Pinpoint: Jaipur, India

My story is tied to India like beautiful bookends that hold my chapters together.The bow tie conclusion in my great narrative. Why wouldn't I go back to her? Shehas taught me how to love freely and hurt deeply. [How to see and be seen.]

I remember scribbling this thought down in my iPhone's note app after returning from India two years ago. For so many different reasons, my trips to India have radically changed my life. I have always described India as a hidden gem; its beauty littered between the chaos. Whether it’s the busy city streets, incessant honking, or the fact that my name, Kayla, actually means banana in Hindi, India has always been the place to draw me back. That is why when I decided to go back to India for a second time this past summer, I knew I wanted to travel to outside of the polluted Delhi streets and see the more colorful city, Jaipur, affectionately known as the Pink City. Traveling to Jaipur will transport you back to the time of raj’s and grand palaces with elephants and forts. As an artist and photographer, I was inspired by the intricate designs, Mughal architecture and all of its vibrant color. It is an artist’s playground. India was the place to first inspire me to pick up the camera and it was a complete honor to be able to visually narrate one of India’s most beautiful cities.

STORY & PHOTOGRAPHY BY KAYLA MENDEZ