My Best Shot: Rajesh Bedi

Photograph/Rajesh Bedi

Rajesh Bedi

Why This is My Best Shot
I may be usually identified as a wildlife photographer, but I get a lot of satisfaction from shooting other subjects too. This picture of Naga Sadhus was shot when the Kumbh Mela was not so commercialised. In this shot, they are running to take a holy dip inside the Sangam, an auspicious bath venue. There was a sudden gust of strong wind that reduced all visibility. The surreal and mystical feel caused by this is what I love most about this image.

Where and When I Shot This Image
Around two decades ago, at the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad.

How I Achieved It
When my brother (filmmaker Naresh Bedi) and I first approached the sadhus, they thought that we were foreigners and lifted their trishuls and charged towards us. We ran for our lives! The next day, we went back. We convinced them that we will be faithful in depicting Hinduism and managed to get permission to shoot. I knew I had just a few seconds to capture the moment. I could not afford a motor drive at that time, and could shoot only 2-3 images.

The Gear I Used to Get This Shot
I used a fully manual Nikon film camera with a 105mm lens.

About Rajesh Bedi
One of India’s biggest names in the genre of wildlife photography, Rajesh Bedi, along with brother Naresh, has worked towards portraying and conserving wildlife. This self-taught photographer also shoots other subjects in his effort to document our heritage.