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Candid Festival & Faith Photography

byManya UpadhyayTravels for documentary projects across IndiaStarts from₹2,500 per bundle of 5 imagesView full gallery

I do not stage festivals. I wait for the moment where devotion meets raw reality, whether it is the chaotic visarjan in Mumbai or the solemn smoke of the Banaras ghats.

The sheer energy of the Ganesh Chaturthi visarjan in Mumbai. I get right into the middle of the crowd to document the scale of devotion and celebration as thousands of people come together.

A video showcasing the different, massive avatars of Ganpati idols during the Mumbai festival procession. Each one is a unique work of art, surrounded by devoted followers.

The final moments of the Ganpati visarjan. This video captures the bittersweet feeling of the 'hardest goodbye' as devotees bid farewell to Bappa for another year.

A compilation of moments from the Ganpati festival, from my own journey to the event to the grand arrival of the idols. It shows the personal and public scale of the celebration.

The grand reveal of a Ganpati idol in a pandal. The changing lights and the crowd of devotees with their phones up capture the modern-day worship experience.

A scene from the Manikarnika Ghat in Banaras during Pitrpaksh. I document these profound rituals of life and death from a distance, capturing the smoke, the crowd, and the solemn atmosphere of moksh.

A cremation pyre burns at the ghats of Banaras. My documentary approach is to observe these sacred rites without intrusion, focusing on the environment and the collective gathering.

People walk along the steps of the Banaras ghats, with smoke from funeral pyres in the background. This image shows the continuous cycle of life and ritual by the Ganges.

A wide shot of the cremation ghats, enveloped in smoke. This captures the scale of the rituals during Pitrpaksh, with a stray dog resting nearby, indifferent to the human activity.

A crow stands beside a floral offering left during Pitrpaksh at Yamuna Ghat. In Hindu tradition, crows are considered ancestors, and this shot captures the moment it arrives to partake in the 'bhog'.

About Festivals & Faith

When you hire me for a festival shoot, I will not ask you to look into the camera or hold a smile. I am there to capture the dhunuchi smoke, the visarjan crowd, or the silent rituals. You get a visual story of what actually happened, not a staged recreation. I shoot candidly, so the images reflect the genuine chaos and peace of the event.

Documenting rituals across Delhi, Mumbai, Banaras. — Approved by the tribe
M

Manya Upadhyay

Travels for documentary projects across IndiaStarts from ₹2,500 per bundle of 5 images

I am Manya, a photographer who treats every festival like a story waiting to be told. I do not care for rules or forced smiles, just the honest, raw energy of your traditions. My camera is basically my third eye, chasing that main character energy in every ritual.

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