Sharad Haksar’s photos capture the legends, spirit and celebration around the cherry blossom in Japan and discover the pristine white beauty of Iceland. He speaks to Divya Kaushik about his experience of travelling to lesser-known parts of the world
If I were asked to explain the Japanese spirit, I would say it is wild cherry blossoms glowing in the morning sun,” — Japanese scholar Motoori Norinaga. Cherry blossom in Japan is richly symbolic and has been often utilised in Japanese art, manga, anime, film and music. Over a 10-day period when the flower is in full bloom is widely popular and is followed like a custom and tradition. It is said that During World War II, the cherry blossom was used to motivate the Japanese people, to stoke nationalism and militarism among the populace. Capturing the celebration, symbolism and life around the cherry blossom was no less than a goal for photographer Sharad Haksar. He researched for months to select the best spots and time to visit Japan to capture the cherry blossom or Sakura.
“Apart from the commercial work that I do, I love travelling and shooting landscapes so I decided that I will be travelling to two places every year to shoot something different. I have always been fascinated with Japan and I wanted to capture the colour and spirit of the cherry blossom. It is a 10-day period which is forecasted in advance, for it is the most awaited period. The period begins by the end of March and continues till the first week of April. It is no less than magic to see the barren trees adoring the light pink hue overnight. It’s a magical experience. Seen widely by the Japanese as a symbol of elegance, hope, sacrifice and new beginnings, the blossom holds enormous attraction in the country. There are over 200 varieties of Sakura in Japan and most of them grow to a height of 25 feet to 50 feet with a canopy spreading up to 40 feet wide. I also wanted to capture the cherry blossom at Mt Fuji but because of its high altitude, the period of full bloom arrives much later than the rest of the places. I shot at Tokyo and Kyoto,” says Sharad who will be presenting his pictures shot at Japan and Iceland in an exhibition titled Red, Blue and White at India Habitat Center starting today.
The title of the exhibition not only represents the colours of the national flags of Japan and Iceland but also symbolises the shades of seasons captured by Sharad. Before shooting the cherry blossom in March last year, Sharad was in Japan around September and was able to capture the red of the autumn season. He explains, “Red and white symbolise the flag colours of Japan while red, blue and white represent the national hues of Iceland. On the other hand, red offers a rare glimpse of the autumn season in Japan when the Koyo or coloured leaves are in full bloom. The Koyo season typically begins in mid-September in Hokkaido to the north, gradually spreading to the southern end of the Japanese archipelago in about 50 days. During the peak period, the leaves of the maple and ginkgo trees turn red and yellow, presenting the viewer a stunning and picturesque scenery, at every turn. The white series is a visual chronicle of the blossoming of the white cherry blossom or the Sakura.”
After shooting autumn and spring, his quest for the shade of another season took him to Iceland. “I wanted to shoot the Northern light and the best time to shoot it was in winters. Though winters are very harsh and extreme in Iceland but it is a paradise to shoot. Blue is an ode to the surreal landscapes of Iceland. From the azure crystal caves in Jokulsarlon’s glaciers to the black volcanic beaches in Vik — Iceland’s tranquil natural beauty had ample inspiration to offer,” shares Sharad.
The photographer, who is the only Asian to snag a gold, silver, two bronzes and 21 honourable mentions at the prestigious IPA Awards, is resolute to travel to other two destinations this year and capture the lesser-viewed landscapes. “This year I plan to travel to North China and Mongolia,” he informs. The reason Sharad chooses to travel to the lesser-known destinations is to make people aware of the unexplored natural beauties of these places. “Through my pictures I want to offer a visual tour of places where people do not travel often. For example, my first exhibition of Red, White and Blue was in Chennai and it received a very warm response from the people. This year when I called those who visited the exhibition earlier, 15 of them told me that they are in Japan to witness the cherry blossom. I was really happy and this is the kind of impact I want to create through my other exhibitions as well. If I could inspire people to travel to these destinations, which otherwise do not form a part of popular tourist itinerary, I would be happy,” says Sharad.
The exhibition continues till May 10.