about the gallery

It’s not unusual for the lines to blur between church and state in Madhya Pradesh. Going back hundreds of years, this was part of a larger region dotted with princely states governed by local royalty, with a priest or two on the panel of advisors or in key positions. After Independence, religious leaders continued to win positions in government. When they weren’t standing for office, they were helping bring in the crowds, offering advice and performing yagnas for politicians looking for an election win, a good monsoon or the fall of a foe.