Sameer Raichur is an independent Indian photographer based out of Bangalore and a member of Diversify Photo and Native Agency. He graduated with distinction from the Hallmark Institute of Photography; Turners Falls, MA in 2012 — necessary course correction after a brief stint practicing as a corporate lawyer.
He has an affinity for anachronistic socio-cultural practices, and memory and nostalgia are frequent themes in his work. He is particularly drawn to documenting ignored traditions and subcultures hiding in plain sight and is deeply interested in and continues to explore the thorny notion of masculinity and all its accompanying baggage through his work.
He is especially interested in portraiture, documentary photography and relies on editorial commissions to further his personal practice. His clients include Caravan Magazine, FT Weekend Magazine, Geo Magazin, GQ, The Indian Quarterly, Libération, Lonely Planet, LiveMint, Sueddeutsche Zeitung and Time Magazine.
Chariots have always had a historic association with weddings. The ancient Greeks used them to “increase the grandeur of the occasion”. We are all familiar with mythical tales where the chariot or ‘ratha’ is the vehicle of choice for gods, demons and mortals alike. It is probably these myths and the influence of the regional film industry that inspired enterprising fabricators to dream up the chariots in their rudimentary workshops. Because of the simplicity of their set-up, the cars can be easily disassembled and often masquerade as regular commuter cars during the day.
Weddings in India are an opportunity for families to make a statement. They are a display of social and economic standing, that in small towns, becomes a celebration of community and a means of garnering goodwill for the two uniting families. Chariots of frolic add to that pomp, fanfare and dramatize the announcement of the nuptials.
These images have been notably published in Libération, France ; Geo Magazin, Germany, Lonely Planet UK; Suddeutsche Zeitung, Germany and Frankie Magazine, Australia.
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