A mystic waving his incense in the air as crowds look on, a barber on the banks of the River Ganga, a boatman manoeuvring through the waters – each of them with a story. These are some of the moments from the spiritual land of Varanasi that photographer M. Madan Gopal captures in his pictures.
Madan, who holds the post of ACS in the Forestry Department, had on display glimpses of his experiences in Varanasi in an exhibition at the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath recently.
Recreating the aura of the eternal city, Madan weaves a magical spell with his photographs that cast their own charm in the myriad hues and colours of the enchanting old town.
Beginning from sunrise on the vibrant Varanasi horizon to sunset, the photographs speak volumes on life that ignites a fire within every visitor to the city. His fourth exhibition, the Varanasi encounter is aptly named ‘Namaami’ where Madan tries to demystify the city and bring its diversity as close as possible to his viewers.
The heritage and the classical atmosphere of the old town come alive in pulsating textures through Madan’s photos that blend the ambience with the people who bring life to it.
Sharing his thoughts, the proficient lensman says Varanasi is so vibrant and colourful that at first sight, you will be perplexed. “This is my impression from three years ago. Every season I went, the place had a distinct vibrancy.”
On the stories the photos share, he says the crowd is the strength of creativity. “You cannot ignore the crowd. There are some unusual shots and stories in some photos. Like a photograph of 64 steps and 64 temples. A sign of a child playing with a kite and in front of it, a child labourer drying clothes.
I saw stories everywhere. Most photos are spontaneous like a person feeding the birds and talking to them and migratory seagulls from Australia. Each photo has its own beauty.”
Photography is more of an inner journey, he points out.
“People think that you are capturing something outside. But it is actually something that touches the very core of your heart. Every one has a sacred space and in my photographs I try to connect with my sacred space. It is only then that you will be able to capture reality. When there is harmony between the eye and the heart, the photos speak with emotions,” he reveals.
Madan also points out that his first exhibition was inaugurated by a farmer, his second by an auto driver, the third by a transgender and this fourth one by a boatman from Varanasi. “Through my exhibitions, I’m making a social statement that these are the people who do greater service to society and the nation than celebrities or famous personalities.” On what he wants people to take back from the exhibition, Madan says it’s the celebration of life. “Diversity facilitates the vibrancy. It’s not uni-culture; it’s multi-culture. There is life there and life facilitates spirituality.”
