Photography
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Maha Kumbha Mela
“The Maha Kumbha Mela is different things to different people. It is also a bit of a paradox. To me it was an opportunity to get some perspective on life, my life as an Indian, having lived abroad for a fifth of it; our lives as Hindus and why the Hindus makes this pilgrimage.
It is a daunting prospect, the idea of photographing the Maha Kumbha. How does one put a face to 30 million people who take great trouble to make the pilgrimage? How does one convey the grandeur, the scale of the event; the calm and serene mood that blankets the whole area, while loud-speakers incessantly announce new arrivals at the lost and found tent?
There was sand being kicked up from the dry river bed as the crowds marched like an army of ants, took a dip, a moment to reflect, and then left. At night, smoke from cooking fires hung low as strangers huddled around them to stay warn. It truly was a “mela”. The Maha Kumbha is an amazing confluence of minds, of bodies, of water; where every 12 years, millions gather for their own reasons, which happen to be in direct concurrence with everyone elses. For some it was their fourth or fifth visit to a Kumbh, but for most, it is a once in a lifetime journey.”
Introduction to the exhibition “Maha Kumbha Mela” at the India Habitat Center, New Delhi
Solo show, Visual Arts Gallery, IHC, Lodhi Road, New Delhi. February 27- March 2, 2001.
The Maha Kumbha Mela was held at the confluence of the rivers Ganga and Yamuna on the outskirts of Allahabad from early January till mid February 2001.
Sadhana School
Sadhana is a primary school in central Mumbai, for children with hearing disabilities. All the students are currently using analog hearing aids.
The Rotary Club of Mumbai along with Aatma NGO is trying to raise funds to get the 85 students digital hearing aids. The digital hearing aids are not only superior in quality, they are less prone to damage from sweat and moisture, can accelerate learning, and can help integrate the students into mainstream classrooms, and careers.
Roberta
Roberta and her friends were dancers for one of the songs that we were filming for Dhoom 2. After an all night shoot of rehearsing and dancing we travelled for an hour and a half to a Rio suburb to Roberta’s house. They then proceeded to dance some more.
Welton
After some frenetic dancing at Roberta’s house, we stepped out to a local cafe for tea and ham and cheese sandwiches. Welton disappeared for a few minutes, and when he returned he told us he had gone to buy something. Little did I realize that he had called his family at home and told them that he was bringing home a guest (me).
When I reached the house with Welton, I saw the table laden with fresh fruits, breads, butter, milk, juices and cheeses. My eyes literally welled up at the thought that his parents had rushed out to buy all this food to welcome a guest they did not know – a meal fit for a king served, with a smile, in a house that was in a lower income neighbourhood. After we all ate, Welton’s father pulled out his banjo and played an old folk song for us. Then we went for a walk around the block.
