Bombay Jadoo charms the city from today

You’re the real urban diva. The city is your landscape of choice, its frenetic energy your inspiration. You thrive on the chaos, and know how to find the little oases of calm intimacy that let you breathe.

You are the real spirit of the city.

Betsy Karel, award winning photojournalist from Washington DC, celebrates this very spirit with her new book of photographs, Bombay Jadoo. Inspired by the writings of contemporary Indian writers like Vikram Chandra, Rohinton Mistry and Salman Rushdie, she seeks visual equivalents of their humanity, humour, mystery and psychological energy.

The result? A series of lyrical images shot over nine years, capturing public-yet-private moments in the life of Mumbaikars. From rikshawallas to girls on local trains, from Juhu beach to the Taj Mahal Hotel, she discovers the ’swirling, urban fairy tale’ that is Mumbai.

And if that isn’t enough to get you excited, the book includes words by Maximum City Mehta and Ardeshir ‘Beach Boy’ Vakil.

Revel in the magic of Mumbai.

Bombay Jadoo by Betsy Karel. Steidl Publishers. Available starting today at all leading bookstores and online at www.steidlville.com and www.amazon.com. Price: Rs. 1500. Panel discussion with Shyam Benegal and Shilpa Phadke: Aug 1 at NCPA, Nariman Point; Tel: 22833838.