• Based on my travels, this photo feature has pictures of people of India. From Ladakh in the north to Tamil Nadu in south and Manipur in the north-east. Lots of pictures of people from north-east.  

Years ago someone asked, what do people of India look like. Given our landscape and people it was difficult for me to pin point. So I always clicked pictures of people of India and hoped to compile them some day. That day has come.

When I travelled to Arunachal some students told me some Indians thought they were Chinese. So presenting pictures of North-eastern states people.

We present pictures first by region as north, north-east, south etc and within that by State. We are presenting pictures of Rajasthan separately because it is probably India’s most colourful state. End of state given album links for those who wish to see more. The number of pics by state is based on pics I have in archives and is not a reflection of my love for that state.

Rajasthan

In Nagaur Cattle Fair met this lady who saved her husband inspite of his being in the wrong. She took on many men. Relaxed on the phone later. 2013.  

At Jaisalmer Desert Festival 2013, there was for Mr. Desert. All impressive. 

At Jaisalmer Desert Festival 2013 local ladies on the main road during dance performance. 

Famous Kalbelia Dance Group Head (right) Kalunath Jogi at Sam Dunes, Jaisalmer Desert Festival. 

North-east Bharat

Arunachal Pradesh

Cute kids at the Ramakrishna Mission School, Deomali, Arunachal Pradesh. 

Cute 10th standard girl at Vivekananda Kendra School, Jirdin i.e. near Along in Arunachal Pradesh. 2013.

Teacher at VKV School Tezu in Arunachal. Lady dressed up in traditional dress. 2013. 

At Ziro. Today older ladies mainly wear nose plugs and facial tattoos. Apatani tribe. 2013. 

Manipur

Ladies at IMA or Mother’s Market in Imphal, probably India’s only all women market. 2014.

Markets sells virtually everything. A woman selling sweets. 2014. 

Sangai Festival 2014. Outside the open-air theatre. 

Sangai Festival 2014. Marriage dress of Meiti bride and groom.  

Nagaland

Hornbill Festival 2014. Girl is from Dimapur. Belongs to Kachari tribe. 

Hornbill Festival 2014. Chang tribe. 

Hornbill Festival 2014. Khiamniungan tribe. Ladies wearing long beaded necklace. 

Assam

Jhumur Dance, Guwahati. 2025. 

Bihu Dance. 

Students at Majuli. 2018.  

Sikkim

Sikkim Folk Dance Performance at Raipur, Chhatisgarh.  

Buddhist Monk with Gujarati tourist. 2024. 

Tripura 

Students of Ramakrishna Mission School, Agartala. 2014. 

North Bharat

Kashmir Valley 

Kashmiri Pandit bride. Photo from Net. Please advice on credits.

Ladakh

Enroute from Chushul to Tso-Moriri Lake. Their home was literally in the midst of nowhere. Served us lovely tea.  2016. 

Students at a school in Chushul, Ladakh i.e. close to Pangong Lake. 2016. 

Vegetable seller in Leh.  2016. 

Collage of Aryan villagers, Brokpa community, who live close to Leh. Pic by Navtej Singh. 

Jammu region

Poonch market 2014. 

Shepherd family near Reasi i.e. a couple of hours from Jammu.

Couple at Akhnoor, on the banks of the river Chenab.  

Punjab

Both work with Virat-e-Khalsa at Anandpur Sahib. 2014. 

Group at one of the Holy Sarovars at Anandpur Sahib. 2014.

Hola Mohalla festival, Anandpur Sahib. 2014.

Hola Mohalla festival, Anandpur Sahib. 2014.

Himachal Pradesh

Smiling women at Solang Valley near Manali. 

Senior Uncle from Punjab getting massage done at Mall road, Manali. 

Himachali man in traditional dress at Solang Valley. 

Uttarakhand

Girl students at Pithoragarh in Kumaon.

Cute school going students at Dharchula, Kumaon. 

Mother with daughter and daughter-in-laws at village Darkot near Munisyari, Kumaon. 

Uttar Pradesh 

At Kashi, the City of Light. Also known as Varanasi. 2013. 

At Kashi, the City of Light. Also known as Varanasi. 2013.

Holi at Vrindavan i.e. near Mathura. 2023. Pic by Rishi A.

Lucknowi Chikan outfit. 

Central Bharat

Chhattisgarh

Bastar Dussehra. Belong to Bison Horn Maria tribe. 2018. 

Bastar Dussehra. Belong to Bison Horn Maria tribe. 2018.

South Bharat

Tamil Nadu

Outside Meenakshi Temple Madurai. Selling flowers. 2016. 

On pavement next to Meenakshi Temple Madurai. Cooking. 2016.

A man celebrates 60 years with family at one of the Navagraha Temples, near Kumbakonam. 

Kerala

Thrissur Pooram festival 2014. Percussion artists in an elephant procession. 

Women praying after cooking Payasam. Attukal Pongala festival. 

Karnataka

Tulu couple from coastal Karnataka in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. They live in Western India. 

Sardars from Phagwara in Mysore Palace. 2017. 

Musicians at Mysore Dussehra. 2017. 

East Bharat

Odisha

At Kailasa Temple, Ellora in Maharashtra. Lady is from Argentina. Her dance Guru is from Odisha. 2017. 

Hozagiri Dance performance at Sangai Festival, Manipur. 2014.  

Women in Tattoos, somewhere in rural Odisha. Lady in front from Delhi. 

West Bengal

Gujarati man, lady from Kumaon. Both from Kolkata-speak Bengali fluently. 

Part of Bengali wedding ritual. 

West Bharat

Gujarat

At Bhujodi in Kutch. 2018. 

Dandiya at Baroda. 

Family from Amdavad at Salt Desert, Kutch. 2018. 

Maharashtra

Ganesh Chaturthi. Laxmi road, Pune. Pic by Sudhir Nazare.

Kathi Holi 2020 near Nandurbar. Bearded man is originally from Bengal. 

Kathi Holi 2020 near Nandurbar. Community dresses up like this to appease Goddess Holika. 

Kuchipudi Dance performance at Elephanta Festival 2011. Lady is originally from Andhra Pradesh, performing in Maharahtra and living in Delhi.  

Haldi Festival, village Kodoli near Kolhapur. Note Turban style and look in his eyes.

Hope you like. All pictures are copyright www.esamskriti.com. This article should not be re-published without written permission of esamskriti.com

To see various albums on People of India