Whiskers & Wishes

As the saying goes, India is not for beginners. But having been born there and having lived through my early teenage years, I thought I was well-versed in navigating the contrasts the country had to offer. I believed I had seen it all—until that morning on College Street, Kolkata.

A small girl approached me—not to beg, but to make a simple request: food for herself and her pet. It took me a moment to fully grasp what she was holding—a mongoose, nestled in her arms, sniffing the air with wary curiosity.

Still caught in the wonder of it all, I nodded and obliged, buying her some kachoris as she peered gleefully at the glass counter, marveling at the sheer size of the sweets on display.

In the end, I asked if I could take a few pictures. And as I released the shutter, letting my camera trace the outlines of this unlikely pair, I realized that this was perhaps the most complete untold story I had captured in my photography journey yet.

In the grand theater of India's streets, where the improbable is merely routine, I felt a quiet thrill in capturing this rare bond. A fleeting moment amidst the everyday chaos