Instagram has always been a repository of timely and perfectly captured photographs. Anyone with a slightly good camera in hand, can be a master at this game. So, in search of some of the best pictures taken in the year, it was only obvious that we turn to Instagram, where amateur and professional are at the same level.
So, from food to travel, from documentary to decor, here are our pick of 15 evocative Instagram posts in a year that has otherwise been pretty grey. If you had missed them before, we have got your back.
1. Hari Menon's stunning capture of Bali Theyyam in Kerala
2. Chandan Khanna's snap of a guard taking a power nap
3. Arati Kumar Rao captures the first rays on a wintry day by the Brahmaputra
4. Self-taught baker, Shivesh, brings in the festive cheer with his fruit cake
5. iDress Mohammad captures this poignant scene of a woman wistfully looking over a street decorated with lights
6. Ritesh Uttamchandani captures a couple standing in front of the entire world, yet hidden from it
7. George Koruth captures a man with his best friend
8. This is how the drawing room at Samode Haveli in Jaipur looks, brought to us by Serendipity Delhi
9. Sizzling fries with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce? Mrugank captured this dream for all of us
10. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? It is a boat! Captured at Umngot River in Meghalaya by Andy Pariat
11. Flower, spice and everything nice. Ravi Chaudhary captures this at Ghazipur flower market ahead of Diwali
12. Prashanth Vishwanathan's powerful image of what happens to a woman when guests come visiting, Jodhpur
13. Asha Shiv shows us how a wintry Sunday should be spent
14. Madhumita Nandi captures a performer ahead of his Chhau dance drama in West Bengal
15. Fashion done right by Nor Black Nor White