India is remarkably diverse. As I traveled, I found myself only able to tell which state or region I was in by the script of the writing, sounds of the dialects and style of dress or building. In terms of sensory stimulation, it’s as much as I’ve ever experienced as a traveler. In Kochin, Kerala in the morning, the smell of the ocean, petrol and of coconuts contrasts remarkably with that of Varanasi’s chaiwalla tea stands, fire and smog. But its the sights–over stimulatingly alien at times and beautifully stunning at others–that make the country.

Offerings, Agra

Tali, Tamil Nadu.

Sun over the India Gate, Mumbai.

Ayannar Horse, Tamil Nadu.Spices, Mumbai.

Making Kolams, Tamil Nadu.

Chinese Fish Nets Kochin, Kerala.The Taj Mahal, Agra.

Jain woman praying, Mumbai.Traffic stop, New Delhi.

Tea at sunrise Western Ghats, Kerala.Kathakali dancer Kochin, Kerala.Drying clothes in the slums, Mumbai.

See more in my set “India,” on my Flickr

Read: Moments in and near Agra

Read: Cruising Kerala