She wades out of the water, her beautifully-wrought anklets jingling, and her toe-rings spiralling round.

The beauty of the jewellery, on feet that walk over miles each day, captivated me, and I asked her if I could photograph those anklets. She smilingly obliged, and stood on the wet rock, on the banks of the Kaveri.

No, I didn’t want to photograph her face…for me, the feet and the anklets belong to all the women of that area in Karnataka, who, while leading tough lives, yet take the time for pilgrimmage, and wear such beautiful jewellery.

In fact, to me, this image is one of mother Kaveri herself, sparkling with silver as she flows on through the land…