Jyotik Bhachech

Photographer

Where were you born and where do you live now?

I was born and brought up and currently stay in Ahmedabad, Gujarat in the western part of India.

What do you like about India, and what would you like to see changed?

I like the dynamism of life and people in India. India has an amalgam of culture, religion, technology, and architecture, and every thing survives in its own manner. The streets of my country are my favourite places. When I walk around, I see people in their own livelihood. They carry their own attire. An attire of emotions and personality to come up each day. India is all about diversity. I would like to see changes in preservation of historical monuments, a justified use of technology and more work to be done on developing humanity and respect for art.

I have never been to India, but several of my friends have visited. They loved it, but when they returned home, they felt depressed for a while because of the extreme poverty they saw. However, many of your photographs convey a sense of joy. What is the prevailing feeling and outlook of the people around you?

People have all kinds of emotions here. Keeping aside my patriotic feeling for my country, I neutrally see about what my images could reflect. Do they reflect a sense of happiness, satisfaction, a sense of belongingness as a human being? I always feel that a photograph makes one connected to oneself. If we search for poverty, our camera will capture it; if we seek joy, our lens will make those images. It is how we see things happening – the perspective behind the images in a poor man’s home or his gesture on street or elsewhere is what matters to me.

How did you get into photography?

I used to make drawings and paintings. But they seemed so static and so imaginary. So I initially bought a compact digicam around 2010 or so and started making pictures in my room and surroundings. This exploration with my camera and experiencing life in each moment made me more inclined towards photography. I am passionate about it. My mind gets new forms of inputs and new experiences each time I move with my camera along the streets.

What do you do for work, and how do you feel about your work?

I am a psychiatrist by profession. I work with clients having some or the other psychological issues and with people under stress. I try to explore their mind and find out the best possible solution. I love my work, as it fulfills my basic wish of exploration. I also love talking with people and know more about how situations impact a human mind. I like to know how the mind develops its own processes to help a person.

When I interviewed Mercedes (page 56), she said it was easy to find inspiration in India because it is so different from her own life. However, it is often difficult to find inspiration in her own city. Are the people and scenes you photograph interesting to you? Or are they just normal everyday life that you think someone else might find interesting?

There are many people around here. Not everyone is interesting. As a photographer I need to capture emotions to which people can relate. I cannot photograph everything that comes in front of my eye. I try to find positive gestures in chaos or a crowd. Very small moments unseen between many things. I do not know about whether someone might be interested or not. It is an instinct that keeps me moving around Ahmedabad to discover the greatest gift to humans, i.e., life.

Why are there so many cows everywhere?

Cows are an integral part of the Indian community and culture. Cows are a part of society. We respect and accept their existence. Yes, they are stray animals, yet respected in terms of food, religion, and life. Also, a few people in the city still own so many cattle at home which are often moving around their residence. A few of my images reflect the "urban cow" – existence of the cow in city streets.

Mercedes also said that many religions blend together so peacefully in India. She feels like there is more acceptance of other religions in India than there is here in America. Do you feel like people are really accepting of other religions, or is there any unspoken discrimination? And how would a Hindu family feel if their child decided to convert to Islam or Christianity or decided not to practice any religion?

This is a very interesting area. I feel religion and culture was there in India ages long. With science, technology, and development in terms of business and education, there is a lot of amalgam. People are now focused on work and development. Acceptance is a virtue. Indians are so very democratic to enjoy each festival of each religion. Atheist ideology also exists here. "We are harmony-loving emotional people. So we don’t mind anyone’s ideology." This is what an Indian thinks in India.

What do you dream of doing in the future?

In the future, I would like to work more on street photography or documentary. Maybe in my city at first and then exploring other cultures as well. The world is so big enough and full of life. When you search for life, life comes back to you with a new gift. I consider this gift to be creativity. With this creativity, I make images and make the connection stronger.

Follow Jyotik on Instagram @bhachechart