A city which gains fame for its stunning Mughal-era monuments and street food holds within itself several other aspects of life too. Some are hidden and some get overlooked due to the fast paced life that we all lead. But giving you a glimpse into this lesser explored world is an exhibition of photographs by Mukesh Khugsal titled 'Shades of Dilli' which is on display at the IHC foyer.
It is not a exhibition which gives you an idea of the monuments, but the angle with each picture has been clicked which tells its own story. Passionate about photography Mukesh Khugsal is a process developer with Genpact Gurgaon by profession who has clicked these pictures but not in a planned manner. His life changed after he was gifted a 'Zenith' camera at age 16, but he never thought that his hobby would find expression as an exhibition until it was suggested by a friend of his on FB. Mukesh has covered virtually every monument from India Gate to Ghalib ki Haveli and even lesser known ones such as Agrasen ki baoli.
“This is a exhibition where I have put up my selected collection depicting different shades of Delhi. My attempt has been to capture the city in its myriad moods. If an image captures the traditional ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhawan, the other focuses on the Jumme ki namaz (Friday prayers) at Jama Masjid and yet another is taken at India Gate when people gathered to support Anna Hazare recently. Not only this, I have also captured lesser known places like the recently renovated Mirza Ghalib ki Haveli.”
However, these were not planned pictures but each have a different perspective, angle and story.
Taking the shots differently of subjects which have already fascinated dozens of photographers, managing newer angles could not have been easy. But Mukesh has managed and how! Talking about a particular shot that he has taken of the Change of Guard at Rashtrapati Bhavan, he says, “On every Saturday, it’s time for the ceremonial Change of Guard. I reached there but I only had my basic lens. Plus, we were not allowed to go inside the gate. It was too crowded but I somehow managed to click this shot.”
The image of Qutub Minar has a spark which would force you to stop and ask why. “Everyone who visits Delhi or Delhiites must have captured Qutub Minar but I tried in a different way. I didn’t keep it in focus but it still manages to attract the attention of viewers.”
A picture with a common man walking across Rashtrapati Bhawan leaves you with a multiplicity of interpretations. The lone figure who marches across, with the President’s House in the backdrop in a hazy grey shot captures one’s attention instantly. No matter the context, the image has the power to help you develop your own story around it. For some, the grey tone and dusty texture catches the eye despite its neutral and bland hue, while for others it becomes a symbol of peace. The artist himself moves beyond the tones to look at the story.
“The President of the country is out of reach for the common man, but my photograph attempts to capture the relationship that must be developed and maintained between the common man and the symbol of power. My lens makes everything appears simple.” The image which captures a lone man in a red shirt in the Agrasen Ki Baoli image, is very striking. “I wanted to show some untouched places in Delhi. This place is in heart of city (Connaught Place) but is hardly known.” Though not as big in scale as other exhibitions put together by some of his contemporaries, Mukesh’s Shades of Dilli, seizes the oft-clicked but moves beyond the regular or the obvious.