Tumble Travel

My Photo scholarship 2011 entry

Worldwide | Tuesday, November 8, 2011 | 5 photos

The photographs were shot in the place we call "City of Joy" - Kolkata. The city and the reason why I chose it defines who I am and what my photography is about. I come from Shillong, a tiny place in the mountains where rain and a beautiful matriarchal society thrives. From technology, I have moved on to travel-writing and web-journalism as a profession. And along this patch, I have developed a voracious appetite for the art, culture, colours, people, and the unsaid stories that define a place.

I took these pictures in late October, a time of great importance for the Bengali society. At this time happens a series of bright and important festivals that mark the very essence of the culture.

The city of Kolkata, I found, is deeply etched in an era, and a sensibility that is lost in time. Formerly known as Calcutta, this immense city is a celebration of human existence which plays out right in front of your eyes.

While most Westerners, with the possible exception of La Nuit Bengali (a Bengali Night), have interpreted it as a city of struggle, many others are infuriated by this one-sided depiction. The city is considered to be the intellectual and cultural hub of the country.

As to why I should be chosen, well, I am sure I am vying for the place against many other worthy competitors. However, I believe, I have what it takes to be a great travel photographer. I understand what sets apart a good professional from a great one and I am willing to traverse that length. I believe I look for what defines a good photograph - a story, a persona true to a subject that is unique, a sense of light, colour and composition, and a willingness to mingle and get dirty if need be.