An Asian elephant stands visibly traumatised, chained to a temple pillar following a six-hour procession.
It was paraded through the streets of Varanasi, noisy with crowds and rocketing fireworks, in the build up to Diwali, the festival of lights. ‘The elephant was swaying and its bloodshot eyes swirled, as its owner looked on anxiously,’ says Emily. There are an estimated 3,600 domesticated Asian elephants in India, belonging either to the government, wealthy families or temples and used in festivals throughout the year. They are an endangered species, their wild counterparts under threat from habitat loss and conflict with humans in agricultural areas.
UK
Emily Garthwaite is a London-based photojournalist and street photographer with a focus on humanitarian and environmental stories. She recently co-directed her first documentary in Iraq on Arba'een, the world's largest annual pilgrimage. Emily graduated with a master's in photojournalism and documentary photography from the University of Westminster in 2016.
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