The nuances of darkness

Faizal (left) and Shrinivas (centre) are two of the guides at Dialogue In The Dark at Express Avenue —Photo: K. Pichumani

Imagine your life is suddenly plunged into the deepest darkness and there is nothing but layers and layers of black. You stumble, you fall; you are left bewildered and maybe, even a little angry by your inability to cope with it all.

But, if this experience was shaped by a softer segue, perhaps a guided tour that harnesses all the other lesser-used senses, something beautiful happens: you learn to accept the darkness and even appreciate it for its cathartic effect on you.

Dialogue In The Dark, an exhibition that recently opened at Express Avenue, strips visitors of anything that can produce light and equips them with nothing but a cane and some information on what to expect.

On one such tour, Shrinivas, a guide, initiated visitors into the darkness and led them through various situations. “Please hold on the wall on your right,” he guided a small batch of people. The group might as well have been walking with their eyes closed as there was nothing to see, but plenty to experience. The first stop was amid a bridge simulation. As the narrow, rickety bridge was shaken, out of a seemingly scary situation, a sense of camaraderie was formed, as people helped each other through the scenario.

The tour also enlightened visitors on how little the other senses are explored, whether it was by identifying spices by taking a whiff or vegetables by feeling them. Shrinivas asked, “Do you think it is impossible to play cricket in the dark?” He then proceeded to show the surprised group how to do so with their hearing. Everybody was able to connect bat to ball, to their surprise.

When the visitors finally emerged into the blinding light, after 45 minutes in the darkness, another surprise awaited them: their guide was a visually challenged person.

According to Sudha Krishnan of ACE Experiences, which has set up similar permanent exhibitions in Hyderabad and Bangalore, every guide they have on board has varying levels of visual impairment. “This has helped many people appreciate and learn to use the other senses as well,” she said.

Chirag Soni, a businessman who had come to the mall, wandered into the exhibition and emerged embracing darkness like never before. “I was able to experience things and senses I took for granted,” he said.