A stone's throw away from Delhi

Picturesque Getaways

Remember the dancing patterns of sunlight as they sieved through the filigree in Humayun’s tomb.

Those who witnessed the dazzling array of photographs capturing the rhythm between light and shadows during winter evenings in the Capital, struck an instant chord with the imagination of the photographer Aadil Jamal when he held an exhibition, ‘Ramaq-The Dance of Filigree at Dusk’, a few months back.

It’s time to rekindle your love for his vision, as the photographer brings another series of charming images titled, ‘Dilli Se Duur Nahin!’

Showcasing the weekend getaways of Delhi even as he highlights the architectural magnificence of the rich Mughal era, spread across the Golden Triangle, this exhibition features monuments on Delhi-Agra-Jaipur tourist circuit. 

One could wonder how a touristy set of pictures make for a fascinating photo series. Well, the way Aadil beholds a moment and captures it in his frames definitely makes for sheer excellence. Surrounded by droplets of water, an image of the entrance of Taj Mahal reflected in a puddle of water makes for a visual treat.

Washed in red, an opened door in Jaigarh fort is the photographer’s favourite, and we cannot disagree. The peeling paint on its walls looks picturesque as if someone delicately dabbed it over for a dreamy effect. 

As Metrolife observed a recurring pattern of ‘reflections’ in Aadil’s work, we asked him out of curiosity, how and why reflections entice him so. 

Speaking about his exhibitions, the lensman says, “The primary difference between Aks-o-Aab, Ramaq and Dilli Se Duur Nahin is that while the former two showcase and highlight the monuments located in Delhi, the latter travels around the entire Golden Triangle.

 Coming to reflections, while Aks-o-Aab and DSDN may differ in the locations they cover, they are bound by the same theme. Hence, there isn’t much difference in their souls.”
One cannot also gloss over the fact that the titles of his works evoke interest. “I generally go by the first few words that come to mind when I look at the entire set of images. Then I go with the word/s that best describe the images.

Most of the monuments I captured in the previous two exhibitions largely belonged to the Mughal era, hence the Urdu/Persian titles,” says the shutterbug. Those two were titled Aks-O-Aab and Ramaq.

“The current exhibition showcases the Golden Triangle as a quick weekend option, hence the name of the show should really be able to convey the sense to the viewers and visitors,” summed up Aadil.
The exhibition is on till June 30 at India Habitat Centre.