Raghu Rai's Lens Captured India's Turbulent Transformation

Raghu Rai, the Indian photojournalist who died last month at 83, documented India's post-independence upheaval through his camera. His 2015 book "Picturing Time" compiles fifty years of work, including the iconic "Burial of an Unknown Child" from the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy, the deadliest industrial disaster in history, which killed about 3,000 people and still affects half a million. Rai began his career at the Hindustan Times, later joined Magnum at Henri Cartier-Bresson's invitation, and worked as photo editor at India Today. He photographed figures like Mother Teresa, Satyajit Ray, and the Dalai Lama. His practice was rooted in the Hindu concept of "darshan," seeking complete awareness of reality. His photos, such as "Chaiwala, Delhi–Mumbai train" and "Back in Power" featuring Indira Gandhi, capture both everyday life and prescient warnings of violence, like the 1992 Ayodhya mosque destruction. The book's power lies in its immersive, timeless quality, exemplified by "Monsoon Downpour in Delhi" (1984).