Rajesh Bedi’s coffee table book and photo exhibition throws light on the rural lifestyle and tribal communities in Rajasthan. He spoke to Karan Bhardwaj
Among the august gathering at this event, Kiran Bishnoi, a rural women from the Jodhpur was the head-turner. She had come to Delhi to inaugurate a photo exhibition by well-known lensman Rajesh Bedi. The veteran photographer had captured the lady six years ago in her village, when she was breastfeeding her two children — a small girl and a chinkara fawn. This rare image is a part of Bedi’s ongoing exhibition at Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Center, which displays the “remote and lesser-known” parts of Rajasthan. “For most of my peers and people, the state is all about the forts, palaces, royal life, ceremonies and sandunes. But I wanted to explore the remote areas of the place and see how life exists in the state of Maharajas,” shared the wildlife photographer, who has travelled across the globe, clicking some awe-inspiring moments in the deserted places.
The exhibition displays some of the images which are put together in a form of a coffee table book titled Rajasthan - Under the Desert Sky (Roli Books). Most of these are aerial shots using hot air balloons, microlite and cameras mounted on high-flying kites. There is a beautiful image of Jaisalmer Fort in relation to the city. “This is the most difficult picture in this series. On the fifth morning, I finally got the desired output. However, my most remarkable image of all times is of Kiran only. She told me she found this fawn in her farm, in a terrified situation. She then fed it for two months before leaving it back to nature,” said Bedi, who first travelled to Rajasthan 30 years ago.
The 62-year-old photographer travelled the state for four years and clicked hundreds of images. “In Mount Abu, there is a 24 km track. At one point, I was terribly shocked to see how people are still living with ancient means of life. They use old rock shelters. I think Rajasthan’s economy is purely based on livestock — camels, sheeps and goats,” he said.
Having spent weeks in the company of desert and tribal communities, he accompanied them as they graze their flocks and travel to the spectacular fairs and religious occasions to capture the vibrant character of people. The lensman has climbed into the high fastnesses of the Aravallis, to discover deserted forts and primitive rock shelters that are inhabited to this day.
After this, he is gearing up for next coffee table book on Indian elephants. “Most of the books published in any part of the world are on African wildlife. There is hardly any visual-dominated product on Indian elephants. I think everybody undermines this amazingly huge creature,” he revealed. The book is expected to launch in next two months.
Bedi was naturally inclined towards nature and wildlife. Born in Haridwar, his father was a botanist who would travel exotic locations to collect specimen. “My brother and I used to accompany as well as assist him. I started clicking photos at the age of eight. Behind our house, there was a tigress with cubs. So I was born in nature’s lap,” he said.
His last book Sadhu–The Seekers of Salvation is a monumental photographic study of the esoteric monastic orders. It offers in detail the first glimpse of women sadhavis and practising Aghori ascetics, the most rarely seen of all the Indian sanyasis and sadhus. He was also adjudged ‘Wildlife Photographer of the year 1986’ in a worldwide competition organised by the Natural History Museum, BBC Wildlife Magazine and others, held in the United Kingdom.