"Belief as Survival”

"This series was shortlisted in the Professional category of the Sony World Photography Awards 2026, and will be exhibited in the UK and published in the Sony World Photography Awards official book."

Forest workers of the Sundarbans enter a landscape ruled by tigers and crocodiles, where there is no safety and no alternative livelihood. Before entering the forest, they perform Bonbibi Puja, believing the deity will protect them. Carrying blessed cloths, talismans, soil, and sacred objects, they rely on faith as their only form of protection. Each year, many are killed or injured in tiger and crocodile attacks. Some return wounded; others never return. These images document a reality where survival depends not on security, but on belief.
This work reflects the emotional and philosophical world of Sundarbans forest dwellers their resilience, their confrontation with danger, and their search for meaning. It is part of an ongoing, long-term body of work.