Shraddha Bhargava
Shraddha Bhargava is a lens-based artist, photographer, and educator from Madhya Pradesh, India. She holds an MA in Photography from Middlesex University, London. Beginning her career in photojournalism, she now works across interdisciplinary documentary projects, exploring the relationships between people, environment, and technology. Her work has been commissioned by National Geographic Traveler India and featured in prominent festivals such as the Kolkata International Photography Festival. She has also exhibited internationally. Shraddha is the founder of Drishya Saksharta Abhiyan, a visual literacy initiative for students in under-resourced Hindi-medium schools, using photography to build awareness of social and environmental issues through visual storytelling.
About Work
Bedtime Stories in the City of Dreams is Shraddha Bhargava’s intimate visual chronicle of young women navigating life in a working women’s hostel in an unfamiliar city. The series captures moments of solitude, shared joy, resilience, and togetherness as these women leave behind their hometowns to seek independence in an urban landscape both relentless and full of promise. Through tender and often playful scenes—charging phones in corridors, negotiating curfews, sharing soft toys, and preparing for interviews—Shraddha documents their everyday challenges and small triumphs. The project becomes a personal and collective narrative of transformation, reflecting themes of home, identity, support systems, and self-discovery in spaces where sisterhood quietly blooms amid the noise of city life.
Being in a hostel and sharing a common socket to charge your phone in the corridor can feel like one of the biggest challenges. But when a loved one sends you a flower, the moment to share that happiness becomes essential. Chandani (23) makes sure that the socket is hers for a while, allowing her to celebrate the bloom of her joy.
Smita, 23, recently moved to Mumbai for a new job at a corporate consultancy. It’s her first time living away from her family, and she is slowly learning to navigate the city on her own. I often notice her making notes in her notebook about her daily expenses and quiet signs of missing home. I feel the city teaches courage, and dreams give you the strength to live independently.
You’ll find a teddy bear in almost every room of a girls’ hostel. Often they are gifts, but more than that, teddies offer comfort—a soft hug that brings warmth during lonely moments. Sunita (32) is no exception, always keeping hers close as she enjoys her weekend afternoon nap.
Life for Chandani (23) has taken a positive turn as she prepares for a new job interview. She’s up early, tying her scarf in front of the only mirror in the room. Everyone decides not to disturb her, giving her the space she needs to focus without taking up any of the mirror time.
In shared spaces, it’s all about balancing personal time and respecting each other’s needs. While Payal (25) peacefully sleeps after her hectic work trip, the other girls quietly leave for work, and others begin their morning routines on the bed, making the most of the limited space without disturbing her.
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