The South Wing

These images were shot this year in February in Navalgaon, a remote village near Hubli in Karnataka, India.

I was attending a friend’s marriage ceremony, and as is generally the case, I was armed with my camera, hoping to freeze those fleeting moments.

I remember, that day, the ambiance was mesmeric. There was a holy fire in a corner to solemnize the event. Sunlight trickled in through the thatched roof and formed kaleidoscopic patterns with smoke and heat and dust.

While I tried to capture the magic of shadow and light, I happened to notice an old, beautifully majestic panditji – a seer and a holy-man – overseeing the proceedings. He was carelessly confident in his posture, and his actions were liquid and dynamic. His composure was rare, startling, especially to one who had just left the rush and chaos of a city.

Every movement of his demanded respect, and I had to photograph him instantly. At the same time, I knew that a man of his bearing and deportment could not possibly be captured in color – that would be far too obvious. Only a black and white composition could do justice to his raw magnetism.

I’ve tried to render the seer as naturally as I could. For the most part, he was unaware of my presence, and I must have shot at least a hundred images of the man and his myriad moods.

Much later, when I got talking with him, I discovered that the seer who had captivated my imagination was one of the most respected pandits in the state. His primary role for the past twenty years had been to restore idols – those of gods and goddesses – and help out with temple renovations.

This montage then, is of a place – Navalgaon – but since places are people – it’s of a person I had a passing acquaintance with as well.

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