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In this archive story we are meeting Real life in India in Uttar Pradesh, India.
Read the background story of this archive photo by the photographer. |
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In a quiet village near Varanasi, a young boy steps out of his simple clay home, carrying the calm of everyday life with him. The narrow paths, modest houses and open courtyards tell the story of a community shaped by tradition and simplicity. From the worn walls of homes to the dusty lanes, this scene reflects the authentic experiences of countless communities across India, providing a true glimpse into real life in India.
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Real life India
India is often portrayed through its colors, chaos and iconic landmarks – but beyond the surface lies a quieter, more authentic reality. To truly understand the soul of the country, you have to step away from the cities and into its villages, where life unfolds in its most genuine form. Beyond the crowded cities and iconic landmarks, the true essence of India lives quietly in its villages. Here, life unfolds at a different pace – unfiltered, raw and deeply authentic. As a photographer, stepping into rural India is like entering a world untouched by performance or pretense.
How many people in India live in villages?
77 percent of the Indian population lives in villages and that these people live in 640,000 communities throughout India. Of these villages, 50 percent also show that they have less than 500 residents. |
Real life in India
In the villages, mornings begin with soft light over dusty paths, the sound of animals stirring and families gathering around simple routines that have remained unchanged for generations. There is beauty in the ordinary – women carrying water in vibrant 'Saris', farmers working the land with practiced hands, children playing freely without distraction.
What makes rural India so powerful through the lens is its honesty. There are no staged moments – only real lives being lived. Faces tell stories of resilience, warmth and tradition. Every wrinkle, every smile, every glance carries meaning.
"Photographing village life in India is not just about capturing images – it is about witnessing a way of life that reflects deep cultural roots and human connection. It reminds us that authenticity does not need embellishment – it already exists, quietly and profoundly, in the everyday"
Indian villages
In themselves, they are as different as the villages of Europe. Depending on the landscape, climatic zone, tribal or religious affiliation and type of farming their appearance is different. In the Himalayas, for instance, individual farms and hamlets are to be found. Large communities, which consist of many individual parts of the village, are mainly in southern India. Many villages are not a closed unit and a visit to the neighboring village is often necessary because there is only one particular craftsman or the next school. Villages in India are linked by family relationships, as is rarely married within a village.
Most villagers also have to travel to the next town every now and then. On market days they sell their agricultural or craft products there. Here are post office, school, hospital, offices, shops, police, cinema, bank and bus or train station. The city is also on the radio and television, which there are more and more, in the village. Meanwhile, 50 percent of the villages are connected to the power grid and in agriculture with wheat and rice cultivation and in crafts, there is not enough work due to the large population growth. The big farmers and rice mills need less and less daily laborers through the use of machines. Because of the great poverty many people, especially men, move to the cities and hope to find work there. Since most are illiterate and have no vocational training, they often have a hard time and have to live in Urban slums in India.
Village life in India
India is home to some of the most beautiful villages in the world. While many people may think of India as a rapidly developing nation, the country is still home to many traditional villages. Village life in India is full of culture and tradition and it is an important part of the Indian lifestyle. Villages in India tend to be tightly knit communities. People living in the same village will often be related to each other and will have strong ties to the village. People in the village will often come together to help each other, whether it be with farming, childcare or other tasks. There is a strong sense of community in Indian villages and people often rely on each other for support.
Traditional customs and beliefs
The villages of India remain a vital part of the country's identity and culture. Despite the challenges that rural India faces, its unique culture and way of life remain an integral part of the Indian experience. Villages in India are characterized by low levels of literacy, poor infrastructure and limited access to basic services. However, they are also home to vibrant local cultures, with festivals and ceremonies that bring the community together.
The traditional way of life in Indian villages is also an important part of village life and people living in the village will often follow traditional customs and beliefs. Families will often live in small homes and many people will still practice traditional farming methods. People will also often wear traditional clothing and practice traditional customs and people will often gather together to celebrate festivals, births and other special occasions. Many villages also have traditional music and dance, which are an important part of village life. People in the village will often gather together to perform traditional songs and dances.
