~ On Assignment: Family Matters: The Money Squeeze ~

kainazamaria — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 19:57:12 +0000

To cope with the hard times, millions of families have pulled together — stacking two, three, even four generations on top of one another. NPR’s Morning Edition has begun an eight-part series titled “Family Matters” which explores the lives of three multigenerational households struggling with issues of money, duty and love. I’ve had the pleasure of visually documenting these families during all aspects of their days — they have graciously opened their doors and lives to us and discuss how they navigate difficult financial decisions.

>Experience the story through audio, images and text here.<

>Do you live in a multigenerational household? Share your candid photos and stories with NPR on Tumblr or #nprfamilymatters on Twitter and Instagram.<

Ida Christian, 89, who lives with dementia, gets help from her granddaughter, Yolanda Hunter, 43, (left), in blowing out her birthday candles. Yolanda quit her lucrative job to become Ida's full-time caregiver. After two difficult years, she is now looking to get back into the workforce. (Kainaz Amaria/NPR)

On Assignment: Sharmistha Ray for Vogue, India

kainazamaria — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 03:49:43 +0000

One of my last assignments in India was for Vogue India: a portrait of artist, critic and curator, Sharmistha Ray. My last few weeks in Mumbai were a blur, from packing to planning to saying goodbye – not only to my good friends but to my beloved Bombay. And what does the city do in your last few days, it forces you to fall in love all over again. It reminds you of the incredible people you have met and will continue to meet. It shows you all aspects of humanity, packed in fleeting moments of exhilaration and heartbreak. I sit in my new home, remembering what I felt when I made this image and wondered where I would be when it was published. One regret is that I knew I wouldn’t be able to share in Sharmistha’s first solo show. But on the flip side, I’ve got one more incredibly talented friend thanks to Bombay.

~ On Assignment: Mumbai Boss, Comic Con ~

kainazamaria — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 07:25:59 +0000

Mumbaiboss.com, the popular online news and culture magazine, sent me to check out Mumbai’s first-ever Comic Con. The goal was to meet the superheroes amongst the mere mortals. Even though graphic novels and comic books are not my thing, I left Comic Con energized and simple happy. What makes my job fun is meeting people who love what they do, who love who they are and who don’t care what anyone else thinks. Someone asked me before I left to cover Comic Con, “How are you going to take their pictures and pretend you aren’t making fun of them?” The simple answer, “That’s easy because I’m not making fun of them!” Even a tough critic like me finds it impossible to balk at sincerity. To see a SLIDE SHOW OF IMAGES and READ SUPERHERO INTERVIEWS go to MUMBAIBOSS.COM.

~ On Assignment: The New York Times, Rural Banking ~

kainazamaria — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 07:14:43 +0000

I remember as a child going to the A.T.M machine with my father. He would pick me up and whisper in my ear what numbers to push near the screen. Within seconds freshly pressed dollar bills would roll out. As I got older, I remember dad not wanting to share those ’secret numbers’ any longer, and instead we opened my own saving account. I was around 10 years old.

On a recent assignment for The New York Times, I joined reporter Vikas Bajaj to see how State Bank of India’s human A.T.M.s are brining banking to rural communities. We met and spoke to many people that day, a father depositing $2 into his account, day laborers saving cash for relatives living on the other side of the country and this woman below, Rajashri Nakati. She came to a rural banking office set up by State Bank of India to open her first saving account, she is 35 and a mother of five. Rajashri seemed slightly nervous as the business correspondent took her worn farm-labored hands and digitized six of her fingerprints. I could only speculate how significant this day was for her by the immaculate sari she wore and the gold jewelry displayed on ears. She said she was opening the account to start saving money, “If I leave it at home, it will get spent.” Her first deposit, after her account is approved, will be 100 rupees, around $2. To read Vikas’ story and see my slideshow click here: TRAVELING TELLERS, TAKE BANKING TO RURAL INDIA and BRINGING CASH TO THE COUNTRYSIDE.

~ On Assignment: Monocle Magazine, Le Mill ~

kainazamaria — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 07:34:30 +0000

Le Mill, Mumbai’s hot new concept store, is featured in the current issue of Monocle Magazine Issue 47, Oct 2011. Cecilia Morelli Parikh, the store’s co-founder and clothing buyer fields questions in Monocle’s style directory section about her favorite selections for the new season. The sprawling 15,000 square feet store is loaded with furniture, fashion, jewelry and art products made in India. Previously a rice mill, the store is located in Mumbai’s Wadi Bunder neighborhood and also has a chic café, a flower shop, bookstore and an exhibition space.

~ Mumbai: Ganesh Chaturthi 2011 ~

kainazamaria — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 07:25:45 +0000

Every year Mumbai alters her daily routine to celebrate Ganesha, or the Hindu deity widely worshipped as the god of wisdom, prosperity and good fortune. She closes her roads, diverts traffic patterns, gives workers the day off and swells her waterways in preparation to swallow thousands of painted idols. After ten days of chaos, song, dance and shear mayhem, she goes back to her daily routine, slightly fatigued but hopeful that the new year will be prosperous.

