“I’m Sanjay Das, and photography has been part of my life for years. My uncle was a photographer, and though I didn’t realise it at the time, that must have left an impression on me. But it was during my years at Delhi College of Art, where I studied Fine Arts, that my interest in photography turned into something deeper. Over the past thirty years, my camera has been my way of seeing and understanding the world—capturing people, places, and moments that might otherwise fade away.

It started with walking around Delhi, clicking pictures of streets and everyday life. I travelled beyond the city, looking for stories in new places. But the real turning point came in the later stages of my life. I was at a photography exhibition when I suddenly realised something—while Kolkata had been extensively documented, much of West Bengal hadn’t. That thought stayed with me, and that evening, I made a decision: I would photograph West Bengal, district by district, as completely as I could.

That journey led me to the terracotta temples of West Bengal. These temples, built as early as the 15th century, tell stories through their intricate carvings—scenes from the Ramayana, the Mahabharata, and the life of Krishna. Some are dedicated to Shiva, others to Narayan or Krishna. They are spread across what was once Bengal, now divided into West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Bangladesh, but my focus has always been on West Bengal.

For the past 13 years, I’ve travelled across the state, documenting not just temples but also its crafts, festivals, and traditions—many of which are slowly disappearing. With cities changing rapidly, many of these traditions are now only found in villages. The more I travelled, the more I saw how much was on the verge of being forgotten—rituals, art forms, craftsmanship. But for me, photography isn’t just about capturing images. It’s about recording stories.

Gaining the trust of the people I photograph hasn’t always been easy. At first, many were hesitant, unsure of why I was there. But patience goes a long way. Over time, I’ve built relationships, gained access to places few outsiders see, and had the chance to document moments that might have otherwise gone unnoticed.

I learned photography in the darkroom, working with film reels where every frame mattered. With just 36 shots per roll, there was no room for waste. That discipline has stayed with me, even in the digital age. I still believe in taking fewer but more meaningful photographs.

For me, photography has never been about fancy equipment. A camera is just a tool. What really matters is knowing how to see—finding beauty in things that are often overlooked, spotting history in an old wall, or catching a fleeting expression on someone’s face.

Art has always been at the centre of my home. My wife is a painter, my son makes documentary films. While I usually travel alone, they join me when they can, and each of us tells stories in our own way. My parents always encouraged my creative side, and that support allowed me to balance my career in advertising with my passion for photography.

For over 35 years, I’ve worked in advertising, mostly with hotels and travel companies, designing brochures, catalogues, and exhibitions. Work has taken me across India, sometimes abroad, but my heart has always remained here, documenting the untold stories of my own country.

Exhibitions are an important part of what I do. My photographs are displayed in galleries, sometimes bought for private collections, sometimes placed in spaces where they spark curiosity. Selling a photograph is always a little bittersweet. Each one holds a moment I’ve lived, but if it makes someone pause and look closer, then I know I’ve done my part.

I want to keep documenting India’s heritage, one frame at a time, before it disappears. If my photographs can make people notice what we’re losing, then this journey has been worthwhile.”

• Sanjay Das, Photographer & Designer