An acid attack survivor applies a ceremonial tilak to a visually impaired boy during Bhai Phota festivities at a school for the blind in Kolkata, West Bengal on 10 November 2026, blending courage and tradition in a single gesture.
The Bhai Phota ritual — in which sisters apply a sacred tilak on their brothers' foreheads — was observed at a Kolkata school for the blind on 10 November 2026, with an acid attack survivor performing the age old ceremony.
Bhai Phota, the Bengali sibling bonding festival also celebrated across India as Bhai Dooj, saw visually impaired students at a Kolkata school participate in traditional rituals on 10 November 2026, with an acid attack survivor leading the ceremony.
In West Bengal, Bhai Phota is among the most cherished post Durga Puja festivals. At a Kolkata school for the blind on 10 November 2026, an acid attack survivor embodied its spirit of protection and solidarity by performing the tilak rite for visually impaired children.
The images, photographed by Kuntal Chakrabarty in Kolkata on 10 November 2026, document an acid attack survivor performing the Bhai Phota tilak for visually impaired students — a moment that underscores the festival's inclusive spirit in West Bengal.