Beautiful Portraits Showcase The Diversity Of Indians In This New Travel Book

Beautiful Portraits Showcase The Diversity Of Indians In This New Travel Book
Ajay Jain

Ajay Jain goes wherever he can. Been on the road since 2007 with nothing but a car and a camera, the 48-year-old has traversed the entire Himalayan belt on road, all the way from Kashmir to Arunachal Pradesh and has also driven from Delhi to Kerala covering Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, and Karnataka along the way.

Truly believing that India is the most amazing country to travel, he has immersed himself in the various spectacles that this country has to offer. Be it the blue seas of Kerala or the rugged terrains of Kashmir, the haunting emptiness of the Rajasthan’s dessert or the cultural chaos in UP, the man has seen and captured it all. While the stunning vistas, diverse landscapes and interesting journeys have impacted him deeply, he admits that it’s the people he has seen, met and photographed who have truly captured his imagination. These people of India are what make it to his new coffee table book, ‘Indians.’

‘Indians’ is a compilation of stunning black and white portraits that Ajay has captured over 10 years, having driven 100,000+ km. Comprising people from various states, age groups and walks of society, it not just documents the incredible cultural and facial diversity of the country but also subtly portrays that no matter how different we look, we are all ‘Indians’ in the end.

Wrestling. Captured by Ajay Jain in Delhi

“I don’t say this out of patriotic fervour, but I discovered India is truly the most amazing country to travel in. And I say this having seen a fair bit of the world, covering all continents except Antarctica. Every destination on the planet offers only a subset of what India boasts as a whole. Where else would you find such natural and man-made heritage to include landscapes, monuments, history, food, culture, religion, festivals, customs, dressing, wildlife and people – the ones I refer to as Indians,” Ajay states.

With an engineering background, a successful stint in Sports Management, a degree from the UK in Journalism and Photography, Ajay is also the founder/owner of Delhi’s popular Kunzum Travel Cafe and has written several books on various topics. Even though Ajay has juggled several jobs, what has stuck through is his undying passion to find inspiration, travel and explore his own country. He strongly feels that it’s the people and their diversity that is the greatest strength of the country but is tragically projected as a weakness by the political classes. His book is not so much about making a counter-statement to the politicians, rather is an attempt for each of our country’s citizen to realise the richness in our diversity, to appreciate and embrace it.

“If we want to make India a better place to live in, we need to know our country. For that, we need to travel. And meet Indians. This book is a pointer to get you going. It is a reflection of our own selves, the Indians,” he explains.

A woman with two of her children in Nagaland

‘Indians’ beautifully captures the essence of each person photographed. Close-ups, full-bodied frames, candids are all crisply interwoven in its pages. From pictures of a mother carrying her child in Nagaland to two women laughing in Gujarat, men wrestling in Delhi, an old woman intently looking at the camera, each photograph is a result of keen observation. The facial expressions, skin textures, shadows and surrounding landscape all build an intriguing story. As Ajay says, “you can almost read a person’s life in their face.”

A young boy in Osian, Rajasthan

Talking about his favourite photograph in the book, he says that it is the one on the back cover – of the girl looking through my car window. “I met her and many other children when I stopped to take photos in their village between Kargil and Zanskar in Ladakh. There was no one around when I stopped, but within minutes I was surrounded by children who appeared from nowhere. This girl - her name was Zarina I think seemed like the ringleader. When I shared some biscuits and chocolates, she took it upon herself to distribute bits to all. When I was leaving, she pressed her face against the passenger side window and I shot her in a reflex action. The interesting bit? Not a word was exchanged between due to language barriers.”

Ajay Jain's favourite picture on the back cover.

Barriers like those of language are common during such pursuits. But perhaps what is more challenging is the ability to convince people to tell their stories and get photographed. Given the socio-cultural scenarios in India, shy and orthodox cultures may be hesitant in doing so.

However, Ajay’s approach is simple. He says, “The other person is a stranger only in your own mind and heart. Be open in your approach. They will let you into their homes, offer you a meal, allow you to take their photographs. Some may have reservations about being shot - respect that.”

Ajay Jain - The Gutsy Traveller

Perhaps the personal connection is one of the reasons why each portrait in the book has a sense of intimacy to it. Each portrait has also been shot in different years and different time periods – yet there is a certain timelessness to it. Each picture is different but fits within the book like a beautiful puzzle – perhaps because of the monochrome nature of the photographs. Ajay explains that this has been a creative and a technical decision.

“B&W is also a medium that works in most conditions. When you shoot in colour, you need good natural or studio lighting. My approach to photography is to shoot anytime the subject is ready to be shot - if the lighting is not right at that moment, I cannot recreate the scene when lighting improves. B&W works well anytime; poor or low lighting also sets the right moods sometimes. It is ideal for portraits.

By eliminating colour, I chose interpretation over factual narration. I left a lot to the imagination, allowing me to inject more emotion and meaning to the image. Colour can distract. B&W photographs have a quiet, intimate feel. All attention of the viewer is drawn to what is important, allowing them to really get to know the subject, which can lend significance to mundane things. There is a greater emotional connection between the viewer and the subject,” he states.

An elderly woman in Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh.

‘Indians’ with its portraits manages to establish the sameness of all human beings, paints a vital character sketch of the country’s people. It hopes of making the country more tolerant, more accommodating of each other. This has been Ajay’s aim with the book all along. Without trying to sound too political, he says, “there has never been a more urgent need for us to realise one thing: No matter our religion, caste, language or colour, each of us is an Indian first. We are one race, after all, the rest is just conditioning, upbringing and customs. I hope we reach out to each other with a higher degree of warmth and love for each other. And I hope India become a more peaceful and a happier place to live in.”

‘Indians’ is available online and in select Indian stores.To order, click here and here.

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