In contrast to the boys, the girl seemed frightened

Walking through the eastern Indian town of Malda, I came across three children standing against a faded wall. Two boys grinned with unguarded ease, striking confident poses for my camera. Beside them, however, a timid girl clung lightly to one boy’s sleeve, her gaze tense and uncertain. The contrast between her anxious expression and the boys’ carefree camaraderie turned the shabby wall into the backdrop for an impromptu portrait that lingered in my memory.

Malda has long been known for its textiles and mangoes, a town woven into the history of Bengal itself. Stroll through its alleys and children will often rush up, eager to be photographed, their enthusiasm as much a part of the street life as the dust and chatter. Yet not every child reacts the same. Like the timid girl in my picture, some hesitate before the foreigner’s lens, unsure how to meet its gaze. It is nothing unusual—rather, it feels like the most natural response of all. Anyway, the two boys and one girl lined up and let us take their photo.

Malda on Google Map

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