Indian beaches are lively, colourful places where the ordinary often blends seamlessly with the extraordinary. Tourists share the sands with a constant stream of hawkers, each adding their own unique charm to the scene. Among them, the candy floss sellers – those purveyors of spun-sugar magic – bring a sweet sense of poetry to the salty air. Their brightly coloured figures, instantly recognisable, are an essential part of the Indian beach experience.

From morning to evening, these vendors tirelessly wander the sands, carrying their sugary wares on sticks held high like flags or in carefully balanced baskets. The candy floss, often dyed a vivid pink, catches the eye like a splash of colour in a minimalist art gallery. It’s a treat beloved by children, who race toward the sellers with giddy excitement, but also by photographers like me, drawn to the vibrant hues and the stories waiting to be told.

In my street photography and photo documentary work on India’s coastal towns, I’ve spent countless hours observing these anonymous yet ever-present figures. Just like them, I’ve roamed the beaches, camera in hand, pausing to capture fleeting moments of everyday life in a street photography style. A seller weaving through tourists gathered at the water’s edge. Another handing a fluffy pink delight to a young boy. Yet another, just arriving on the beach, his determined silhouette framed by the endless task of selling his stock. These vendors don’t just sell sweets, they quietly weave invisible threads of memory, connecting generations through small, shared moments of joy.

Over time, my travels have filled with images creating a mosaic of their daily lives. Sometimes, it’s a simple portrait of a man holding his candy floss-laden stick. Other times, it’s a stolen moment: a glance, a gesture, a fleeting expression that tells the understated story of these unsung bringers of happiness.

Eventually, I realised something: while we remember the sweetness of the candy floss itself, its sugary aroma, its fluffy texture that melts on the tongue, we almost always forget those who make it all possible. These vendors, endlessly pacing the beaches to deliver fleeting bursts of delight, are a vital part of our childhood memories and carefree moments.

This collection of street photography and photo documentary is my small attempt to honour them. A way to record their daily lives so that, in our memories, they become more than silhouettes on the horizon. They are living, breathing characters in the ever-evolving stories of India’s beaches.

Join my newsletter to receive stories, updates, and a closer look into my latest street and documentary photography stories.