Punjab rooftop sculptures take stage at photography festival

Unusual rooftop sculptures dotting villages in the Indian state of Punjab are turning heads at France’s largest photography festival. Made from water tanks, these elaborate and colorful structures feature airplanes, cars, and whiskey bottles, choices often based on the hobbies and dreams of the house’s dwellers.

The tradition started around five decades ago with a few dozen local artisans and quickly spread by word of mouth. Architectural photographer Rajesh Vora, whose works are on display at Les Rencontres d’Arles in southern France this summer, traveled to 150 villages to capture hundreds of rooftop installations. He told CNN it is “a brilliant idea combining form and function.”