Anshu Gupta

A well-maintained shop amidst the 2018 Kerala floods.

Kerala received heavy monsoon rainfall, which was about 116% more than the usual rainfall, resulting in dams filling to their maximum capacities. Almost all dams were opened since the water level had risen close to overflow level resulting in flooding of low-lying areas. For the first time in the state's history, 35 of its 54 dams were opened*.

How we come to terms with our current condition and start living our life in it is what surprises me the most. Here in this picture you can see how the shopkeeper has accepted the flood as a part of his life and set up his shop how he usually would. If we crop the lower portion of the image, you might even fail to notice the difference it has from any other usual day. The systematically arranged groceries in this shop expects a customer who would come travelling in these 3 feet flooded streets, setting a perfect example of ‘life goes on’.

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