Following this paper’s series of reports highlighting the role of Pune police stations in procuring fake passports and IDs for illegal immigrants en route
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The Gaikwad family has been trying to keep the traditional practice alive
Organic kohl has a better shelf-life than chemical kohl, which is banned in the US as it s deemed bad for people s health. All photos by Sanket Jain for The National
Kusum Gaikwad hand-picking the mhaka (eclipta prostrata) leaves used to make organic kohl.
In India, even young children wear kohl. There’s a superstitious belief that wearing kohl wards off the evil eye. In this photo, Kusum is applying kohl to her grandson, Yash, 5.
In order to hand-make organic kohl Kusum Gaikwad s way, the leaves are cleaned thoroughly with water.