The first thing that caught my eye through the lens was the expressionless girl standing between them

Man in a sombrero — The man who showed me the way and the woman and girl who happened to be there

I wandered into a narrow alleyway in Mumbai just as the afternoon sun was filtering through the gaps between buildings. I had thought I’d stepped into a quieter pocket of the city, away from the usual chaos — but within just a few steps, my sense of orientation began to dissolve. The alleys twisted in ways no map could capture, and it quickly became impossible to tell which direction led where.

That’s when he appeared — a shirtless man with a wide smile. Perhaps he sensed that I was lost, because without saying much, he gestured down a side street, pointing the way. I gave a slight nod and started to move on, but he stopped, standing tall and grinning as if to say, “Take the photo.”

Just before I pressed the shutter, a woman happened to pass by and spontaneously joined him, smiling naturally. She hadn’t planned to be in the frame, but she seemed happy to share in the moment, to enjoy the coincidence of being there.

And yet, it was the small girl standing between them who first caught my eye through the lens. While the man and woman beamed with joy, the child stood still, almost expressionless, gazing directly into the camera. Her quiet presence, framed by two joyful figures, felt strangely powerful — as if she alone was untouched by the noise of the moment.

Mumbai on Google Map

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