Ram mandir buzz in Ayodhya, prayer to end Manipur bloodbath, Sakshee Malikkh’s grief: 2023 in 10 photos

Lead image: On my first visit to Ayodhya, ahead of next month’s Ram Mandir inauguration, I found the Hindu deity to be omnipresent — quite literally | Photo: Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

A woman CRPF jawan prepares for an assignment. These women strike a delicate balance every day — playing daughter, wife, mother, and a jawan. It is the confidence with which they perform these roles that makes this a special click for me | Photo: Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

Life is often as rough for these women as the road and terrain they are traversing here. Members of the CRPF’s Valley Quick Action Team demonstrate how they patrol the Amarnath road | Photo: Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

Ayodhya is a juxtaposition of the old and the new, all hinged on the Hindu deity Ram. Even his worship has many forms — like a modern light-and-sound show dedicated to him, and the traditional arti at the Saryu river ghat as seen in this photo. Mythology has it, that this is where Ram immersed himself as he bid adieu to his earthly life. For me, this is one of the lingering images of the town that is abuzz with activities ahead of next month’s temple inauguration | Photo: Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

The echoes of this year’s Manipur ethnic conflict, between the state’s tribal Kuki-Zo and non-tribal Meitei communities, were heard as far as the national capital, where Kuki protestors demonstrated for a separate state and Chief Minister Biren Singh’s resignation. While many have called the demand for separate state “anti-national”, this protestor makes a public statement of her patriotism. It is this which makes it a significant image for me Photo: Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

The Green Army in Uttar Pradesh was formed for women to take a stand against oppression and violence. This image of a group of Green Army members, heads demurely covered, but armed with sticks for self-defence, is for me a strong message of women’s empowerment penetrating some of the most backward sections of society | Photo: Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

This image of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and the party’s Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi was taken days before the announcement of assembly election results in the states of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram this month. The image becomes significant in retrospect as the somber expression on the faces of the two leaders is in stark contrast to the confidence the party had voiced about winning most of these states. It ultimately won in only Telangana | Photo: Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

Building a temple, or building its vote bank. As the date of next month’s Ayodhya Ram Mandir inauguration draws near, the temple is becoming an increasingly important part of the political narrative of the country and BJP’s 2024 Lok Sabha campaign. Isn’t that enough to make it one of the top 10 clicks of 2023? | Photo: Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

Ram is the first and last word in Ayodhya. And the devotion to the deity starts early. One of my lingering memories of the city | Photo: Manisha Mondal | ThePrint

The wrestlers’ protest against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, whom they have accused of sexual harassment, was one of the top news of 2023. As months of protest later, Brij Bhushan’s ‘aide’ Sanjay Singh was elected the new WFI president in December, award-winning wrestler Sakshee Malikkh’s tear-drenched face captured for me the helplessness of the sports stars. Soon after Malikkh declared her intention to quit the sport | Photo: Manisha Mondal | ThePrint