Smithsonian's Kaleidoscopic Photo Essay Captures India's Vibrant Color Traditions
A new photo essay published by Smithsonian magazine showcases 15 photographs that capture the pervasive use of vibrant colors in daily life across India. The images, taken by various photographers between 2021 and 2025, depict festivals, rituals, architecture, and everyday scenes, illustrating how colors represent cultural, spiritual, and religious themes. Highlights include a woman in a green and white sari on a blue staircase in Jodhpur, a mural in Delhi's Lodhi Art District, and a boy cleaning the sacred pool at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The essay emphasizes that color is not merely a fashion choice but a deep-rooted tradition, visible in garments, buildings, vehicles, and body art. The photographs were selected by Tracy Scott Forson, a senior editor at Smithsonian magazine, and the piece was published on the magazine's website.
Key facts
- The photo essay features 15 photographs of India.
- The photographs were taken between 2021 and 2025.
- Photographers include Jepin Krishna, Somenath Mukhopadhyay, Jobit George, Amitava Chandra, Debasis Paik, Dipak Ray, Sanjay Joshi, Arpan Basu Chowdhury, Arun Kumar Nalimela, Rumela De, Sándor Csudai, Susovan Chakraborty, Gerard Luethi, and Eugene Reshetov.
- The essay highlights festivals like Kulasai Dasara, Holi, and Chhath Puja.
- Locations include Rajasthan, West Bengal, Jodhpur, Delhi's Lodhi Art District, Madhubani, and Amritsar.
- The Golden Temple in Amritsar is mentioned.
- The essay was written by Tracy Scott Forson, senior editor at Smithsonian magazine.
- The source URL is https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/these-15-photos-saturated-with-vibrant-color-are-like-seeing-india-through-a-kaleidoscope-180989375
Entities
Artists
- Jepin Krishna
- Somenath Mukhopadhyay
- Jobit George
- Amitava Chandra
- Debasis Paik
- Dipak Ray
- Sanjay Joshi
- Arpan Basu Chowdhury
- Arun Kumar Nalimela
- Rumela De
- Sándor Csudai
- Susovan Chakraborty
- Gerard Luethi
- Eugene Reshetov
- Tracy Scott Forson
Institutions
- Smithsonian magazine
Locations
- India
- Rajasthan
- West Bengal
- Jodhpur
- Delhi
- Lodhi Art District
- Madhubani
- Amritsar
- Golden Temple