Yamuna: Water and Life - As a photographer
arriving in Delhi from outside the city, I was first drawn to the Yamuna River
by its sacred legacy a river revered in scriptures, songs, and rituals, flowing
through the spiritual and mythological heart of India. What I encountered,
however, was both haunting and humbling. The contrast between its divine status
and its deteriorated condition was stark. Over the years, my lens has traced
the length of this contradiction photographing not only the river’s surface but
the layers of history, neglect, resilience, and humanity woven into its flow.
Through this long-term project, I have
documented the many lives that the Yamuna touches: from the factory pollution
that cloaks its waters in toxic froth to the migratory birds that still return
in winter, painting the grey with delicate strokes of life. I’ve photographed
devout families waist-deep in its waters during Chhath Puja, their faith
undiminished by the filth around them an act of worship that is both beautiful
and painful to witness. I have met men who harvest waste, boys who swim in
poisoned stretches, and mothers who perform last rites in the same waters once
used for purification.