Kochi is a city shaped by the sea, where coastlines, cultures, and centuries flow into one another. It’s a place where Hindu temples, churches, mosques, and a centuries-old synagogue stand within walking distance—each echoing its own rhythm, each shaping the everyday lives of the people who call this city home.

During my visit, I walked its streets, ferried between islands, and wandered through markets, courtyards, and quiet neighborhoods—photographing strangers whose faces held warmth, memory, and quiet resilience. Some were shopkeepers, others elders resting on stone steps, children playing by the water, or commuters lost in thought.

Later, through paint, I tried to preserve the essence of those encounters. Each portrait in this collection holds more than a face—it carries traces of Kochi’s plural identity: Malayali roots, colonial imprints, Jewish whispers in Mattancherry, Muslim traders by the spice docks, Christian families echoing Portuguese and Syrian lineages.

This collection is not about documenting identity—it’s about feeling it. The colors, layers, and textures are a tribute to Kochi’s living mosaic. Diverse. Fluid. Human.