Closeups of stone-carved statues of Hindu deities, picturesque views of trees standing majestically with the backdrop of a vivid blue sky, and frame-within-frame shots of temple gateways that glisten as sunlight falls on the sandstone surface of monuments—these are just a few observations one will take note of on viewing Noida-based photographer Manoj Arora’s images. However, on close scrutiny, one will be able to identify the historical relevance of these photographs that are a part of Arora’s ongoing solo exhibition titled ‘Rediscovering Hampi’ at Bikaner House near India Gate.
Featuring about 80 prints by the photographer, this exhibition has captured the beauty of the splendid temple town of Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Karnataka. Arora’s lens documents every little speck of this ancient capital of the Vijayanagar Empire—we see everything from monoliths to inscriptions on stone; architectural ruins to sculptures as well as tall primeval trees against the light. Inaugurated on Thursday, the exhibition has been curated by noted art critic Uma Nair and presented by the Gurugram-based luxury art curation company Masha Art. “After he showed me the photographs, it took me about six months to put the works together and decide how I wanted to categorise them into distinct chapters,” shared Nair.
Historical fragments of splendour
Located on the banks of the Tungabhadra River, Hampi holds significant religious and heritage importance. The architectural marvels of this town are known to house stories of the past. Arora’s exhibition commences with two photographs of elephants. The two images are of importance as they shed light on how, back in the 14th Century, elephants were not just an integral part of the pujas but were also employed for both processions and wars. “I thought we would begin the show with two images that are auspicious… something that speaks to us about life in the ruins,” shared Nair. Arora’s works have been categorised by Nair into segments—Gods and Goddesses, Architecture, Stone cut sculptures and Sandhya, Murals, and Purush aur Prakriti.
In this exhibition, images of gods and goddesses reflect the expertise of sculptors. The mural pictures, however, showcase the incarnation of Parvati—called Pampa—and the story of her marriage to an incarnation of Lord Shiva. Arora has captured these murals from the ceiling of the Virupaksha Temple—it is dedicated to Lord Virupaksha, a form of Shiva. “When I saw them [the murals], I realised they were losing their clarity. I decided I want to shoot them so that I will at least be satisfied as a photographer that I was renewing the culture,” shared Arora.
Impressions of a time gone by
Arora embarked upon a journey to document Hampi in February this year, and chronicled the town for two weeks. Working on this project amid COVID-related restrictions meant there were limited people at the site, which is otherwise frequented by visitors. However, given the multiplicity of monuments and historical attractions, the artist was in a conundrum as he had to observe the interplay of lights and frames before getting to work. “I had to go there four to five times in order to figure out the lighting conditions, and then decide on the frame.”
‘Rediscovering Hampi’ has caught the interest of several art connoisseurs from the city. Narrating a brief interaction Nair had with French painter Maite Delteil, she shared, “Deltiel told us to, ‘make a catalogue and give it to me—I want to paint the trees’. This is the beauty of this exhibition… there’s a lot to take away from it.”
CHECK IT OUT
WHAT: ‘Rediscovering Hampi’
WHEN: Till September 22
WHERE: Bikaner House, near India Gate