CHENNAI: Have you always wanted to travel, carry your camera and take magnificent pictures of monuments and heritage spots at least once in your lifetime? Here’s a man who has been living that dream, and, not just once but over 20 times! Meet Ramanidharan Ramaswamy, a 62-year-old heritage photographer-cum-mentor who has been travelling to Hampi, the UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. We caught up with the sexagenarian who recently won the Masters of photography award for best monument photography and mentoring at the international camera fair.
A former Indian bank employee, and a photography mentor (retired) at a private arts college in the city, Ramani shares that his interest in heritage and monument photography started because of two reasons: (a) encouragement from his maternal uncle, and a reverse psychological push by his father and a close friend, and (b) a craving to document the past and to revive the interest of people to visit historical sites. “My maternal uncle encouraged me to take photography, while my father and my friend said that I can’t take pictures. Though it was a casual conversation, I wanted to prove them that I could and I did,” he smiles.
His journey with the camera began in 1974 when he started practicing with a friend’s camera, a Yashika minister D. “After joining the bank, I took a loan for my 1st camera – a Russian make called Zenith. Later, I started receiving orders to cover weddings of friends, daughter and sons of executives and so on. My photographs were appreciated and was a huge push for me,” he recalls.
Today, Ramani specialises in wedding, food and heritage photography. “I also conduct workshops and I think teaching photography and being with my camera takes me to a different realm. My BP considerably reduces!” chuckles the member of the photographic society of Madras. Crediting his bank and a PSM member Sundar Guruswamy for supporting his passion he says, “My bank supported me in my photography endeavours and I would say that Sundar helped me in develop an interest for architecture photograph,” he adds.
Though his heritage travel started way back in 1979 with Thanjavur, Belur, Halibedu and Somnathpur, here’s the most interesting place of his travels — Hampi. “I visited Hampi for the first time in 1991 and was bowled over by its beauty. After that my next visit was in 2007 and I have been visiting the site at least two to four times a year till today!” he beams.
Narrating his interest towards the site, he shares that his father who used to work in the forest department in Hospet when the South was under Madras Presidency, showed pictures that he had taken of Hampi and calls it his first inspiration to reach this place. “I feel the history of Hampi is not understood properly. I cannot recreate the past. But through photos I wanted to revive interest of people, so that more visit and enjoy the past,” he shares and recalls that he had read a lot about the history of the site while preparing for his IAS examinations.
Today he has travelled to Hampi over 20 times and is affluent with contacts and knows every nook and corner of the site. But, why does he travel so many times to the site? After musing for a bit, he claims that it might be a connection of the past. “There is a particular spot in the famous Vittala temple at Hampi where I just sit and don’t click pictures. All I used to do is look at the magnificent architecture,” he narrates. “So, once I approached a friend of mine who specialises in past life regression. He had accompanied me to Hampi and as I was causally telling him about my experience at Vittala temple, he quickly said that I was one of the architects of the temple! But, he also cautioned me that I had to get over it and helped me in the healing process. After that I started noticing more beautiful structures in and around the complex!” Thrilled about his upcoming trip to Hampi in December, he shares, “I am taking seven people with me and I usually explain its’ history during the train journey. Every time, I find a new dimension, let’s see what happens this time!” he laughs and adds, “My next destinations in 2017 will be Ajanta, Ellora, Konark and Ankor Wat.”