Portraits of Kumbh.
Nicolas is from France and on his maiden trip to India. He is here for around 2 and half months. After arriving in Delhi, what he did, booked a train to Allahabad to capture the religious gathering called Kumbh. He is mesmerized by everything what he saw and experienced. And India is absolutely incredible in every way as per him. He had a lot to talk about India when I coined the question that how he found India? He could go and go in detail describing India when I cut him in between and asked what he hate about India? He looked confused for the first time in our short discussion, then said pollution, people etc. I asked about people and he opened up that irrespective of what India is doing on the world front, its still raw in it's essence and so the people. When it comes to the traveler who came to India from all across the world, Indian people are like why don't you get a picture with me? It's good though but sometimes irritating as it feels like alien amidst of our own kind, he said. "I have been to Iran and Japan but people are very helpful there and they let you do what you are doing unlike India. You get your own space and solitude traveling other countries. India is great in every way, but getting chased everytime for a photograph to shoot with people you seldom know is something that makes you sick."
When asked about Kumbh, he says that it's incredible, amazing. Seeing people from all over the country to take the holy dip itself is an experience that is unimaginable for a person like me. Kumbh is a saga and place which is sacred in every way.
Before I winded up the discussion, I asked for a photograph and he happily obliged and took his sunglass from his backpack before posing for the camera. A naga sadhu was looking at us sitting on the banks of the Ganges and smiled. A seagull took a dip and flew away in the distance.
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