The man was slumped in a chair in a deserted aisle

Man in pathway
Man sitting in the aisle

In a narrow passageway that looked more like a shortcut than a street, a single plastic chair sat alone. Slumped in it was a man, his body sagging against the wall as if he were a cicada clinging to bark. It was hard to tell whether his eyes were closed or simply gazing skyward.

There was a gate further back — the kind that suggests some sort of authority — so I assumed he was a guard. But his presence didn’t convey vigilance. It felt more like he was simply meant to be there. In India, I’ve come across many such roles — where presence seems to matter more than duty, and where the act of simply existing holds its own quiet purpose.

Kolkata on Google Map
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Feb 2012 IN THE CITY INDIA

PHOTO DATA

No

6142

Shooting Date

Jun 2011

Posted On

February 6, 2012

Modified On

June 20, 2025

Place

Kolkata, India

Genre

Street Photography

Camera

CANON EOS 1V

Lens

EF85MM F1.2L II USM

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