Going Home: Stories from the sub-continent
Rijina in Kollam, 2023 - Her daughter took me by the hand at sunset one evening, pulled me towards her home and insisted that I come in for chai. The rest is history. They have became like my family and I a part of theirs, each time we are lucky enough to be reunited, it is always like we were never really apart. I love the whole family but I really love Rijina, though I can't speak Malayalam and she can't speak much English, we have never had much problem understanding each other.
The Golden Temple, Amritsar, 2025 - It felt very strange to be in Punjab in India, so close to Lahore and to Pakistan. I have some Indian heritage but mostly Pakistani heritage. Yet before the British drew their line, there would be less need for such distinctions. Before they drew the line, we would be able to move freely between Amritsar and Lahore. Instead we are divided by a hard border and there is little hope it will ever open again.
Boys in Kerala, 2023 - We floated the backwaters, talking and giggling about many things. It is clear to see why Kerala is referred to as 'Gods own country' with landscapes so beautiful, though it is the people of Kerala that really make it. While there is but half a sub continent between Kerala and Pakistan, there is a shared spirit among our peoples.
The boys of Varanasi, 2023
The red fort, 2025 - It is very rare to hear of other Pakistani people making it in to India but I was fortunate enough to come across another travelling person of Pakistani heritage while on my October trip. We rambled the markets, visited the masjid and spoke in depth about how it really feels to be a P*ki, not just in the west but also on land that was once accessible to us, land that was once as much ours and theirs as Karachi or Lahore.
Kiddo in a field of Marijuana, 2023 -
Kolkata, 2023 - I was walking across the road trying to weave through traffic when this man approached me telling me to take a photo of him. I said of course, when I showed him the photo he smiled and nodded at me before disappearing back into the bustle of Kolkata.
Varanasi, 2023 - There
Kollam, 2023
Kollam, 2025
