I have had a long association with exceptionally talented photographers. Raghu Rai, of course, is the presiding deity, having achieved national and international fame as India’s leading lensman. I had the privilege of collaborating with him on a book, ‘Raghu Rai’s Delhi’, where I wrote a long introductory text to his photographs. Raghu’s collection of pictures is vast. Now in his 80s, there is hardly any event of significance in the last few decades which he has not chronicled with his camera. These days he is trying to create a systematic archive of his collection. Let me add that he does not easily part with his pictures. One has to be a good friend or very lucky to receive a copy of his photographs where you figure, and I have gratefully been an occasional beneficiary of this largesse.

I have also collaborated with another gifted photographer, Sondeep Shankar. This was for our book titled ‘Mansions at Dusk: The Havelis of Old Delhi’. For almost a year Sondeep and I spent every weekend or holiday in the old city trying to capture the fast-fading glory of these beautiful structures which were animated by a distinct architectural philosophy and aesthetic. Our task had a certain urgency to it, since old havelis in Shahjahanabad were either crumbling into ruin, or even worse, being demolished. Sondeep’s strength is his painstaking dedication and his capacity for hard work.

My association with Bandeep started with the many portraits he has taken of me. With his ready smile and transparent humility, he possesses an uncanny ability to put his ‘objects’ at ease, capturing a characteristic in his portraits that is startlingly unusual and often takes his subjects by surprise. His exhibition of the Naga Sadhus brings this out in a truly remarkable way.

Hinduism is an amazingly picturesque religion in its practice, rituals, and esoteric diversities. A captivating aspect of this vast canvas is the Naga Sadhus. These Sadhus are Hindu ascetics who renounce worldly pleasures and dedicate their lives to spirituality. Often stark naked, they are known for the smeared ash or bhasm on their bodies, matted locks, mystical practices and devotion to Lord Shiva. At the opening of the exhibition, standing next to Bandeep was a tall and majestic Naga Sadhu holding a striking silver trishul in his hand. He was Bhupinder Singh from the Niranjani Akhara.

Bandeep first saw him at the Kumbh in Prayagraj in 2013, standing naked, talking on the phone. He seemed completely at ease with himself, shorn of all inhibition. That was the trigger for Bandeep’s decade-long interest in the Naga Sadhus. For the 2019 Kumbh, he got an invitation from the Juna Akhara of this sect to photograph their lives. At this year’s Kumbh, he continued his relentless visual journey with them. The exhibition, consisting of 35 iconic photographs of these Sadhus, is a culmination of this research.

In an era where the digital revolution has made photography accessible to all, Singh’s work stands as a reminder of the importance of craftsmanship. His meticulous attention to detail, his mastery of light and composition and his unwavering commitment to his vision are what elevate his work from the ordinary to the extraordinary. In a world where everyone is a photographer, Singh is an artist.

In the hands of an ordinary photographer, a camera is just a tool. In the hands of Bandeep Singh, it is a magic wand, capable of transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary, the mundane into the sublime. And in this transformation lies the true power of his art—the power to make us see, to make us feel, and, ultimately, to make us believe in the beauty of the world around us.

Bandeep believes he is blessed by the Naga Sadhus. My view is that Naga Sadhus are also lucky to have someone of his calibre to chronicle their elusive and mystic lives.

Pavan K Varma is author, diplomat, and former Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha). The views expressed are personal