BENGALURU: Photographs have always been a window into important events of our past. They encapsulate the moment and give us a chance to briefly touch the past and relive it. But, as times change, photographs become invaluable sights of history, like the exhibition of the unseen photographs of the Royal Dasara from the 1950s-60s, on display at the Indian Institute of World Culture (IIWC), held in collaboration with the Heritage Basavanagudi Residents Welfare Forum till October 25.
Out of the 44 exhibits on display, 25 photographs are from Mysuru’s veteran photographer KV Subba Rao, while the rest come from the Wadiyar family’s exclusive collection. “Subba Rao was one of the most sought-after photographers for Dasara in Mysuru during the 1950s-60s. He had preserved some photos that he had taken which became an exclusive collection for us,” says Maya Chandra, the curator of the exhibition and founder-director of MAYA Films.
Chandra has been documenting the lives of the royal family for many years now, during which she chanced upon the famous photographer who used to run the famous photo studio, Photo Flash, in the 1950s. The 93-year-old photographer’s nephew, Keshavam, visiting the exhibition says, “In my younger days, I used to go and stay with my uncle during Dasara. It takes me back to the days of those grand celebrations, even though I wasn’t there when these photographs were taken.”
Talking about the significance of the exhibition, Chandra says, “Anything to do with modern-day Dasara celebrations, people can go on the internet, but people don’t remember or they don’t even know how the Royal Dasara looked like when it was in its full pomp and gaiety. I think the work is important because the Wadiyar family has contributed immensely to the development of the state and the new generations hardly know about them and their legacy. It is important to know our history to know where we are today.”
Some rare photographs from the royal family archives include pictures of famous elephants Chamundi Prasad, who served three generations of maharajas and the majestic Bilgiriranga, who was said to have stood 12 feet tall. Another exclusive photograph from 1939 showcases the last Dasara of the then maharaja, Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, on the golden throne with his heir Jayachamaraja Wadiyar.
The exhibition was inaugurated by the daughters of HH Jaya Chamarajendra Wadiyar, Kamakshi Devi and Indrakshi Devi, on October 21. It will end with the screening of a biopic on the photographer Subba Rao on October 25. Along with the photo exhibition, there is also a display of dolls contributed by a group of women from the Basavanagudi area and a display of soap sculptures by the late NS Sheshadri.