Photo exhibition on Jainism

Depicting the evolution of an over 2,500-year-old heritage through pictures is not an easy task. Yet, when 73-year-old Virendra Prabhakar set out from home a year ago to capture Jainism in photo-frames, he was armed with just two things -- his camera and a desire to enlighten the youth about Jainism.

And after 12 months of rigorous travel through lush forests and farmlands and deserts, Prabhakar has now come out with an enviable collection of pictures and memories. Coinciding with the 2,600th birth anniversary of the Tirthankara Mahavira, he hopes that his exhibition of the 150-odd photos will, indeed, spread the message of Jainism.

Inaugurated on Monday by the Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Ms. Sushma Swaraj, the exhibition ``Jain Heritage'' currently on at the All India Fine Arts and Crafts Society has attempted to cover important Jain manuscripts, shrines, scriptures, inscriptions and other images. ``Through 155 works that I have exhibited here, I have tried to cover all the important places and events. The idea is to be able to show the evolution of Jainism in India,'' says Prabhakar.

A Jain, Prabhakar says the decision to cover Jain heritage through the lens was taken long back, but it took him some time to complete the required research. The exhibition covers Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.

``I am not trying to preach Jainism here, but introduce a chapter that not many know about,'' remarks Prabhakar. From the exotic Jain temples of Rajasthan to the Meguti temple in Ellora, Parasnath temple to the Vardhamana temple at Tiruppurattikuram in Tamil Nadu, the exhibition has managed to bring together a rare collection of heritage wonders.

Born in a conservative Jain family of Uttar Pradesh, Prabakhar's first brush with sculpture and photography was at the Doon School at Dehra Dun. This was followed by a training in painting at Chitrashala, Mussoorie. And for someone who has been named the country's longest serving photo-journalist, spending a year on a single topic was not really difficult.

The job, of course, was not easy either as Prabhakar had imagined. Getting permission to shoot in Jain temples was just one of the hurdles he faced. ``Although most Jain temples don't allow photography inside, after a bit of convincing, I managed to get the authorities to allow me in. Being a Jain helped,'' concedes Prabhakar, adding in the same breath that he, however, was not all that religious.

By Lakshmi Balakrishnan

Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Section  : Other States
Previous : New Excise policy kept on hold
Next     : Rebels upset party strategies