There’s something about India thats mere mention makes any travel discussion a whole lot more interesting- I am yet to meet someone who has been to India and not come back with a fun or deeply insightful story!
Growing up in the 80s British Asians had limited coverage in the media on anything about Asia let alone Bangladesh (where my parents originate) so I remember how our family would rush home early and have the (now extinct) VHS ready to record if they read on the Radio Times that there would be a documentary on Bangladesh that day.
These tapes would be watched repeatedly and attentively by my parents to remind them of home. By me, my brother and sisters to educate us a bit more about our heritage in a manner which was more understandable to us and, of course, was the talking point of any social gatherings for weeks to come.
However these documentaries were scarce- maybe airing once every year or two so it wasn’t an especially available medium but we’d see India on TV a couple of times a year (especially after the huge surge in popularity of Bollywood in the UK) so naturally looked to these as an insight and part cultural nourishment too from our nearest neighbour to Bangladesh.
Bollywood films were instrumental in growing up to maintaining both my Asian & Islamic values- praying was an almost alien act to my peers in school, rarely seen on TV/ films/ books so watching films where protagonists would pray with their families, not be glamourising alcoholism or womanising was both refreshing and reassuring- I was not an Alien!
In fact growing up I watched so many Indian movies that my ability to speak and understand Indian dialects is a LOT better rehearsed than my Bangla- something my mum has never been too pleased about haha!
As you can imagine I have been fascinated by India all my life so early last year when I had the opportunity to visit Mumbai (the home of Indian cinema) and Delhi I knew this was one of the best street photography opportunities in the world.
If you’re an observant person then you absolutely cannot walk down a street in India without learning something new about the culture- whether it’s the etiquette in queuing up for tickets at the train station or knowing the expected dress codes for the hip & happening lounges in Delhi, or simply learning how to keep yourself safe eating street food in one of the most densely populated countries in the world.
I could go on about how I was mistaken for a Bollywood art director when I was photographing the Gateway of India, or how I missed Saif Ali Khan by just 2 hours or nearly got robbed by a rogue taxi driver if I hadn’t spotted him signalling his friends about their latest victim! Sooo many stories, I lived it and I loved it- but I’d rather you see some of my street photography in India instead and hopefully visit for yourself!
I am going to Bangladesh this summer for the first time in 21 years and there is something about this trip and these photos which have really given me a boost and driven my excitement for my upcoming visit.
Enjoy & Namaaste!
