Where Cultures Meet, an exhibition of photographs, showcases the differences and similarities between Qatar and India. By Chahak Mittal
We take a thousand pictures with our smartphones today. But do we still cherish them? For Ajeesh Puthiyadath, photos have been an important part of his life as they have always triggered nostalgia. “I have safely kept all my photo albums, starting from my nursery days to now. They are a very important part of my life. Photos take you back to that particular moment that you had once lived. It’s, after all, a memory. Simply gazing at photographs brings those places alive for somebody who hasn’t physically visited them,” says Qatar-based Indian photographer Ajeesh, whose series of photographs has been featured at the Where Cultures Meet photography exhibition.
The show gathers two photographers from Qatar, Hamad Al Shamari and Aisha Al Sadah, who went to the Himalayan region of Ladakh in India to capture its local culture and traditions, and two Indian photographers based in Doha, who have been picturing “life in Qatar.” The photographers have worked on themes like architecture, landscape, portraits and street life to discover the similarities and differences between both nations and cultures.
So what was Ajeesh’s approach? He says that everyday things fascinate him a lot and they were his main inspiration. He adds, “I shoot everywhere. I am a street photographer. I am always carrying a camera. So when we were told about this exhibition, they asked us to capture the life and traditions in Qatar. I already had some photos and travelled around to click more.”
Salim Abdulla, another Qatar-based Indian photographer, is also a painter and travelled to key landmarks of the country. He believes that the idea behind showcasing the two nations through photographs will not only help people realise the similarities and the differences between the nations but also look at the bonding that the two share. “The photographers who travelled to India have captured various places and moments in every day lives of the people of Ladakh. They have also captured a regional festival that even Indians outside of Ladakh do not know about. So it’s great for tourism and awareness as well. Also, a large part of workforce from India lives in Qatar,” says Salim.
While the photos from Ladakh show a remote land tucked in the valleys among barren mountains and where communities are known for their tolerance and their harmonious living, photos from Qatar shed light on the bustling metropolis of Doha, made up of century-old markets, futuristic buildings and architecture that line its waterfront.
Ajeesh, who originally comes from Kerala, says that the sea in Qatar reminds him of Kerala’s coastline. “Since Gulf countries have an immeasurable coastline, I have captured the sea-side moments and people enjoying their time there,” says he. He highlights the same thing while talking about the other two photographers who travelled to India. “Ladakh is a difficult terrain, especially for those who live in a coastal area. The climatic conditions are so different. The altitude and temperatures are very high there. So it was quite difficult for them to survive there but what they have brought out is beautiful. I just feel that they should have spent more time in India and explored its different cities as that would have highlighted its true colours and traditions since it is a hub of cultures,” says Ajeesh.
While Ajeesh finds the ocean as the element of similarity, Salim says that both the countries have huge deserts and are going through rapid urbanisation. “Qatar is becoming more of a sports-oriented country. And even though both the nations are becoming modern, their different ways of functioning is what I have tried to highlight in my photos.”
(The show is on till January 12 at the India Habitat Centre, central atrium.)