Kolkata from Dawn till Dusk

At the heart of Kolkata is the River Ganges, clearly beating out the rhythm, in which the inhabitants wake up every day. They come to the riverbank for their morning and evening prayers, here also begins the story of this amazing city. Colors and sounds intimidate with their intensity, the boundaries between poverty and simplicity become blurred, Kolkata  is always in a rush. The city is brimming with people, each of them working hard to live with dignity. The singer on the train is gathering money for his son’s college, two young boys are keeping an eye on goats to help their sister find a husband, a little girl is doing stunts on a tightrope, providing for the whole family. Despite the tough conditions, the people of Kolkata do not forget about their dreams and about what is really important in life. University students fight for women’s rights, children from Kalighat learn how to treat their neighbors well, while one of Tata’s employees is considering changing his job, dreaming of a career in filmmaking. At first glance Kolkata seems to be in chaos, but with time it becomes easy to see the remarkable harmony shining out from under the appearances. Despite the hard work ever present on the screen, smiles never disappear from the faces flitting by, children’s faces as well as faces of those tried and tested by life. The city slows down only after dusk to wake up the next day again to the rhythm beaten out by the Ganges.