People & Encounters

The Sadhu with the Trident

I first noticed him seated with his trident beside him.

Sadhu seated beside a pillar with his trident, photographed in his surroundings.

As I came closer, the photographs changed from an observation of a striking figure into a record of a brief conversation. I told him that I was from Canada and how old I was. He seemed surprised.

We talked and laughed together. What stays with me is the warmth in his face by the end of our encounter.

Closer portrait of the gray-haired sadhu with beads and trident beside a textured wall.
Sadhu smiling and raising an arm during the encounter.
The sadhu smiling openly at the photographer.