The Red Hibiscus Trail

Excerpt from curatorial essay by Ina Puri

The intense revisiting enabled the photographer to record both the history and the present moment creating in the process an archive that was invaluable. In the suite of photographs these testimonials come alive in the photographer’s vivid compositions. The temples dating back to medieval ages have stood the test of time and despite the patina of years appear regal and stately with the designs mostly intact on the ceilings and walls. Around these structures, life goes on and we find a parallel world existing alongside. Right next to the intricately patterned ‘mandir dalaan’, clothes hang out to dry and village boys jump into the nearby pond to cool off on a hot summer afternoon. Kirtaniyas strike up a bhajan tune on their harmonium and in the twilight hour the elders gather around to hear and sing along with the musicians. Sanjay has now befriended many of them and is allowed to shoot these moments and even more intimate scenes when the boatman who ferries him invites him to take pictures of his wife Najma, as she sits stitching a ‘Kantha’ with her group of friends. I am struck by her luminous eyes as she looks into the camera, completely at ease with the city man’s presence.

Jawhar Sircar’s words on the show

Sanjay Das has spent a decade to capture the spirit of rural Bengal and has documented facets of its heritage, as evident in its terracotta temples, tribal life, architecture, fairs, festivals, rituals and folk arts. He has photographed with the brutality of clarity the local folk artists, mask makers, weavers, conch shell craftsmen, patachitra painters, idol sculptors.  His work is for those who may never see these people in real life, as also to contribute to the archive of the life and time of rural Bengal in the early decades of the 21st century. 

Gallery Note on the show by Ragini J Jain

The Gallery has endeavoured to bring forth heritage and indigenous art and architecture of the country and the contemporary artists who document or practice the indigenous styles.  This series captures Bengal through a trail of the explored and the unexplored over a period of a decade. The expanse of Sanjay’s travels through the region and the depth of his search for the culture and the people is reflected in this series of works. Curated by Ina Puri, the series of photographs on display create an image of Bengal that is familiar yet unexpected, breaking slightly from the norm and truly delving into the details of the interiors of the region.