The minute you reach an Apatani village in North East India, you feel the warmth and hospitability of the local indigenous people.

Uncontrollably, I couldn't take my gaze away from the nose plugs of the senior women. I visited many tribes around the world; this was my first encounter with such nose decoration.

What shocked me more is the story behind it. It is believed that this ritual started when the elders of the tribe decided to find a solution to stop the kidnapping of the girls by raiders from other tribes. They decided to do the nose plugging and face tattooing to make the girls less appealing to the invading warriors. With time, this ritual transformed from deformation to cultural pride. These interesting photos cover the last generation of women with nose plugging, as the government banned this practice from being performed since 1970.

Below is a photo series that reflects the happiness and beauty of the Apatani women.

These beautiful people will draw the smile & joy on your face naturally.

More info: Instagram