From baba on the bank, to the babe in the metro

The piousness of Varanasi meets the rush of Delhi in an ongoing photo show, Crossing Roads

The week ahead is a big feast for people who love flirting with lenses. Photography exhibitions ones after another will open up in the capital. One of them is by Dr Oh Soon-Hwa, a lecturer cum photographer who shot portraits from the streets of Varanasi and Delhi.



While you might not have heard about this Singapore- based photographer, her works have already travelled to US, Europe, Asia and Australia. The photo artist is also the author of the book titled, 'From Art School to Art World,' that focuses on the artist and dealer relationship.u00a0
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What's on stand?u00a0
Crossing Road is a series of 35-colour portraits that reflect her observations of the two cities. In her 21-day stay in Delhi and Varanasi she interacted with local people from various backgrounds such as rickshaw drivers, Hindu priests, cooks, babas on the bank of Gange river, men in tea houses and young Muslim women in weavers' home. However, it took some time before the locales allowed her to shoot and interact without hesitation about their private lives. She says, "Each photograph is taken within 1-2 hours of interaction with the individuals and each of them explains their views about Hindu and Muslim culture, faith, religion, architecture, and rituals through their daily activities."
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Bring out the best
While Varanasi is famous for its temples and Hindu sacred sites, the photographer has also highlighted the commonalities in Hindus-Muslim communities. She says, "For the shoot I interacted with the locals on one-on-one basis gained and got close to their interesting background. For instance, a Hindu priest's family has been occupying the same house for over 250 years, generation after generation. Then, I also met families who have passed on their skills in handicraft to their great grandsons. It was a unique experience to see the entire family involved in weaving in small village outskirt of Varanasi."

Crossing Roads
At: India International Centre IIC Annexe, 40 Max Mueller Marg, Lodhi Estate
Timings: 11 am onwards
On till: June 24