Commissioned by UNESCO France, In The Footsteps of the Buddha traces the life and teachings of Siddhartha Gautama through the geography of his lived experience — from his birthplace in Lumbini and early years in Kapilavastu, to his enlightenment in Bodh Gaya, his sermons in Sarnath and Shravasti, and finally, Kushinagar, where he attained Nirvana. The journey also traversed Rajgir, Kaushambi and Sankissa, each layered with history, faith and evolving cultural memory. 

Though I am an atheist, photographing these sacred sites became an inquiry into the nature of belief and the shared human search for meaning. Unlike many crowded and chaotic religious spaces in the region, these sites were profoundly serene and meditative, evoking a sense of timelessness, introspection and calm. In contemporary India, the legacy of Buddhism also intersects with questions of caste and equality — a reminder that its message of compassion and liberation remains both philosophical and social in its relevance.

This collective documentation — exhibited internationally and presented as a book — seeks to contribute to the preservation of South Asia’s Buddhist heritage, foregrounding its architectural and cultural legacy as an enduring part of our shared human story.