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#NoVisa — A life in India 1
A luminescent firefly rests on a man’s hand, while a lamp casts a warm glow in the background
Allow me to begin this series with the first photograph I took in Chennai. It was in November 2011, the monsoon was drenching the land (but I have always loved the monsoon, I had just arrived in India, how special it felt). The image shows a desk, a computer, a lamp. The laptop’s wallpaper displays a firefly on a man’s hand (not mine). The luminescent, soft-bodied insect echoes the soft glow emitted by the lamp. I remember this atmosphere, how I needed it to be as comforting, as protecting as possible.
Moving to India meant venturing into unknown territories. Although a seasoned traveller, I had always carefully avoided that country. No real reason, just a feeling reinforced by a night-long journey in Indonesia. I had hopped on the first train leaving Jakarta, with a 2nd class ticket (there also was a 3rd class). The sole purpose of this adventure was to witness the sunrise, sitting in silence between the stupas of the Borobudur temple. Stepping foot on the platform in Jogjakarta, I knew that India would be even more difficult and, thus, to be avoided.
Fast-forward two decades and there I was, sitting at a desk in Chennai, India. I had signed up for a 4-month contract, I had just arrived, I stayed for 5 years.
