In Shimla, no vehicle is allowed in the main market and the unplanned houses constructed on steep slopes are rarely connected with a motor-able road. So, porters carry enormous load on their backs. From construction material like bricks and iron beams to household items like refrigerators and washing machines, porters of Shimla are experts in navigating through the narrow lanes of the city.
Porters mostly come from the neighbouring state of Jammu and Kashmir and Sirmaur district of Himachal.
Portrait of the porters on the Mall Road of Shimla on a winter morning.