“Megha’s photographs have the feel of paintings,” says Bhavna Minocha, founder of The Art Hub. The kaleidoscope of colours that is Kashmir, in its breathtaking beauty, is presented through seasons, its people and landscape in the ongoing photography exhibition ‘Chinar: Through Time, Through Seasons’ by Delhi-based photographer Megha Sindwani at The Art Hub.
The photographs have a striking quality — they are bursting with colour, making it hard for us to believe that they were phone clicks and not paintings. A silhouette of a shikara in Dal Lake looks striking against a tangerine sunset — the soft glow of the light accentuating the shimmer effect on the water. In another frame, a solitary yurt looks captivating against a lush landscape. “It stands against an open sky, which is proof that belonging has nothing to do with permanence. Even the smallest space can be home,” says Sindwani, who has a penchant to poetically describe her photographs.The colours in many of the photographs take the palmate shape of the Chinar tree’s leaves. Sindwani captures them in hues of amber, green, sienna, crimson and pale copper, reflecting the change of seasons over which she shot them, over many winters and summers from 2009 to 2023.
“I frequently visit Kashmir for the love of the place! Also, a bit of fascination for the Valley comes from my husband, who was born and raised there until his family shifted to Delhi. When I got married, I also grew fond of Kashmiri culture — its cuisine, landscape, crafts, furniture, fabrics and more,” Sindwani says, adding that she clicks pictures “instinctively” on every trip.
Portraits of life
Sindwani’s lens puts a face to life in Kashmir through evocative portraits. She clicks boatmen who run shikaras, breadmakers, shawlweavers, and carpet makers, mainly those who carry their trade with tradition. “Kashmir is not only known for its beauty. It’s also about how people hold their culture with pride. From a shawlwala, a chef to the boatman selling kahwa on the shikara, they do it with pride, warmth and dignity,” she says during our walk-through.
In one frame, a papier-mâché artiste minutely draws intricate designs on a circular frame with unparalleled detailing. Sindwani captures the brush, poised mid-stroke and says, “True craftsmanship is not only in the completion of a work but also in the moments just before.” In another, she photographs a boatman at the break of dawn in downtown Dal Lake — his shikara full of lotuses, water lilies and other aquatic flowers. “I spoke to the boatman the night before. The next day, I, along with my local driver and the boatman, set for a sail Downtown — an area relatively not considered safe due to turbulence — against my family’s wish. It was a beautiful shikara-ride. I captured it in a photo and titled it ‘Trade and Tradition’ as while it’s their livelihood, it’s also a tradition for them to pick up fresh flowers, vegetables and fruits.” In another, she captures an old boatman in monochrome, poetically comparing him to Kashmir. “It’s a weathered face framed by Dal Lake, where time has left its mark. Some landscapes are written on water, others on skin,” she says.
The Chinar metaphor
Sindwani’s lens follows her in Srinagar, Gulmarg, Sonamarg, Nigeen Lake, and the Tulip Garden, besides Dal. In most frames, the Chinar is common, standing as a silent spectator of change. “The Chinar is a storyteller, silently standing through times, seasons and upheavals. It symbolises and extends beyond Kashmir, representing resilience, rootedness, and the ability to grow in harmony with nature,” says Sindwani, adding, “In a world where divisions often overshadow humanity, the Chinar quietly reminds us of diversity. It speaks to the audience about embracing change while preserving what matters the most.”
Minocha feels that Delhi “needs to see” the natural beauty and colours of Kashmir and take inspiration from it. “The photographs at the show depict how nature has been made to disappear from our city…we should make an effort to bring back the natural beauty and colours of our city.”
‘Chinar’ is on view till April 15 at The Art Hub gallery, South Extension, 11am-5pm