Diya Making

Festive Traditions of India - A Visual Journey

Client: Good Earth

Produced by Doorbeen Creatives

Creative Direction, Photography & Cinematography: Pranidhi Gupta

Post Production: Pranidhi Gupta, Saurabh Singh Rajput

Production Management: Saurabh Gupta, Preeti Gupta

From the wheel of a kumbhaar (potter) to the Ganga ghat, the traditional diya brings warmth to homes and rituals alike.

Filmmaker Pranidhi Gupta captures the tradition of making and lighting diyas in Chaka village near Prayagraj, UP.

"Diya is one of the oldest and simplest objects made on a turning 'chaak', the potter’s wheel. The village Chaka gets its name from there."

"Traditions represent the shared spirit and the soul of a community."

Pranidhi Gupta's years in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, were filled with stories, colours, and folklore. As a filmmaker and photographer, she observed the rituals her parents and grandparents followed through her own unique lens.

Her visual narratives span the country's cultures and crafts, firmly rooted in the rural areas β€” that's where she sees the heart and soul of India.

Discover 𝘍𝘦𝘴𝘡π˜ͺ𝘷𝘦 π˜›π˜³π˜’π˜₯π˜ͺ𝘡π˜ͺ𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘐𝘯π˜₯π˜ͺ𝘒: 𝘈 𝘝π˜ͺ𝘴𝘢𝘒𝘭 π˜‘π˜°π˜Άπ˜³π˜―π˜¦π˜Ί. Through a series of photo essays created in collaboration with cultural storytellers, we delve into the regional traditions at the heart of celebrations across India.