Ancient
cave paintings in new light
NEW DELHI, Jan 1: Stunning murals by
fifth-century painters in dimly lit
man-made caves in India have found place
in the latest edition of the renowned
magazine, National Geographic.
The
monthly has featured photographs by
art-historian Benoy Behl, who uses a
long, light-soaking photography exposure
technique to bring out the true-colours
of the ancient paintings and murals
inside the dark confines of caves and
temples.
The
feature, ‘Faces of Divine,’ is
an interview of Behl by the
magazine’s writer Tom O Neill who
accompanied Behl and his team as they
criss-crossed the length and breadth of
the country.
"We
are reminded in the ancient paintings
that the stated purpose of art was not to
present photographic reality but to
convey the essence and harmony which
underlines all of creation," says
Behl who had visited Ajanta caves 16
years ago with the challenge of
photographing murals using only natural
light.
"For
15 years the National Geographic team
followed my work and earlier this year,
their photographer and writer accompanied
me and my team in our travels across
India. They realised that ancient Indian
art was one of the most sublime in the
world," says Behl.
The
technique of photography is one that Behl
has used in all his works, that of
extremely long exposure in dim light.
"Not only are they perfectly
captured they are also very much better.
Several renowned archaeologists have
commended the picture quality and said
the paintings were much clearer," he
says.
The most
elaborate of Ajantas 30 caves were
designed for enlightenment, many of their
walls covered with inspirational
paintings. Only fragments of the once
elaborate murals have survived the
centuries. Images of the Buddha and other
enlightened beings along with princes,
princesses, merchants, beggars, lovers,
holy men, elephants, monkeys, buffalo,
geese, horses, and even ants join the
human throng.
"These
murals without Behl’s photographs
appear murky and dull," writes Tom O
Neill.
Behl, who
had successfully created nighttime images
of Goa’s Portuguese-era cathedrals
with only moonlight for illumination
tried a similar technique at Ajanta.
Working with just a mere tripod for two
years the historian photographed every
human, animal, plant, and deity on the
walls and ceilings, in close-up or as
parts of larger compositions.
Often he
would leave his shutter open for minutes
at a time, writes Neill.
The
historian also undertook an ongoing
series of films on Indian painting and
sculpture, making high-quality
photographs of other pre-modern
paintings, including ones from the remote
Buddhist monastery at Alchi in the
Himalaya and the monumental Brihadishvara
temple in Thanjavur.
Joan
Cummins, curator of Asian Art, Brooklyn
Museum is quoted saying, "Because of
Benoy’s photographs we no longer see
the art of Ajanta as a solitary island,
now we see it as part of a long
archipelago."
The
article also has an interactive map
featuring 16 sites Behl has photographed
as well as an audio in which the
historian describes his long journey as a
photographer, who has been influenced by
the faces of divine.
Over the
past 25 years, Behl has to his credit
30,000 photographs of Indian monuments
and art heritage and shot over 100
documentaries on art history. Exhibitions
of his photographs on the Ajanta caves,
various Buddhist sites, the churches of
Old Goa and other subjects have been
organised in 24 countries around the
world.
His
exhibitions are on a permanent display at
Ryukoku University in Kyoto, Jade Buddha
temple in Shanghai, Dun Huang Research
Institute in Dun Huang, and at the
Shwedagon Pagoda in Myanmar.
An
authority on Buddhist and Indian art
history, Behl has been invited to lecture
at various universities and museums while
his book on the Ajanta caves is studied
around the world.
He has
delivered illustrated lectures on the
‘Art of Ajanta’ and ‘The
Murals of India’ at several
universities and museums and made major
breakthroughs in photographing important
and ancient paintings in the dark
confines of caves and temples. (PTI)
Dhumal
orders probe into previous Cong
govt’s major decisions
SHIMLA, Jan 1: The BJP Government
in Himachal Pradesh has ordered a probe
into all major decisions taken by the
previous Congress regime during the last
six months.
"Action
will be initiated if it is found in the
probe that decisions were taken to
benefit individuals sacrificing the
interests of the state," Chief
Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal said today at
his first press conference after assuming
office.
He said
many incidents of alleged corruption has
come to his knowledge through media and
other source hence he ordered the inquiry
yesterday.
Dhumal
said though his Government would not
indulge in witch hunting, it would not
spare anybody found guilty of sacrificing
state’s interest at any level.
The Chief
Minister announced hike in pension for
widow, old age and destitutes by Rs 100
and minimum wage by Rs 25.
The social
security pension, which was Rs 200 per
month, will be raised to Rs 300 and the
mimimum wage from Rs 75 to Rs 100, he
said adding over 2.37 lakh families will
be benefited from it.
The State
Government would have to spend an
additional Rs 30 crore annually for it.
Dhumal
said his Government was committed for the
welfare of the poor and destitutes and
will take decision keeping in mind their
interests.
