Indian Beauty: The True Beauty of Ordinary Women

Romanian photographer Micaela Noroc is best known for her stunning photography project, Atlas of Beauty, which captures the beauty of everyday women in their natural surroundings - the places where they live and work.

Recently, Michaela visited India, from where she brought back photographs of local women radiating original and natural beauty. According to the photographer, many women in India are discriminated against and their lives are very difficult, but nevertheless they are incredible examples of strength and beauty.

Urvashi Patole urges women to break stereotypes in the country. She created The Bikerni, an association for women motorcyclists, for this purpose.

In the state of Rajasthan, a magical part of India, almost every woman wears a colorful national costume and lots of jewelry.

A girl from the Kalbeliya tribe at the camel fair in Pushkar. Until recently, Kalbelias were known as snake catchers and poison dealers. Their famous dance follows the movements of a snake.

In India, you can often see police officers on the streets.

The girl in the photo will give birth to her first child in a few months. After marriage, most Indian women move into their in-laws' house.

Dharavi is a slum of the city of Mumbai, the largest slum in the world - about a million people live there. On these narrow streets, the photographer met many sympathetic and sincere people.

A Sikh woman stands at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. Followers of Sikhism never cut their hair and cover it with a turban. They always carry a kirpan, a small dagger symbolizing the Sikh's duty to protect those in need.

A designer from Chennai, she came to Goa on vacation.

There are more than 170 million followers of Islam in India.

Traditional costumes are very popular in India, but many women, especially in large cities, also wear modern clothes.

Students come to college in traditional costumes on special occasions.

A deaf and mute girl uses sign language to show the word “friendship.” The photographer took this photo during a course organized by an NGO that helps women and children from slums get an education.

Slums and elite areas, the dusty desert of Thar and Rajasthan, the colonial alleys of Mumbai and the banks of the sacred Ganges River - everywhere Michaela met and photographed amazing women.

Since childhood, this girl lived in a small tent in Mumbai. Her father died when she was very young, and her brave mother, who trades in the market, did everything all these years for the girl to study. According to the photographer, she has rarely met such a warm and kind person with such a positive attitude and good education, even if this girl’s home is the sidewalk.

Sonam Kapoor is a popular Indian actress.

There are more than two thousand ethnic groups in India. The photographer met this young Marathi girl in the city of Nasik.

The Indian state of Goa used to be a Portuguese colony, which is why there are so many churches there. The photographer met this girl during a Christian wedding.

A young pilgrim and Hindu woman makes an offering in the Ganges River in Varanasi. The city is considered the spiritual capital of India.

This woman will soon turn 100 years old. Just imagine that the country’s centuries-long history passed right before these beautiful eyes.

India's scenic trains carry around 7 billion passengers across the country every year.

Mumbai is India's most populous city and is home to ethnic groups from all over the country. The girl in the photo is Tamil. The photo was taken at a celebration marking the end of the 40-day fast.

A girl from the Kalbeliya tribe at the camel fair in Pushkar. Until recently, Kalbelias were known as snake catchers and poison dealers. Their famous dance follows the movements of a snake.

The Parsis are descended from the Persian Zoroastrians who migrated to India over 1,000 years ago. Most of them, like this girl, live in close-knit communities around beautiful Zoroastrian temples. They maintain their ancient beliefs, but are also successful and part of modern society.

A deaf and mute girl uses sign language to show the word “friendship.” The photographer took this photo during a course organized by an NGO that helps women and children from slums get an education.