Seeing Better: Along the river daily lives, exceptional devotions

“Seeing Better: Along the River, daily lives, extraordinary devotions” is a collection of photographs taken in three riverside cities in India: Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad), Varanasi and Kolkata. These photographs portray flamboyant colour and exuberant energy. More than just being a record of travels, the book attempts to show the way in which rich, ancient traditions continue to be practised in India. The rituals, ceremonies, and festivals recorded in this book have been practised in India for millenia. In Prayagraj at the time of the Kumbh Mela as depicted here, there were millions of pilgrims who thronged the riverbanks and the town. The photographs show not only holy sadhus but also ordinary men and women full of religious fervour. Adding to the scene were various itinerant merchants who set up stalls to cater to the pilgrims’ needs. There are equally vibrant photographs of devotions in Varanasi, one of India’s most ancient and holy cities. Also of the mass of people celebrating the Durga puja in Kolkata. And in all these places ordinary life goes on—people selling food and sundries, others transporting goods, children playing and people socialising amidst their prayers.