Taking a
dig at his predecessor Virbhadra Singh,
he said the Congress, which always claims
that it is committed for the welfare of
the poor, did not raise even a single
paisa in the social security scheme
during its rule. (PTI)
Modi’s
rebound takes Gujarat to 2008
AHMEDABAD, Jan 1: Wallowing in his
unconventional image, Narendra Modi
fought odds in 2007 and cleverly mixed
saffron ideology, development and
Congress slip-ups during the assembly
election campaign to lead the BJP to a
spectacular victory in Gujarat.
The win
not only silenced opposition Congress and
rebels within the state party unit but
the BJP top brass invited the third time
Chief Minister to Delhi for its strategy
session on assembly elections coming up
in other states in 2008.
The
relevations in the Supreme Court on the
Sohrabuddin Sheikh fake encounter case
led to the arrest of three IPS officers
of Gujarat and Rajasthan and 10 other
policemen.
It also
got the election ball rolling after
Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s
"Maut Ke Saudagar" (merchants
of death) comment directed against Modi,
which he turned to his advantage.
The chief
minister’s campaign focus till then
had been the development plank, and the
Congress had tried to nail it since
Gandhi started electioneering from Dahod
in the state.
Modi then
used his oratory on the audience,
justifying the Sohrabuddin Sheikh
killing, going full steam on
‘Hindutva’ mode and weathering
the storm.
The
hustings also hosted a verbal sparring
bout between Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh and Modi. Singh told the people
that they were "at the mercy of
God" if they opposed Modi, who
retaliated by asking them whether they
knew him (Singh).
The BJP
rebel group, which waited for five years,
came out in the open with Keshubhai
Patel, Suresh Mehta and Kashiram Rana -
who earlier directed young MLAs from
backstage - leading the attack.
The rebels
organised farmers rallies under the
banner of Sardar Patel Utkarsh Samiti and
Patel and Mehta also shared podiums with
Congress leaders.
Bharatiya
Janshakti Party chief Uma Bharti was
roped in, but she later opted out on the
advice of her ‘guru’.
In the
end, the Congress had a grand alliance of
BJP rebels, Nationalist Congress Party,
Lok Janshakti Party, Left parties, BJS
candidates barring Bharti, but to little
avail.
Modi
single-handedly led BJP campaign
addressing 125 election rallies when the
RSS and the state VHP unit decided not to
support the BJP in an organised manner.
For the
first time, his campaign managers used
innovative ‘Modi masks’ to
garner the people’s support. Masks
have been used in the west but by
opponents as a weapon of ridicule with US
President George Bush being a case in
point.
They took
to an aggressive internet, television and
newspaper advertising blitz and the
results showed BJP won 117 seats, the
Congress 59.
The ghost
of the post-Godhra riots was for the time
being forgotten and conventional wisdom
proved wrong. Modi earned praise from
NRIs, especially the Patel community
abroad, and also a section of the media
that had been berating him.
The other
issue that rocked the western state was
the fake encounter case.
Gujarat
cadre IPS officers D G Vanzara and
Rajkumar Pandian along with Rajasthan IPS
officer Dinesh M N were arrested by the
state CID (crime) for the alleged fake
encounter killing of Sohrabuddin Sheikh
and murder of his wife Kausar Bi in
April. Vanzara and Pandian are in jail
while Dinesh has been granted bail. (PTI)
Delhi
Traffic Police helpline an invalid number
NEW DELHI, Jan 1: Dial Delhi
Police’s traffic helpline number
flashed on its website, you will not get
a response.
Even the
officials are unaware that the helpline
number --011-23378888 -- on the website www.Delhitrafficpolice.Nic.In
<http://www.Delhitrafficpolice.Nic.In> is an invalid
contact number.
When the
number mentioned on the website is
dialled, the response is: "the
number has changed" and asked the
caller to redial the number after a
‘beep’ for getting the new
number. But again, there is no response.
Joint
Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Qamar
Ahmed said he is unaware about this.
"I do not have any information about
this. I have to check this out," he
said when asked about the contact number.
There is
more: The Traffic Information number
9811452220 is also temporarily out of
service.
When this
mobile number is dialled, the response
one gets is "this number is
temporarily out of service or call after
some time".
However,
Ahmed said, "There isn’t any
mobile number being flashed. In fact, we
have two telephone numbers and both are
landline numbers," he insisted.
These
lapses fly in the face of the message of
Commissioner of Police Y S Dadwal on the
traffic police website "the Delhi
Traffic Police has been managing the show
with acute professionalism and
competence."
"There
has been increased transparency,
interface and interaction with the public
on suggestions/complaints/problems
through e-mails/fax which has been
institutional and strengthened and there
is prompt and timely redressal," the
Commissioner’s message says.
Similarly,
the message of the Joint Commissioner of
Police, Traffic reads: "The website
has become a tool to interact with
people, who send their suggestions,
complaints about the traffic management,
which is welcomed by us."
Social
activist Anil Sood, who is associated
with traffic management and Right to
Information (RTI) activities, said,
"It’s a case of total
carelessness and casual attitude of the
law enforcing agency, which always makes
tall claims." (PTI)
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