Three Harijan girls, Kutch, Gujarat 1979

Jyoti Bhatt captured this image of three young girls in Kutch, Gujarat, using photography, a medium that freezes a moment in time. Looking at it, I wonder what Bhatt was thinking, what he was hoping to convey. The black and white tones give the image a timeless quality, and the patterns on their dresses, each unique, speak volumes. The details are incredible! It’s as if Bhatt wasn’t just taking a picture, but documenting a culture, a way of life. The girls' bare feet and the simple wall behind them ground the image in reality, while their expressive eyes hint at stories untold. I admire how Bhatt balances the documentary aspect with a clear artistic vision. It reminds me of some street photography that I love from the 60s, when artists turned their attention to the everyday, finding poetry in the mundane. Photography, like painting, can be a form of embodied expression, capturing not just what is seen, but how it is felt.