POSTCARDS
Dalat was established in French colonial times as a highland retreat from the tropical heat of southern VietnamBody painting is a mainstay of Shiva Gajan festivities, while a few devotees take things further by undergoing piercings
Avijit Ghosh is based in Kolkata
and spent four days in Sona PalasiJohannes Kruse, a student, spent
three weeks exploring VietnamExploring Vietnam, I took a night
bus from Hoi An to Dalat, and set
out exploring. I soon found
myself on a bridge, looking down
at a busy market where people
moved like ants below. The street
was so narrow, yet motorbikes
drove in both directions as
pedestrians zigzagged through
traffic, buying groceries on their
way. This photo takes me back to
that exact spot – I can smell the
spices, hear the honking horns,
and feel the atmosphere. Every
time I look at it, I find new things
I didn’t notice before.DALAT, VIETNAM
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In April, two friends and
I visited the village of Sona Palasi
to see Shiva Gajan, a week-long
religious festival held across West
Bengal. During the festival,
sanyasi (hermits) are adorned in
the state’s various unique styles of
body painting. Despite the day’s
39°C heat, local people were busy
painting sanyasi, and the colours,
sunlight and mud-built houses
made for a beautiful environment.
I took this shot as the light fell
directly onto one sanyasi,
enriching his face painting – and
creating a special shot.WEST BENGAL, INDIA
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