Unity in troubled times of conflict: Essen Communications hosts photo exhibition on cultural diversity
In this festive edition of PhotoSparks, we share highlights from the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath exhibition on ‘Festivals and Fairs of India.’
Launched in 2014, PhotoSparks is a weekly feature from YourStory, with photographs that celebrate the spirit of creativity and innovation. In the earlier 420 posts, we featured an art festival, cartoon gallery, world music festival, telecom expo, millets fair, climate change expo, wildlife conference, startup festival, Diwali rangoli, and jazz festival.
Veteran photographer and writer Susheela Nair recently hosted a photo exhibition at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath in Bengaluru, titled ‘Festivals and Fairs of India.’ It featured 21 thematic boards with 120 photographs shot by 23 photographers.
Susheela is the Founder and Director of Essen Communications and has conducted several seminars in the past on travel topics like eco-tourism and responsible tourism. “The idea of the exhibition was to convey a sense of the breadth and depth of Indian culture through a slice of different regions of the country,” she explains, in a chat with YourStory.
Over the years, Susheela has covered travel, food, lifestyle, and culture for magazines, travel guides, and coffee-table books on Kerala and Karnataka. She was the Consulting Editor for Karnataka Heritage quarterly, Editor of KSTDC Directory of Karnataka’s Resorts, Author of The Great Outdoors of Karnataka, and Editor for Jungle Tales, published by Jungle Lodges and Resorts.
She has curated the International Photo Exhibition on UNESCO World Heritage Sites in India and abroad, in 2015 and 2017. ‘Festivals and Fairs of India’ is Susheela’s seventh exhibition, featuring the works of travel enthusiasts, professional and amateur photographers, and culture buffs.
The exhibition conveys a splash of colour along with insights into the Pushkar Mela, Palkhi Festival, Shobha Yatra, Tibetan Buddhist Hemis Festival, Bhoothakola, Bonalu Festival, Jain Mahamastakabhisheka, Kumbh Mela, Dussehra, Goa Carnival, Ganesha Festival, Groundnut Fair, and Thrissur Pooram.
The participating photographers, some of whose works are showcased in this pictorial essay, include Anita Mysore, Bhaskar Ghosh, Dheeraj Rajpal, Akter Husain, Dinesh Kaushik, Harsh Patel, Jyothy Karat, Naveena Mohan, Sanjay Shenoy, Shrinivas Yenni, Uday Urs, and Vikas Kalgi.
“In these troubled times of polarisation and conflict, this exhibition shows the power of unity and diversity,” Susheela evocatively explains.
Now, what have you done today to pause in your busy schedule and work towards cultural unity and harmony?
Susheela Nair, Essen Communications
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