Women of India

In my three months traversing India, covering 1811 kilometers on foot, I encountered myriad of women—mothers, wives, sisters, grandmas, widows, aunts. All engaged in countless tasks, from carrying water jugs to plowing fields, tending to babies, milking cows, teaching in universities, participating in construction work, managing shops.

Some exuded warmth, talkativeness, and humor, while others displayed a more reserved, serious demeanor—occasionally wary of the unfamiliar sight of a foreigner with a long beard, a hefty backpack, a lengthy stick, and a camera. In certain states, women appeared more liberated, while in others, societal norms seemed to impose greater constraints.

Adorned in vibrant attire, projecting both fierceness and sweetness, maintaining dignity even in toil—many refrained from making eye contact or engaging in conversation, driven by innate modesty. Consequently, for the majority of my three months traversing India, my experience was predominantly marked by masculine energy, with an intangible barrier between us. However, there were fortunate instances where I managed to earn their trust and dismantle that barrier. A sparkle, a smile, an evanescent connection now forever immortalized in a portrait.

This collection of images is a tribute to the remarkable women encountered on my pilgrimage and to Shakti*, the divine feminine energy they embodied.

[*Shakti is a term frequently used in Hinduism to denote divine feminine energy, which assumes various forms in Hindu mythology, such as Kali, Durga, Parvati, and Tripura Sundari, each embodying different aspects of Shakti.]