A few days ago, a friend of mine mentioned Kolkata in a conversation we had. If you don't know where Kolkata is, here you go:
Kolkata (also known as Calcutta, which was the official name until 2001) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, 80 km (50 mi) west of the border with Bangladesh. source
Yesterday I visited a new exhibition, which managed to surprise me in a very good way. It was a photography exhibition with title that seems unusual at first glance India, Cradle of Humanity. In fact the title is not unusual at all, it's a part of a well known quote by one of the great writers humanity had.
India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend and the great grand mother of tradition ― Mark Twain.
This was a photo exhibition of Botond Nagy, titled India, Cradle of Humanity, but there were photos from both India and Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal. Visiting the exhibition for me was like stepping into a totally different world that of course I knew existed, but at a great distance from my world.
The beauty of the exhibition was that the photos were not about the famous tourist attractions we are used to see when it comes to India, with pompous architecture and style, but the everyday life, or it's fair to say, the hard side of life.
I consider gems these photos, even though some of the scenes may not be up to what we call 21st century standards today. Why gems? Because I'm sure with the ongoing development most of these scenes are going to disappear soon for a good reason, like this man selling meat from his window. From photographic point of view it's an excellent one, not so excellent when you think of health though.
Howrah Bridge, Kolkata
The title of the photo is Howrah Bridge, which is a balanced cantilever bridge over the Hooghly River in West Bengal, India. But the bridge is barely visible in the background and we have an elderly man in the foreground, who's facial expression suggests he's deep in his thoughts. This is a photo with deep meaning.
Malliek Ghat, Kolkhata
When I saw this photo, the first thing I thought about is that most likely it's a ritual. Then I tried to run a search to see if I can find out more about it, but all I could find was the Mallick Ghat, which is a 130 year old flower market and the largest in Kolkata. Is it the same place? As the photo says Malliek Ghat, Kolkhata. Regardless, looking at the photo, the photographer has captured an interesting moment.
New Market, Kolkhata
This is a scene you only see in some parts of the world, just like the first photo. The word market has a different meaning for everyone and in India, this is the market. I'm wondering what this place is going to look like in a decade or two. Today this photo is reflecting reality. Maybe in a decade or two it's going to reflect history. Life is changing slowly.
One of the things I like to do when I'm visiting this gallery is to take photos of the corridor or the doorway, whatever you want to call it. I find it interesting, when the lights are on and there are photos on the wall. It's kind of an addiction for me already.
New Market, Kolkhata
I'm not familiar with this market, if it's open 24/7, or the vendors are just sleeping next to their products. I like how the hanging net on the left is highlighted, while the rest of the photo is covered in blue.
With the risk of sounding like a broken record, unfortunately my biggest enemy was also there and I don't know who won. Most likely I lost, but I never go down without a huge fight.
Kolkhata, India
What do you see in the photo? You may see a man with a lot of ginger. I see a man with a lot of ginger, that in my country would worth a fortune, but this man most likely is paid just enough to get by.
New Market, Kolkhata
Looking at these photos, makes me think of how many interesting photos you can take at the market. You can catch the interaction between the seller and the buyer, or just capture the supply that sometimes looks better than any artwork in a gallery. This task can be easy at one end of the world and very difficult at the other. I don't know what's the situation in India, but in my country people are extremely suspicious, afraid of authorities and taxman. Any attempt of taking photos can have serious consequences, so you need to be prepared to face the music, or run as fast as you can. These photos tell me a different story though. People might be more friendly there.
New Market, Kolkhata
New Market, Kolkhata
When I look at the old man, I'm thinking he must be full of wisdom.
Kolkhata, India
Howrah Bridge, Kolkata
This is exactly the scene I was talking about earlier, when I said you can capture the interaction between the buyer and the seller. These are two sellers I suppose, but look at their face. What do you think they are talking about? The man on the left is smiling, but the other seems like it is quite annoyed. Or is it just me? I love it!
I'm curious to see if any of you have a favorite. Let me know in a comment.
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