
Faces furrowed with wrinkles well beyond their years, smeared with a mixture of religious pain and dirt, this is what poverty looks like for millions of Indians who often survive on as little as 33 pence per day.

From Hindu priests making holy gestures while clothed in brilliantly coloured turbans, to grey-haired women begging for change on the streets, these stunning portraits were captured by Italian photographer Roberto Pazzi.

The 42-year-old spent three weeks in the Asian country photographing people of all ages in the suburbs of a number of cities, including New Delhi, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Udaipur, Jaipur, Agra, Varanasi and Kalkota.

Roberto says he was captivated and humbled by his subjects, who live in a country which, according to the World Bank, has 179.6 million people struggling to survive below the poverty line.

Scroll down for video

The poorest of the poor: Photographer Roberto Pazzi captured these images of villagers from India who survive on as little as 33 pence per day, including this elderly woman from Jaipur (left) and this man (right) who is a Sadhu, a holy man of Hinduism, from Varanasi

Surviving: A Sadhu, a Hindu holy-man dedicated to achieving liberation through meditation, is pictured in Varanasi making the Vitarka Mudra hand gesture, symbolising learning and intellectual argument. An elderly woman begs on a nearby ghat - or holy stairs

Head held high: More Sadhus are pictured (left and right) in Varanasi, one of the oldest inhabited places on Earth, and one of Hinduism's seven holy cities situated on the banks of the Ganges

The 42-year-old, who now lives in Treviglio and works as a sales manager, said: 'I took these photographs because I wanted to create a window into the lives of the people of India.

'I feel that their faces, eyes, hands and wrinkles are all so expressive - it's as if their body is telling a story. They live such simple, happy lives, and I think it's an ethical example that our society should follow.'

During his travels through India, Roberto spent his time in the quieter suburbs of the cities meeting families and learning about their lifestyles.

He says: 'Most of the people I photographed had never seen a camera before. I remember one particularly poor man was trying to sell some peanuts down a side street. After I took his photograph, he was so amazed that he called over his whole family to take a look.

'He was so happy with the picture, that before I left he offered me a bag of peanuts - the only thing he had.'

Struggle: Two men from one of the poorest parts of Jaipur sit in the streets. While the city is famous for its opulent pink palaces, it is also home to grinding poverty

Keeping spirits high: An Indian pauper plays the flute inside Jaswant Thada, the memorial palace in Jodhpur, built in 1899 and dedicated to Maharaja Jaswant Singh II, the ruler of the province who lived from 1873 and 1895

Losing the plot: An elderly woman pulls a mad face while posing for a photograph in the slums of Jaipur, while in Agra, home of the Taj Mahal, a street vendor sucks on a cigarette

Roberto took around five photographs of each subject, aiming to perfectly capture their features.

He says: 'I always approach my subjects with a smile, which I believe is the best 'business card' that you can show someone. They're always so amused, and often share stories of their lives with me- which is amazing.

'I always feel quite emotional when taking portrait photographs, and worry that I won't capture exactly what I would like the photograph to portray.'

On average, people living in India's suburban villages survive off just 22.42 rupees per day, which is the equivalent of just 33 pence.

Roberto says: 'Photography reminds me that the simplest things in life are also the most important ones. I really hope my photographs reflect this philosophy.'

Living below the poverty line: A holy Sadhu (left) and a street vendor (right) are pictured in Jaipur. Photographer Roberto Pazzi said he always approches his subjects with a smile, and they usually allow him to take their portrait