigures the souls too. This ongoing project The Fighting Souls is the Story of Acid Attack Survivors and their survival to fight against this heinous crime. Sheroes Hangout, a unique cafe launched in the city of Taj Mahal, Agra (UP, India) few months ago, is managed by five acid attack survivors namely Ritu, Neetu, Rupa, Geeta Mahor and Geeta Lodhi. The initiative of “Sheroes Hangout” is a joint venture of a campaign named Stop Acid Attack and an NGO named Channv Foundation. All these acid attack fighters belongs to different parts of the country and are working together to make this place a success so that this motivates and encourages many other victims of this crime and they come together to fight for their own self. A project and a campaign in order to bring forth the struggles, hardships and success of these Fighters.
Durbaans of Mandawa (ongoing)
Durbaan, literally means the person who guards. Here, it signifies guarding our heritage and culture. This photo story reveals the true identity of these unsung heroes who unconditionally dedicated their life to the royal families of Mandawa. Mandawa is a town in Shekhawati region of Rajasthan and famously known as the “Open Art Gallery” because of its painted Havelis. Most of these Havelis are now converted into hotels. Stories have been written, told, and forgotten on these beautifully painted Havelis. However, people who have been guarding and taking care of these Havelis for decades have been left aside and ignored. While talking to these people (guards, caretakers, gatekeepers, cleaners, gardeners), I was surprised to know that their forefathers have dedicated their lives for this single job of preserving their masters’ ancestral assets. Interestingly, they have multiple stories to share and I have multiple faces to share. I was so moved by their respective stories that I decided to bring forth their faces through my work. Some of them were excited to share their piece of the story with me while others remained quiet because of unknown reasons. I take this opportunity to share their identities with the world with a bit of my take on it.
Once in a year
This is a personal project on my home in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal. The places covered here are Bengdubi, Bagdogra, Gossaipur, Budhi Balasan, and Matigara. All the images are made there by using a mobile phone. Here, I am trying to document the moments and small activities that usually happens within the vicinity of my home like Stone collecting labors, Balasan river, Life on Railway tracks, my late father's activity, and so on. Mostly, these images are made when I go home once in a year to visit my mother.