How a Bengal Photographer is Bridging the Urban-Rural Divide through Clicks

In the recent photo series, which focuses on the ongoing monsoon season, Anjan Ghosh has captured children playing in the mud, running across fields, and more. It is part of his usual journey, where he visits the slum areas in the rural regions of West Bengal; sometimes, along with NGOs, and sometimes independently. What remains common is a camera in his hand, through which he captures portraits of people and their lives in rural, tribal, and slum communities.

Ghosh has been capturing the raw beauty and contrasts of rural monsoon life for a long time. On the recent photo series, the 50-year-old says, “The contrast is that, as much as rural monsoons include the sights of children playing joyfully in the rain, soaking up every drop with laughter and freedom, there is much more to the rural monsoons.” 

Painting a contrasting picture, Ghosh adds, “Heavy rains flood village roads, making transportation and daily life very difficult.” The artist captures all as an act of highlighting the true peek into Bengal’s rural lives. 

West Bengal has been experiencing heavy rainfall since mid-June this year. Through an artist’s lens like Ghosh’s, “Even in those moments of struggle, there’s resilience. Once the rain stops, life slowly returns to normal, and that transition is something I find deeply moving. My photographs aim to show both the delight and the plight of monsoon—a season full of emotion, rhythm, and powerful stories.”

This Kolkata-based photographer, who has spent a considerable amount of time photographing rural scenes and people’s portraits, once organised a photo exhibition for the community upon realising how happy the slum dwellers were about their clicks. “Many would rush over to see their photo on my camera screen, smiling with pure excitement. That moment made me realise something important—everyone deserves to be seen.”

Not only did Gosh organise the photo exhibition in the heart of the slum, but also displayed the portraits I had taken, and at the end of the day, gifted each person their printed photograph. “For many of them, it was the first time they had ever seen a printed picture of themselves. Some even told me they had never owned a photo of themselves before,” he recalls. 

Childhood experiences leading to accreditations

Anjan Ghosh has been awarded more than fifty times in prestigious photography contests worldwide and has also showcased his work at the International Art Exhibition “Retro Kolkata - Kolkata, India, as a special judge, international photographer in 2024, Eikon Culture Visual Reflections International photo exhibition, Italy, in 2021, has participated in Cultural exhibition Face of Us in Cologn, Germany in 2020, and has many such accreditations and achievements to his name. 

It is not so difficult to assume how Ghosh would have developed an interest in capturing the rural life, who was born in Barrackpore, just 24 km from Kolkata and grew up amidst the natural surroundings. He recounts his childhood days and says, “Whenever I travelled through the nearby areas, I was surrounded by beautiful ponds, lush nature, and emotional glimpses of village life.”

Growing up, Ghosh would often spend his free time riding his bicycle from one village to another. “I didn’t realise it then, but I was deeply fascinated by rural life—the simplicity, the emotions, the rhythm of everyday moments. That quiet connection gradually turned into a passion for documenting these lives and landscapes through photography,” he adds. 

Recently, Ghosh also released ‘Let Me Fly’, the premium coffee table book, which, as per him, has found its place in the hands of photography lovers, along with educators, artists, and social researchers. However, what it has done best is share a glimpse of rural landscapes with those unfamiliar with rural or tribal life. “Many have shared that the book made them feel connected to the people and moments inside—especially those unfamiliar with rural or tribal life.”

Eying and the eye for social change

It is no surprise that Bengal has produced many artists since time immemorial, and the additions to the list are another never-ending trail. However, aiming to create awareness and connection among citizens through the medium of art and storytelling shall never be unnoticed, and Ghosh is yet another example.

Ghosh aims to bridge the gap between the villages and the cities through his photographs. “Many people do not know what life is like in these communities—how resilient, rich, and layered it is,” he says, adding that there are various layers to rural Bengal. “The vibrant traditions, the everyday struggles, the unspoken stories in people’s eyes, and the bond between humans and nature are evident.”

Ghosh is of the view that when city dwellers see these images, it can open hearts and minds, sometimes leading to respect, support, or even policy change. “The richness of folklore, silent resilience of elders, seasonal rituals, and inner worlds of tribal communities—these are vast and ever-evolving.”

As much as Ghosh upholds this view and aims to give it all to accelerate the social change through visuals, the worldly reality of inefficient livelihood related to his passion holds him back. He is also a corporate employee who keeps his passion sustainable. But can his photography passion ever be sustainable? “There is growing demand in fields like weddings, fashion, product, and commercial photography. But for documentary or art photography, the journey can be slower and more challenging,” he says. 

What is still to see is that it does not deter Ghosh, who is already on the voyage to document and display what is important. “Photography, when honest and human, can be a mirror to society—and sometimes, that reflection can lead to meaningful change,” he says.