The RikshaWallah

© Mayank Pandey -  Some Rights Reserved

That cart is not drawn by an animal. Those of you who have not visited the city of Kolkata nor have had the chance to read or hear - this is a Riksha Wallah. He pulls that cart with his hands while another human being sits behind. This still continues to be a mode of transport in parts of Kolkata, probably one of the only cities in the world that still holds onto this scar. 

Some would argue that this is atleast better than begging on the streets and what were to happen to him, his family and others like him if the state was to ban, hand pulled rikshaw. And when we have time to get over with the intellectual debates that we educated Indians are most proficient at, we could spare a few moments of thoughts on this. 

This was shot on a bright sunny day in streets of Kolkata, in Novemeber 2011. While I sat in an airconditioned cab, this gaunty aged man (or perhaps he just looks older) waited for customers. Another shot below, a close cropped frame, a more artistic take which tells the same story yet in a different way.

© Mayank Pandey -  Some Rights Reserved

So what is right, allow these men a choice to continue this or put an end to this 'inhumane' profession. 

Ganpati Visarjan: A Photo Essay

Every year, Ganesh Chaturathi (Birthday) is celebrated followed by Visarjan (immersion into waters) with great fervor in Maharashtra and now is many other parts of the India. In 1893, Indian freedom fighter and social reformer Lokmanya Tilak transformed the annual domestic festival into a large, well-organized public event.
Tilak recognized the wide appeal of the deity Ganesh as "the god for everybody", and popularized Ganesh Chaturthi as a national festival in order "to bridge the gap between Brahmins and 'non-Brahmins' and find a context in which to build a new grassroots unity between them", and generate nationalistic fervor among people in Maharashtra against the British colonial rule.
Tilak encouraged installation of large public images of Ganesh in pavilions, and also established the practice of submerging in rivers, sea, or other pools of water all public images of the deity on the tenth day after Ganesh Chaturthi

Great Festivities and Colors

Mumbai Street Photography - uniquely different

Street Photography from Mumbai looks different, very different than most of curated Street Photography from the West. The one thing I struggle most of the time is the muck and dirt all over, people smile less and law enforcing bodies continue to get more and more suspicious of anyone shooting alone at seemingly unattractive sights.

Some of shots from a recent shoot below are from streets in Mumbai. I was out shooting with Kaushal , a very talented street photographer from Mumbai. The day was eventful, with a cop accosting us much before we had even started. He probably thought he would scare us into giving him some bribe and after realizing it would not work  - he choose to book me for a unclear car number plate. I realized one thing, no one can stop you, not even the dreaded Mumbai police from shooting on streets. Yes, public spaces like a rail station etc could be off limits but not the streets. It was a day well spent, surprisingly inspite of not such a great start, all the shots from same day. Hope you like them.

I was still tentative, when I turned my camera towards this gang. I didn't have to ask - they just loved posing. What a joy!

"Joy"

Kotachiwadi - thwarting its destiny?

Khotachiwadi is a heritage village in Girgaon, Mumbai, India. Houses built are made from the old-Portuguese style architecture.

It was founded in the late 18th century by Khot,a Pathare prabhu, who sold plots of land to local East Indian families. There used to be 65 of these houses, now reduced to 28 as old buildings are being pulled down to make way for new skyscrapers