Raghu Rai’s Photos exhibition at the Indian Academy of Modern Arts, New Delhi – 16 Apr – 30 Apr 2008
I turned up at the National Academy of Modern Art, Jaipur house located near India Gate to see Ragu Rai’s photo exhibition onthe last day of his fortnight long display of some of his best works. And what an experience it turned out to be.
The banner outside the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi
I was moved, thrilled, intrigued, surprised, overwhelmed and finally climaxed with a surge of emotions that completely knocked me out of my senses to say the least, as I strolled, room after room, with eyes open and mouth agape. Raghu’s attitude in capturing the confines of the focus is wondrous, bordering, in that remote sort of a way, to desperation that seeks to set so many elements, colours, moods, sentiments, all together in one spilt second. In the following paragraph, I have tried to show a candle light to the sun that he most certainly is in the creative art of photography. It is a candid view without any pretentions or, maybe if I choose to put it blatantly, fears. After all, it takes courage to comment on the work of the country’s one of the most renowned photographers. Let the candle flicker, so here it goes.Brazen, and often, stark comparison of the diverse and seemingly impossible to amalgamate themes, in a manner that not only induces logic, but also reaches out with a lesson that spurs a honeycomb of emotions. These then concentrate suddenly as one view the pictures long enough. According to me this is Raghu Rai’s underlying theme in most of his works. People, places and split second drama can be another way of describing it. Also, Raghu depends heavily on intrigue – something that sends a small fry like me too skimming crazily in the creative waters.
One of the pictures at the exhibtion that I clicked using my camera
I bought one picture of Kolkata Dock that somehow seemed to send across a sticky lesson – the kind one looks for on a piece that adorns the wall. In the picture a solitary man is moving a boat in the Hooghly River. There is something telling in the manner in which the solitariness of the man is coming to terms with the immediacy of his surroundings.
Jeanie, my lovely angel turns twelve
Jeanie, my elder daughter turned twelve on the second of April this year. Her first birthday ever since we moved into this new house of ours turned out to be a private, family affair. Perhaps, she too liked not being attending to guests, thanking gift bearing friends and in the end, left too tired to spend time with mom, dad and her little sister. So, unlike other years, having distributed candies to her friends during the day at school, she was excited to receive me at seven in the evening.
That's me giving Jeanie the first bit of her cake
I got her favourite chocolate truffle cake. Sporting the new ‘Fast track’ watch (which she had earlier bought as a birthday gift) and a new dress, she cut the cake to the cheers and claps of her sister, mom and me. Soon, licking fingers with chocolate stained fingers, we decided to further the celebrations. The venue turned out to be a restaurant called ‘Fortune Platters’ at the nearby Shipra Mall. Strange it may sound but a combination of Italian and Chinese dishes were ordered. The chefs delivered well and completed what started as an enjoyable party.
I and Jeanie at the restaurant before the dinner
She is twelve now. “You are not yet teen”, her mother emphasized the next day. Her grimace and throwing of shoulders conveyed that she thinks she is. It is perhaps the first expressive denial of Mom’s authority. I know soon it will be me. Will I handle the situation better? You bet.
Delhi Summer, Peacock flowers and Indian Laburnum
The sun is out with killer instinct, baking the Indian summer so hot that even after it ducks down to go around the other half of the world while the earth merrily rotates, its curse doesn’t leave us even for a second. For we see it again the next morning smiling vengeance in the form of even more blistering heat. It is first week of May and the maximum temperature has already crossed 43 C. The immediate future will not be easy to bear most reckon. Notwithstanding the heat, aren’t humans best at being optimistic in the worst of the crises? Well, if you ignore (try, it is not too difficult) there are a few bright sparks that sure will elevate your mood.
A Gulmohar tree in full bloom
Gulmohar (Peacock flower) and Amaltas (Golden shower or the Indian Laburnum) are in full bloom, cheering everyone up from every corner, alongside jogger’s lane and beaming from every other promenade next to the water bodies in the public parks, at traffic signals and on the roadsides. The Orangey-Red of the Gulmohar clouding the green foliage has filled the hearts of many a poets and singers in the past with desire, warmth and love. Look at it long enough and feel the burden of heat lighten. Golden shower on the other hand is a miracle that puts the summer sunshine to shame by pouting invigorating bunches of effusively bright flowers dangling heavy from an almost leafless tree. The yellow on the tree is overwhelmingly dominant – it is like garlanding a dry tree with millions of bright yellow flowers. Blue Jacaranda is also in full glory though less visible except in a few areas.
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Hi Yash!
Sure friend. Will convey. Thanks a lot.
Cheers!
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