"Village life in India is an important part of Indian culture and it is a great way to experience traditional life in India. Villages in India are largely self-sufficient, with the majority of the population engaged in agricultural and related activities like fishing and animal husbandry. Villagers depend on local resources for their livelihood. They grow their own food and sell the surplus in local markets and have their own unique culture, customs and traditions. Each village has a particular pattern of social organization, with families and clans forming the basis of the village community, where they have their own language, dialects and customs"
Improvements to the quality of life in rural India
The Indian government has undertaken a number of initiatives to improve the quality of life in rural India. These include schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, which provides roads and connectivity to remote villages and the 'Swachh Bharat Abhiyan', which aims to improve sanitation and hygiene and the 'Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana', which provides electricity to rural areas.
Village life in India is very different to that in Denmark, where the Photographer is from. People live there in very simple relationships and work hard to earn money to earn and many find work in their own fields, others practice skilled occupations, such as in pottery, blacksmith or joinery. Some families also have their own business with which they finance themselves. Not only adults need a lot of hard work but also the children often have to help for several hours at a young age. Your tasks are often to guard one's own cows and goats. In spite of all that, there is a lot of poverty in the villages in India, as can be seen from the fact that most houses consist exclusively of clay and the inhabitants have only the bare essentials.
"Real India is not something you arrive at with a plan – it slowly reveals itself in the quiet moments, in the spaces between what you expect and what you actually see. In the villages, nothing is staged, nothing is performed for the camera. Life simply unfolds and as a photographer, you learn that your role is not to direct, but to observe, respect and wait for the truth to appear on its own"
See this video about village life in Uttar Pradesh made by Real Life India.
Patience and humility in the countryside of India
"- In the villages of India, photography becomes something else entirely. It's no longer about creating an image, but about witnessing a reality that exists completely independent of you. Every face, every movement, every glance carries a story that doesn't need explanation – only patience and humility to be seen. The more I traveled into rural India, the more I realized that authenticity can't be chased – it has to be felt. The images I captured were never about perfect composition or ideal light, but about presence. About standing still long enough for people to forget the camera and for real life – raw, imperfect and beautiful – to continue as it always has", the Photographer says.
"- There is a quiet honesty in rural India that you can't recreate or direct. You see it in the worn hands of a farmer, in the rhythm of daily routines, in the way people look at you without expectation. As a photographer, you begin to understand that the most powerful images are not taken – they are given. I went to India to take photos, but what I found in the villages was something much deeper. A reminder that the world doesn't need to be framed perfectly to be meaningful. Sometimes, the most authentic moments happen when you stop trying to capture something extraordinary and simply allow the ordinary to exist in front of your lens", the Photographer says again.
Read also: Colorful India photography
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India is a land full of stories. On every street, on every corner and in the many places in India, life is rushing by you as a photographer with millions of stories to be told. In the archive story above, you hopefully had a readable insight in the story that was behind the photo of a village boy in Varanasi. On this website of Kristian Bertel | Photography you can find numerous travel pictures from the photographer. Stories and moments that tell the travel stories of how the photographer captured the specific scene that you see in the picture. The photographer's images have a story behind them, images that all are taken from around India throughout his photo journeys. The archive stories delve into Kristian's personal archive to reveal never-before-seen, including portraits and landscapes beautifully produced snapshots from various travel assignments. The archive is so-far organized into photo stories, this one included, each brought to life by narrative text and full-color photos. Together, these fascinating stories tell a story about the life in India. India, the motherland to many people around the world, a land of unforgetable travel moments. The archive takes viewers on a spectacular visual journey through some of the most stunning photographs to be found in the photographer's archive collection. The photographer culled the images to reflect the many variations on the universal theme of beauty and everyday life in India. By adding these back stories the photographer's work might immensely enhanced the understanding of the photographs.
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