~ On Assignment: The New York Times, India vs. China ~

kainazamaria — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 04:27:35 +0000

It’s always a pleasure collaborating with the uber-talented Vikas Bajaj, reporter with The New York Times.

~ Tollywood: Inside the Heartland of Telegu Films ~

kainazamaria — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 14:21:05 +0000

If you think Bollywood films, with their lavish song and dance sequences, tend to be a bit over the top, then watch out for Tollywood. According to Rajkumar, a South Indian film industry professional, “Telegu films are larger than life. Bollywood has become a bit more realistic, a little too glamourous, the superhero has given way to the gangster. We are reclaiming the super hero.” A predominantly mustachioed super hero, with raging biceps and donning dark sunglasses keeps the Andhra Pradesh film enthusiasts satisfied. Film and faith seem uniquely intertwined in the Southern Indian state, boasting India’s second largest film industry. I had less than a day in Hydrabad to meet with local producers, actors and directors and to get onto a working film set. What struck me as I was introduced to one heavy hitter after another was the humility in which the men spoke of themselves and their craft. Almost everyone recounted the same story, they didn’t intend to be in the film industry, it just happened and now here they are, well established, and their fame – only two words can describe it: idol worship. It is common to see shrines created in honor of film stars during premieres or screenings. Although the lines between film and faith are blurred by local audiences, popular Telegu film actor Venkatesh seems quite grounded. With over 65 films to date, I spoke with Venkatesh between takes on a film set, and apart from the umbrella boy following his every move, he came across as a down-to-earth son, father and actor. “I’m not this,” he said, a realization he came to after seeking knowledge from wise men of various faiths, “the star thing I’m not getting. I just fell into acting and I think I’ve been successful because I’m very sincere at work.” Perhaps that is why Telegu films remain so successful, they are true to their audience and don’t pretend to be anything but pure bombastic entertainment.

~ On Assignment: Bloomberg, The Day After Mumbai Blasts ~

kainazamaria — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 14:01:25 +0000

I didn’t sleep much the night three bombs went off in Mumbai. Not out of fear for myself but concern for the many vulnerable people that make this city home. The majority of whom sleep in slums, shanties or on the street. The Times of India’s July 14th headline exclaimed: YET AGAIN. In two words the paper seemed to sum up public sentiment. They are tired, angry and frustrated and, I imagine, mostly because they feel so vulnerable. But that is what makes Mumbai a marvel. The sheer vulnerability of 12.5 million people. Foreigners who settle here speak of it as an energy, a pace which they have never felt before. They consider the West to be stagnant and not malleable to new venues or opportunities. They see India as the new “Wild West,” an untamed beast, with an undeniable allure. And Mumbai, falls into a separate category altogether. The city allows everyone in with open arms. The city doesn’t judge who you are or where you came from or even why you are here. The city may not be able to take care of you but it will challenge your survival instincts, eventually making you feel at home. The heart-breaking beauty of the city lies in the vulnerability of the people. The day following the bomb blasts, I went to work along with mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, and friends. I was on assignment to see how Mumbaikers were reacting to the tragedy. In Zaveri Bazar, a jewelry market where one of the blasts occurred, people filled the narrow lanes, even as the heavens unleashed torrential rains. Shop keepers didn’t open their businesses but still come to work, for them it is routine not resilience that brings them back. For them this is their life, their identity, they carved this niche for themselves and staying home wasn’t an option. Women on the trains didn’t call into work to see if they should come in, they just did what they do everyday. I am constantly humbled at Mumbai’s willingness to bare its soul to me, a native foreigner. The people are asking for the government to be allowed to share their vulnerability without living in fear. My hope is that they will be heard.

To see more images go to GETTY, THE NEW YORKER, or MUMBAI BOSS.

~ On Assignment: Monocle Magazine, Mukesh Mehta ~

kainazamaria — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 16:30:35 +0000

I recently spent a morning with Mukesh Mehta, a private real estate developer appointed adviser to the Government of Maharashtra to redevelop Dharavi, one of Mumbai’s largest slums. Slum redevelopment has become a polarizing issue in Mumbai, often times dividing the developer, residents, business owners and non-profits from each other. Mehta’s challenge is to find a plan that will satiate Mumbai’s need for more luxury housing and provide a better existence for the current slum dwellers, while appeasing various politicians and bureaucrats. My challenge for Monocle was to convey this in one image. Get a nice image of Mehta in the slums, while getting a good sense of the people and place, and avoid the harsh realities of poverty. Thankfully Mehta was up for the challenge as well and as we meandered our way through the narrow corridors of Dharavi, I was able to get this image while he was busy speaking to residents about redevelopment plans.