The magazine of the art-form of the photo-essay
“A free, really high quality photo-essay magazine. Fabulous!”
Stephen Fry. British actor, writer and film & documentary maker
Jan 2014 back issue
by Anirban Mukhopadhyay
Cold Morning Push - A roadside seller moving across Maidan (vast open field in the heart of the city) on a cold wintry
morning in Kolkata.
Let's Migrate To A Better Future - The line of hungry walk past man's greatest tribute to love. The drying river Yamuna
is an example of desertification with all its associated difficulties for the people living in the vicinity.
Holy Arrival - A woman having a look at a covered idol of Goddess Durga from a hand pulled rickshaw as the city
prepares to bask in the five day long festival of Durga Puja.
Comedy of Errors - A very young boy selling masks on the bank of the river Hooghly in Kolkata on the eve of Chath
Puja. Numerous festivals in India create opportunities for many such people who are financially deprived in the society
of developing India. Many such festival driven businesses form a source of income for a significant percentage of the
country's population.
Dream Sweeper - A street side broom and mop shop owner having an afternoon nap.
Childhood Engagement - A small boy runs towards his friends while his younger sister is busy hanging on to their
house entry door's grill.
Divided Life - A group of people perform early morning exercises on a wintry morning in Kolkata's Maidan as the huge
office buildings look over them.
The Art of Hard Work - Hand rickshaws have always formed the integral part of Kolkata's tryst with it British Heritage.
Since the Sahebs to the Babus and now to the Bongs, Ghotis and Bangals, hand rickshaws still seem to be a piece of
history or art than a regular transport. With its only drive force being two human legs, it requires lot of hardship from
the operator's/carrier's end. With frequent cries of lifting up these pieces of history, rises an urge to lock our history in
our vision. Many a times there have been efforts made to uplift this beautiful and rarest form of transport, without giving
a thought to the souls that thrive on it and it's charm to the locals as well as to the tourists. Along with the tram, this two
wheeled carrier forms a part of heritage of the City of Joy.
This photo is a tribute to the man and his ride, our beloved Haath Rickshaw (Hand Rickshaw) and to the melodious
jingling sounds of the bells from the operator's hands that assimilate into the city cheers.
Two Lonely Souls - A man and a horse walk across the vast Maidan on an early wintry morning in Kolkata.
Equality - On my summer visit to Bodh Gaya in Bihar, India I encountered this moment just as I was leaving the Maha
Bodhi Temple. As a photography enthusiast I was leaving the temple a bit sad when suddenly I turned back to try my
luck for the last time and I was presented with this picture which, to me, symbolizes the true meaning of Equality.
People often question the existence of God; to me this picture portrays the fact that there is god in all of us and hence
every living being on Earth is different in form but equal in status. In this picture the monk and the dog under the idol of
Lord Buddha share a common place without any differences signifying equality between man, animal and God, and
equality being an important thing to learn in Buddhism and all other religion, this picture for me defined the very place
and the religion of Buddhism as well as any other religion and humanity.
Psychedelic India - India is a country of colours. On my way back from Nalanda to Patna, I came across this place
where sweetened fried dough of fine flour (Khajas) were being sold in huge quantities; the place was famous for it. The
colours, the reflections and the chaotic crowd gave me a true sense of life in India which gave me a psychedelic feeling.
Using the colour of the golden fried Khajas, the colours all around and the people I got this crazy picture which to me
depicts a Psychedelic India.
Busy Dusk - People busy with their work as the Sun sets and dusk approaches in the city of Kolkata.
Monsoon Steps - A woman making her way through a water logged street in North Kolkata. Such scenes are common
in the Northern part of the city in Monsoon.
Inhale The City of Joy - A man practicing yoga amidst the heart of Kolkata (City of Joy) in Maidan with the Victoria
Memorial in front of him. In today's fast life, having a good health and a happy mind is of utmost importance.
Covering Dreams - A man drying his cloth by the river Hooghly.
The Shadow Woman - It was raining heavily in the evening while on a trip to Kumartulli in Kolkata. As I took shelter in
an idol making workshop I noticed this interesting light coming out from the shop opposite to where I stood. I waited
for a figure to pass by the light and I got this after two or three clicks. This shadowy figure of a woman carrying an
umbrella in the rainy darkness gives me a feel of woman empowerment around the world. It gives me a feel of an
independent woman not afraid of the dark world.
Untie - A pandal maker undoing the knots of ropes to bring down the bamboo structure after an event.
Unhappy - An idol maker not in a happy mood in Kumartulli, Kolkata.
The Cyclist - A man in Kerala on his way to work
dressed up in the traditional daily life attire of Kerala.
