State of the art

Shri Vitthal Birdev annual yatra at Pattan Kodoli village near Kolhapur is commemorated with thousands of kilos of turmeric powder. PIC COURTESY/GAJANAN DUDHALKAR

One of the images on display at the ongoing Maharashtra Photography Exhibition 2022 is that of the Shri Vitthal Birdev annual yatra at Pattan Kodoli village near Kolhapur, commemorated with thousands of kilos of turmeric powder by the shepherd communities of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Goa and Andhra Pradesh. The photograph, showing throngs of people gathered in celebration, as a fountain of yellow hangs in the air, is one of the two prints by senior Mumbai-based photojournalist Gajanan Dudhalkar at the show. "The photographs reflect Maharashtra's rich cultural heritage," says Dudhalkar, who is also the curator of the show.

A bullock cart race near Jejuri in the Pune district. PIC COURTESY/VAIBHAV JAGUSTE

A member of The Photographic Society of India, an 85-year-old intuition, Dudhalkar felt that many of his fellow members who have pursued the art for years as a serious hobby haven't received the recognition they deserve, because they didn't live and work out of Mumbai. Keen to make their work accessible to a larger public, Dudhalkar initially pursued plans of creating a coffee table book on Maharashtra. Lack of sponsorship, however, led him to organise the exhibition, which he hopes will bring in adequate sponsorship for the book. Arrangements were made since 2020, but repeated lockdowns delayed the show, he shares.

Gajanan Dudhalkar

The exhibition, which marks the 62nd celebration of Maharashtra Day, includes two works each by 12 lensmen - all amateur photographers, who are members of the society. Among these are Kishor Nikam, who apart from working in advertising, has experimented with photographs of the Marathi folk form Tamasha using slow shutter speeds; Dr Sudhir Gaikwad who has travelled across the country capturing wildlife; Kedar Bhide, a postgraduate in Applied Biology from the Haffkine Institute, who is a nature and macro photography enthusiast; and the late Gopal Bodhe, who worked for the Indian Navy and used his access to helicopters to practice aerial photography, producing stunning aerial views of forts, forests and cities all over the state, much before the arrival of drones made such perspectives possible.

Nandurbar tribals celebrating Kathi Holi. PIC COURTESY/RAJENDRA WAGHMARE

Each photograph has been printed on 30x45-inch gallery wraps on Hahnemuhle Daguerre archival canvas at the Nature Works Giclee print facility. Reflective of the state's vibrant culture and history, the show presents an experiential variety, from colourful Gudi Padwa processions in Girgaum and celebrations of Kathi Holi observed by tribal communities in Nandurbar to splendid monsoon views of Tamhini Ghat near Pune. As Dudhalkar insists, "I wanted both the styles of the photographers represented as well as each of the 24 frames to be different from one another."

WHAT: Maharashtra Photography Exhibition 2022
WHERE: Piramal Art Gallery, NCPA
WHEN: April 30-May 7, 12 pm to 8 pm
CALL: 22029483