A gentle drizzle followed a mid-summer downpour. The intoxicating scent of petrichor lifted my spirits.
I was returning home from another Bharatanatyam performance by my daughter. The stage and atmosphere of Lalaland 2025 were unlike any we had witnessed before.
This was a cultural festival with the intent of bringing 'the Magic of India' to the Netherlands. The concept is simple - freethinking, creativity, diversity, and 'Vashudaiva Kutumbakam' (the world is one family') will be celebrated. Instead of open stages or closed halls, there were tents scattered across Ruigoord. A bonfire was lit right in the midst of it all.
She moved nimbly towards the fire, unfazed by the heat. A few minutes passed, and I thought, “Any minute now. She’ll run sheepishly back to me as usual; away from the elements and those glaring eyes.”
Instead, I watched her adopt a playful stance. I cannot place it clearly, but deep within her or perhaps through my lens, I saw a change take shape. Her transformation was truly complete in either way.
Note: Original image upscaled with AI for uploading to print quality
Colour profile: sRGB IEC61966-2.1
Created by Rajesh Narayanan with support from AI.
I am a photographer with a liking for landscape and event photography. Owing to my family's interests I am mostly active at music and cricketing scenes in The Netherlands. Occasionally, when I get to travel I am very happy to try street and night photography as well.
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