“The greatest courage is the courage to be happy.”

To me, Bastar is the land of joy. My experience of Bastar and its people was to be another awareness of reality for me. I was captivated by the simplicity of the people who had the ability to be joyous and happy in spite of their struggles. They danced, sang and lived for the moment. I began to understand, that it takes great courage to be ruthless with one’s grief.

Bastar, the innocent face of Central India was not impacted by happenings outside and developed its own way of life for thousands of years. In the face of cultural repression, the minority tribes' spirit of independence signifies a ‘living tradition’ to me.

Across the world, in the process of industrialisation, many animals, cultures, knowledge and languages disappeared. ‘VIRGIN BASTAR – A Spiritual Travelogue’ is a visual record of a place like that and its people, their indigenous culture and way of life. It’s a visual document explored from my very own perspective.

The series attempts to capture a rare, intimate view of their world, fleeting and unforgettable moments of their lives, its sound and flavour in a riot of colours, in swinging figures, pulsating with innocence and totally untouched by time. To capture the essence of the community, a slice of deeply felt humanity, a moment of spiritual revelation.