Young Woman’s Photoshoot in Waterlogged Streets of Bihar Goes Viral
Photographer Saurav Anuraj desired to offer a different take to the already grim situation in the state. His photographs capture a young girl posing in a red dress, smiling in the waterlogged streets of Patna.
Uninterrupted rain caused havoc in the state capital of Patna since last Friday. Various localities in Patna have been submerged under water including Rajendra Nagar where Bihar’s deputy chief minister was stranded. Around 49 people lost their lives due to heavy downpour. There has been some respite however from the continuous rain this Monday.
That said, photographer Saurav Anuraj desired to offer a different take to the already grim situation in the state. His photographs capture a young girl posing in a red dress, smiling in the waterlogged streets of Patna.
The young girl in the picture is Aditi Singh, a student of the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT).
Saurav was probably aware that his offbeat take on the sad situation could create a stir among the public, therefore, he chose to post these lines on Facebok, “Photoshoot bas Patna ke current situation ko dikhane ke liye kiya gyaa hai isko galat way me na le (This photoshoot was done to show the current situation in Patna. Don't take it in the wrong sense).”
Take a look:
These images received a mixed response from followers. There were some who felt that the photographs were not captured in good taste. They felt that it didn’t capture the “seriousness of the situation.” One commented, “You cannot romanticise or glorify a natural calamity.” Another wrote, “After you're done with the photoshoot, do find some time to help those in need.”
There were others who sided with the photographer. “Creativity doesn’t need approval” said one follower. Another said, “Lot of people criticized..... But I can say only one thing... after this photoshoot Patna flood came in news...”
After receiving all the brickbats from critics, Saurav explained that sharing depressing pictures doesn’t make the situation any better especially in a state like Bihar that receives the least attention. He said, “Whatever happens in Bihar no one cares and that is why I shot this.” His aim to do the photoshoot was to draw attention to the conditions in Bihar and he believed that this photoshoot would help him achieve that result. He revealed that after this photoshoot many outsiders came forward to help.
Saurav’s pictures add a ray of light; bring a smile and hope during a dark period where thousands of people have been affected by the savage floods. The good part is that the photographer was successful in drawing attention and getting aid from outsiders.