A Photographer's Wanderlust And India's Nomads

Steve McCurry has been to India more than 80 times throughout his life. The photographer spends most of his year anywhere but home; in fact, he's so nomadic he can hardly call any one place "home." So it comes as no surprise that his latest story in the February issue of National Geographic magazine is about nomads. In a sense, it takes one to know one.

If you haven't already, stop by McCurry's Web site and browse through the photos. His latest series in National Geographic focuses on nomads, who according to the article, constitute a surprising 7 percent of India's population.

Of the country's nomadic groups, numbering around 500, the Gadulia Lohar is among the best known. "In their illustrious past," writes John Lancaster, "the Gadulia Lohar forged armor for Hindu kings. Today these blacksmiths pitch camp on the outskirts of tiny Indian villages and make simple goods from metal scrap."

It's hard not to romanticize these wanderers. They're the last of the traveling magicians, acrobats, storytellers and snake charmers — vestiges, really, of India's past. The younger generation, now fully acquainted with television and modern technology, has lost interest in folk entertainment. In fact, villagers seem to have grown impatient with nomads in general. "The rapidly modernizing India of call centers and brand-obsessed youth has scant use for tinkers or bear trainers, and pastoralists are in a losing battle with industry and urban sprawl," the article reads.

Learn more about the cultural and political dilemma of India's nomads by checking out the article on ngm.com — where you can also see more of McCurry's photos.

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  Also related: There's More To McCurry Than The Afghan Girl

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