Monthly:January 2026
At dusk, the Himalayas learn to breathe in light.The sun, retreating without haste, leaves behinda last, trembling warmth—and the mountains catch it like a secret. Snow turns to ember.Ice blushes, briefly remembering fire.Ridges soften into rose and gold,as if the earth itself is holding a long, silent prayer. The peaks do not speak, yet they remember—winds older than language,footsteps of vanished glaciers,the patience of stone that has outlived time. Below, shadows gather in the valleys,cool and blue, waiting.Above, the alpine […]
There are events that announce themselves loudly, and then there are those that speak in silence. Mahamastakabhishek belongs to the latter. It is not merely a ritual; it is a pause in time—an invitation to slow down, observe, and reflect. Held at Shravanabelagola, this sacred ceremony centres around the colossal statue of Gommateshwara (Bahubali)—a figure standing bare, unmoving, eyes lowered, embodying complete renunciation. Once every twelve years, similar to the Maha-Kumbh, devotees gather to perform the abhishek, gently bathing the […]
It was during the Brahmatal Trek that I learned, once again, the quiet truth behind an oft-repeated line: dogs are humanity’s best companions. This one followed us through the entire trail, padding beside us over snow and stone, and returned with us to the base camp as though the journey had always belonged to him. Whenever we lagged behind, he stopped and waited. When we paused to rest, he stood alert, eyes fixed on the surrounding forest, as if keeping […]
This photograph was taken in the coast of Kannur, Kerala. This form of traditional Indian martial rt is called Kalaripayattu. Kalaripayattu (or Kalarippayattu) is an ancient Indian martial art from Kerala, considered the “mother of all martial arts,” combining physical conditioning, animal-inspired movements, and weapon training (wooden and metal) with bare-handed combat, focusing on flexibility, breath control, and Marma points (vital spots) for both combat and healing. It involves four stages of training: body exercises, wooden weapons, metal weapons, and bare-handed […]
Merak is a small hamlet beside the Pangpong Tso. It’s about 20 kms from Pangong village. Its starkingly calm and beautiful with minimal disturbance around. A place completely different from Pangong. There are a few homestays to stay in, which are moderate to good. We stayed at Marzee homestay, one of the best stays of my life, and I am sure you will say the same if you stay there.
This morning, as I stood at a roadside tea stall behind the Writers’ Building, the city paused for me in an unexpected way. Amid the clatter of cups and the drifting smell of tea, I noticed an old man seated nearby, carefully arranging flowers into small bouquets—petal by petal, thread by thread—preparing them for a day of selling. Age revealed itself in his face and in the unhurried rhythm of his hands. Every movement carried the weight of years. One […]
This photograph was taken in 2019 at the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad. It was not my first visit, but it was undoubtedly the most profound. No matter how many times one witnesses it, the sheer vastness of the Kumbh defies comprehension. It is not merely a gathering—it is an entire civilisation unfolding along the riverbanks. The Kumbh Mela holds within it the whole of India. Millions arrive from every corner of the country—saints and ascetics, pilgrims and seekers, householders and […]
This photograph was taken in April 2019, on the streets of Kolkata near Kalighat. Then, it was only a moment—fleeting, unassuming, absorbed into the everyday rhythm of the city. Today, in 2026, the same image carries a weight it did not possess before. Time has altered its meaning. Reality has caught up with it. The years in between have been scarred by an intensification of violence against women—violence that can no longer be muted, rationalised, or buried under polite silence. […]
The photograph was taken in 2008, on the streets of Kolkata, during a quiet walk through the city. It was a cold winter morning. The old man sat by the roadside, unhurried and withdrawn, having spent the entire night there with almost nothing to keep himself warm. Perhaps no one had ever stopped to photograph him before—not photographers, not social card agencies, not anyone who might notice his existence. As I crouched down and moved closer to frame him, he […]
