The most liked image of the year is sweet, but also represents strength; and it tells a story that goes much beyond the image itself. Clicked by 'The Hindu' reporter Saurabh Trivedi while covering an anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protest in New Delhi, the image shows a college girl giving a red rose to a policeman. The image was widely shared on various social media portals, and many admired the girl for her message of peace. “I am not an activist. I am just a regular student aspiring to be an artist and obviously didn’t want to go viral this way,” the girl later said in an interview.
The year was eventful — powerful moments were captured of people participating in the climate strike, and protesting against government policies. Then there were also memorable slices of life. A.M. Faruqui, The Hindu photographer from Madhya Pradesh, captured in his frames the life of a female truck driver -- a photo feature that resonated with many of our followers. Images that evoked religious or patriotic sentiments were much liked. People love to engage with our pictures, and a few striking images for which we asked the readers to contribute the caption were also among the most liked. Here's a list of the best images of the year based on engagement.
Which one is your favourite? Let us know in the comment section. Follow the_hindu for more posts and stories.
Ten homeless men living on the footpath near the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital were given free haircuts by a hairstylist dressed as Santa Claus. P. Devaraj, a 59-year-old salon owner in Coimbatore, said he has been doing this as a service for the last 25 years, and this gives him a lot of satisfaction. His 12-year-old grandson B. M. Mukunthan, also dressed as Santa, accompanied him. | Photo: M. Periasamy
The annular solar eclipse, captured from Kasaragod district in Kerala. The annular phase of the eclipse started at 9.24 a.m. on December 26, and reached its maximum within a few minutes. The total eclipse lasted for about 3 minutes. It was also visible from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam. | Photo: H.S. Manjunath
The fight lasted 10 minutes. Will it be the eagle or the cobra? In the end, the former won, and the cobra ended up being its breakfast. City birder Ramamurthy Karthik photographed the entire sequence that unfolded before his eyes earlier this month at Senneri lake, in Tamil Nadu's Kancheepuram district. “We wanted to see the short toed-eagle hunt,” says Karthik. “It usually feeds on snakes and lives in grasslands and cultivation lands. I have seen it hunt rat snakes and vipers so many times in the locality.” But not once did he have the opportunity to take photos of the hunter and the hunted together, until recently.
Thirteen traditional masseurs, from a village in Odisha, knead and pound oiled bodies at Kolkata’s Babu ghat – a tradition carried over by generations. Earning ₹300 for an hour’s massage and with three or four clients a day, the masseurs struggle to make ends meet. None of them can afford to bring their families to the city. As clients dwindle, the next generation has begun looking out for better paying jobs. | Photo: K.R. Deepak
Every autumn, Pampore town, 13 km south of Srinagar, turns into a carpet of purple from the thousands of fallen saffron blooms. Men, women and children, baskets in hand, brave the chilly mornings to pick the flowers. Photo: Nissar Ahmad
Meet Lord 'Military' Ganesha, installed at Egmore in Tamil Nadu for Ganesh Chaturthi festival. Celebrated for 10 days annually across India, the Hindu festival marks the birth of Ganesha. As a part of it, elaborate pandals with Ganesha idols are erected and daily prayers are held until the idol is immersed at the end of the festival. | Photo: B. Velankanni Raj
In a landmark judgment, a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court laid the foundation for the construction of a temple on the disputed Ramjanmabhoomi site, where the 16th-century Babri Masjid complex stood before it was demolished by kar sevaks on December 6, 1992. The Muslims should be given five acres of land in a “suitable and prominent place”, the SC said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, other Cabinet Ministers, and various political parties, have called for restraint in the wake of the verdict. | Photo: PTI
In a blur Yogita Raghuwanshi from Bhopal, who has been munching miles in her truck as a vocation for the past 15 years, eases into a steady drive on the Agra-Mumbai National Highway passing through Indore. | Photo: A.M. Faruqui
Students of the Anjuman-I-Islam college in Mumbai don tricolour head scarves before flag hoisting during Independence Day celebrations at the college. | Photo: Vivek Bendre
A protester offers red rose to the police at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi. Several protesters hit the roads in many parts of the country — defying prohibitory orders in some States — against the proposed nationwide National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the recently passed amended citizenship law (CAA). In parts of Delhi internet was briefly cut and restored later. | Photo: Saurabh Trivedi
