Shaheeda, Sabira, and Kammo, landless laborers on a nearby farm, vividly recall the day of the nuclear test in 1998, just 5 kilometers from Chacha village in the desert of Pokhran, a township in the north-western province of Rajasthan in India. Engrossed in their daily chores, they were preparing food at home when the event unfolded—a moment both unseen and unheard of. © Chinky Shukla

When Buddha Stopped Smiling

Chinky Shukla

2015 – Ongoing — Pokhran, India

About this series

The project When Buddha Stopped Smiling documents the human and environmental aftermath of the 1974 and 1998 nuclear tests conducted in Pokhran, a township in the north-western state of Rajasthan, India, where a quiet desert became a stage for power, pride, and paradox. It delves into the micro-histories of local communities, revealing stories of resilience, loss, and the constant fear of invisible nuclear radiation. Through portraits, landscapes, and symbolic visual narratives, the work captures the fragile interplay between memory, land, and the human condition.
Rooted in long-term engagement, the project unfolds through listening, trust, and shared time with the people who live in the shadow of these tests. These images resist closure; they sit with uncertainty, reflecting how radiation exists not as a visible wound, but as a lingering presence that shapes bodies, emotions, and futures.
The photographic process itself becomes a metaphor for exposure and erasure. The work attempts to visualize what cannot be photographed directly: contamination, fear, and inherited trauma. The landscape is treated not as a backdrop, but as a witness – its textures and scars holding memories that official histories often overlook. When Buddha Stopped Smiling is not about proving causality or offering resolution. It is an act of bearing witness, holding space for voices that remain unheard, and questioning what progress means when its consequences continue to unfold long after the dust has settled.

Pokhran, town in the northern Indian state of Rajasthan in India, witnessed two of nuclear tests in 1974 and 1998. © Chinky Shukla
Leelaram Gogali was resting in his house when the explosion happened at 3pm in the afternoon."The sudden tremors made me think that it is an earthquake. The scars it left are much deeper that the cracks it made in our huts” shares Leelaram. © Chinky Shukla
As a shepherd tending to his flock in the vast landscapes of Rajasthan, Taj Mohammad's life took an unexpected turn with the 1998 nuclear test in Pokhran. Amidst the tranquil beauty of the desert, he unwittingly became a witness to the resounding explosion that reverberated across the land. © Chinky Shukla
Living just 5km away from the Pokhran nuclear test site, twelve-year-old Firoz battles night blindness and weak limbs. His grandmother's unwavering love and care form the cornerstone of his daily life, as she tends to his needs. Firoz's resilience shines through, despite the challenges he faces, reminding of the strength that can be found in the face of adversity. © Chinky Shukla
Five decades after the 1974 nuclear test, the desert dwellers are still bearing the brunt of the irrevocable destruction caused by the nuclear radiation. © Chinky Shukla
Puroshottam Panwar has navigated life with an intellectual disability. Despite receiving an education, achieving financial independence remains a challenge due to his disabilities. Additionally, his younger brother grapples with a similar condition. Their parents harbor deep concerns about the future well-being of their children. © Chinky Shukla
Born in 2018, four years old Taimoor Ali is bedridden with cerebral palsy and cognitive disorder. His father feels helpless as his condition has not improved since birth. “Taimoor’s limbs are so weak that he cannot sit or walk on his own. He understands our instructions and occasionally greets us with a smile. We just hope he can live the life of a normal child someday. His grandmother gives him body massage on a daily basis and helps him with basic body stretches. We are hopeful that with medicines an exercise, he can stand on his feet one day” shares Taimoor’s grandmother Nirjo Meher. © Chinky Shukla
Walking through these villages, one senses a nostalgia for a world that once felt awake - before fear became ordinary and silence became survival. Yet far away, the race for greater nuclear stockpiles accelerates, each nation running harder, forgetting the people who already live in the shadow of what has been tested. © Chinky Shukla
Rajjo Nizamuddin, 52, succumbed to breast cancer in 2016, an year after this photo was taken. She underwent chemotherapy in a hospital in Jodhpur but it relapsed within a few months of the treatment. Four of her family members have died of cancer and have spent huge sums of money for their treatment. The locals allege the cases of cancer have increased after the nuclear tests. © Chinky Shukla
Villagers report that radiation has affected livestock for decades—cattle, goats, and camels alike. Milk, once a source of daily nourishment, is now accompanied by a persistent fear of unseen exposure. © Chinky Shukla
Mohd. Yakub; 34; has been living with lumps all over his body for the past twelve years. He worries that men of his age in the villages near the nuclear test site are ageing before their time; their bodies showing signs of fatigue and deterioration far beyond their years. © Chinky Shukla
The limestone mine’s hollow mirrors the buried explosions nearby, suggesting that what happens beneath the surface never truly disappears. © Chinky Shukla

Photographer: Chinky Shukla
Nationality: Indian
Based in: New Delhi, India
Website:  www.chinkyshukla.in
Instagram: @chinky_shukla

Chinky Shukla is a documentary photographer based in New Delhi, India. Her work explores the themes of cultural assimilation, human condition, memory and the environment. The majority of her projects are long form photo stories looking through the layers, documenting lives, building relationships, gaining trust, using her camera to amplify important stories.
She is the recipient of National Geographic Explorer Grant, 2022

Awards & Exhibitions:
Nominated for Leica Oskar Barnack Award, 2023
Stadtische Galerie Nordhorn, Germany, 2021
Kawasaki Peace Museum, Japan, 2021
India Photo Festival, Hyderabad, 2021 and 2015
Nominated for Joop Swart Masterclass, World Press Photo. 2014
Recipient of Public Prize in 10th Days Japan International Photojournalism Awards, 2014
Picture of the year award in National Press Photo contest, Media Foundation of India, 2013
Second prize in photo story category of National Press Photo contest, Media Foundation of India, 2013
First prize in All India Environmental Journalism competition, organized by Indo-German Environment Partnership Programme (IGEP), 2013
Nominated for Prix Pictet award, 2013
“Jadugoda: The Nuclear Graveyard” at the Delhi Photo Festival, 2013
 “Jadugoda: The Nuclear Graveyard” in the International Uranium film festival, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 2013
“Jadugoda: The Nuclear Graveyard” at the Modern Art Museum, Rio de Jeneiro, Brazil, 2013
“Jadugoda: The Nuclear Graveyard” in the Uranium film festival, Delhi, 2013
Honorable Mention from PIEA, USA in the Single Image Category, 2009
Exhibited in Photographer’s Guild of India Exhibit – A, 2007
Exhibited in Photo Fair, Mumbai, 2007