Take The Red Pill

From the vermilion torii gates of Japan to the famed rust-hued walls of India's Agra Fort, the burgundy robes of Burmese monks to scarlet chillies drying in the Bangladeshi sun, red is the quintessential colour of Asia.

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HANOI, VIETNAM

Every year, billions of incense sticks are produced by small, family-owned businesses across Vietnam. Entire villages may work for up to 15 hours a day, fashioning the bamboo sticks, adding the incense paste, and packaging the finished products. The sticks begin life as thick bamboo that is sliced, ground and smoothed to the proper dimensions. Before adding the paste - each family has its own recipe, which is a closely guarded secret - bundles of sticks are repeatedly dipped into dye, removed, and dried in the sun in vast fields of incense stick "bouquets". The sticks must be completely dry before they are dyed again, and it takes multiple repetitions to get the colour just right, so the whole process can take several days.

AGRA, UTTAR PRADESH, INDIA

The Agra Fort is the highlight of the city of Agra, which served as the capital of the Mughal Empire multiple times.