Drushtikon- An all new perspective


This weekend I visited Drushtikon - a photography exhibition. 
 Now I am not really one of those ‘arty’ kinds or one of those who can appreciate the play of sun and shadows in a photograph. To me a school going kid is a kid, is a kid and will remain just that- a kid. Rarely would I have noticed, if ever,   the mehendi design on his palm. An old man squatting against a wall wouldn’t have merited a second glance earlier. But yesterday the frame urged me to contrast the old fellow’s strong gaze versus his frail physique! The very procession I was once part of per force, en route my native place, was right in my face, albeit in a splendid golden hue that I couldn’t but help resolve to visit Jejuri again.

Drushtikon re-introduced me to myself in a hundred different ways. I discovered I could be at peace by myself in the midst of a sea of humanity, with absolute no self-consciousness what so ever. Those who know me would raise a toast to that I am sure.

I learnt that experts can sometime blind you to beauty. Moving ahead of me were these senior folks in kurtas, discussing the mode, aperture and God-knows-what of the exposure of every picture there.  For some time I hung on to every word they said, wanting to understand the art and science behind these exquisite frames.  I must admit, it made no sense to me, but at the same time they pointed out the over processed beam of sunlight and the peculiar shade of water labelling the beautiful picture the work of an obsessed technical lunatic (the very words he used!! ).. Until then I had fallen in love with that early morning sight of some lake in New Zealand only to be told that it didn’t deserve its place in the exhibition! I stepped away.

I realised there is vast difference in what people are, what they say and what they actually mean. Ditto for photographs! For heavens, a gently weeping guitar – the frame deserves to be as big a hit as the original Beatles number me thinks. 

The mountains of Leh, the blues of Rajasthan, the majestic wild life at Pench and the ever romantic moon and sun-setting beaches.  Rarely before did pictures evoke such strong emotions.  Seeing the world through the eyes of the lens and getting a glimpse into what was obvious and beyond...truly an amazing experience. 

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