From despair to delight, The Hindu's photographers from across the country captured many slices of life in 2018, the best of which were showcased on our Instagram account
It was not just scenic beauty that resonated with our followers; in fact the most 'liked' was a photograph that reflected community work. Similar photographs that drew attention to environmental pollution, or narrated heart wrenching tales of farmers and young girls employed in bidi-rolling, touched the hearts of our audience.
Here's a list of the best images of the year based on engagement, in chronological order.
Which one is your favourite? Let us know in the comment section. Follow the_hindu for more posts and stories.
People joined hands in removing debris after the Ganesh idols were immersed in the Munneru river in Khammam, Telangana. Piling up of debris has been a serious environmental concern across the country following the 10-day long festival, that began on September 13.
Dead and gone: A dead fish at Banganga Tank, Mumbai, as people perform rituals for their ancestors. Officials say fish deaths were fewer this year.
The mortal remains of actor Sridevi, draped in the Tricolour, being taken from the Celebrations Sports Club in Lokhandwala to the cremation ground in Vile Parle, Mumbai. Sridevi's husband Boney Kapoor, her daughters, and members of the Ayyappan family were accompanying the body on the journey, as were thousands of her fans.
In the remote village of Tilonia in Ajmer, Rajasthan, a group of 'solar mamas' are learning to make life brighter in their rural communities. Trained at the residential Barefoot College, these middle-aged women ― many of whom have never stepped inside a classroom ― are now proficient in designing, installing and maintaining solar energy systems that light up their villages and supply power for various equipment. On an average, they have been taking care of the systems of 50 homes around their village, earning around ₹6,700 each.
When Stephen Hawking was in India: During his visit to India in 2001, physicist Stephen Hawking, who passed away early on Wednesday, had met the then-President K.R. Narayanan. The President had described the meeting as "an unforgettable experience" and had hailed him as a "symbol of human hope." Hawking, whose 1988 book 'A Brief History of Time' became an unlikely worldwide bestseller and cemented his superstar status, dedicated his life to unlocking the secrets of the Universe.His genius and wit won over fans from far beyond the rarified world of astrophysics.
If you had stepped out on January 31 evening, you would have caught a glimpse of a rare lunar event that has kept sky enthusiasts on their toes for the last few days - a spectacular celestial show of a Super Red Blue Moon and a total lunar eclipse. A total lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, the Earth and the Moon are so aligned that for a period of time, the full Moon passes through the shadow of Earth in space. When the Moon is near its perigee, it looks larger than an average moon and is termed as "Super Moon."
This image was taken Ambubachi Mela, a four-day fair to mark the annual menstruation of a Goddess at Kamakhya temple in Assam, which was began on June 23. Kamakhya, atop Nilachal Hills in Guwahati, is one of 51 shaktipeeths or seats of Shakti followers, each representing a body part of the Sati, Lord Shiva’s companion. The temple’s sanctum sanctorum houses the yoni – female genital – symbolised by a rock.
This image clicked by The Hindu photographer represented the story of how Mumbai’s residents fought, and won, a battle on behalf of flamingos. The year 2018 brought us some startling news from the natural world: humans have eradicated 60% of wildlife since 1970. But from the moraines of this destruction spring little stories of hope.Here are a few stories of individuals and communities that are working to save a species, an ecosystem or an urban environment.
A toddy tapper climbs up a palm tree to collect toddy, the most sought after traditional and natural drink consumed to beat the heat, in Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Production of toddy has been coming down in the wake of indiscriminate felling of palmyra trees over a period for real estate and other purposes. Numbers of toddy-tappers mainly settled in the coastal areas of Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh are unable to eke out a decent living through the traditional profession. In the past, different sections of people used to consume toddy for health benefits. But of late, the number had come down drastically with many of them opting for cheap liquor.
Maya, one of the most famous mothers of the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra, takes a dip in water to cool off. This was captured a few months before The world celebrates International Tiger Day - a day meant to raise awareness of tiger conservation. Currently, the forest reserve is closed due to monsoon.
Love Will Keep Us Alive: From the moment they first arrived in Mumbai in the mid-1990s, flamingoes have kept their date with the city every winter. The birds are said to share a “passive symbiotic” relationship with the mangroves, which serve as food and shelter for the birds. In turn, the excrement of the birds help in the growth of the mangroves. The Hindu reader and amateur wildlife photographer Sudipta Roy captured this magical moment on Sunday morning at the Seawoods wetlands in Navi Mumbai.
Global praise: Tribal women harvesting organic coffee on a plantation near Girliguda in Araku, Visakhapatnam.The Araku Valley coffee which is processed and marketed with the help of the tribal farmers cooperative society recently won the gold medal for the best coffee pod in the Prix Epicures OR 2018 Award in Paris.
