A group of young monks lost in prayer, a string of prayer beads with the rudrakash contrasted by a rock of turquoise, a nomadic shepherd with mules, a kettle brewing warm tea, the frown lines of an elderly woman scripting its own tale of life and times in Ladakh… the photographs urge us to revisit the land that most of us would have or wanted to visit at least once in a lifetime.
Ladakh, the land where time stands still, the landscape against which any amateur photographer can return with images of a lifetime, finds itself at crossroads after incessant cloudbursts turned paradise to nightmare early August. The rocky terrains, glaciers, golden sands and crystal blue waters and most importantly its people are still gathering pieces of their lives, washed away by flash floods and mudslides that left behind a trail of destruction in villages.
Can we help?
Sure. One way to do it is to contribute, willingly, without checking if your contribution will help you save on tax. The other way is to bring home a photograph of Ladakh — its landscapes, people — from the ongoing exhibition at Kalakriti Art Gallery. SOS Ladakh Campaign, by NDTV Good Times, in association with the Hope Trust, has 118 photographs sourced from amateur and professional photographers, priced between Rs. 15,000 and 1.5 lakh rupees. The proceeds will go to the people of Ladakh.
The exhibition opened in New Delhi before coming to Hyderabad and will travel to Mumbai and Bangalore. Works of reputed photographers like Purkayastha Prabir, Amit Pasricha and Samar Jodha are juxtaposed with works of well-known personalities — director Kabir Khan, actors Arshad Warsi, Niel Nitin Mukesh, Deepti Naval and Purab Kohli.
Brick walled arches, moored boats that stand still against calm waters, a mirror image of barren branches against the blue waters, star trails and colonies nestled in a valley vividly tell us about the picturesque land. A work by Anu Malhotra is aptly titled ‘Road to Nirvana'. Anyone who has visited Ladakh will agree.
What : SOS Ladakh
Where : Kalakriti Art Gallery, Road no. 10, Banjara Hills
When : Till September 20; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
