Theme—Calcutta, India—the city I was born
DYUTIMAN MUKHOPADHYAY PHOTOGRAPHY
Idle Dawn
The famous Howrah Bridge (built during the British Raj between 1935 and 1943)—the gateway to Calcutta (Kolkata), India
Theme—Calcutta, India—the city I was born.
Winter, 2007; Calcutta, Howrah; Camera—Nikon FM-10—35 mm film SLR.
Solitary Crow
Theme—Calcutta, India—the city I was born.
July 9, 2017; Hooghly, Greater Calcutta; Camera—Samsung Galaxy Grand 2.
The Goddess and my city—Durga Puja
Motherhood—Deity.
Childhood—Gaiety.
Autumn—Light.
Blossom—White.
Holy—Chanters.
Alley—Banters.
Glowy—Streets.
Showy—Feats.
Crowdy—Clamour.
Thready—Amour.
Balmy—Fiesta.
Dreamy—Siesta.
Enshrined— Divinity.
Entwined—Unity.
Ephemeral—Five-days.
Eternal—Yesterdays.
Ahoy! My City!
My City—Of Joy!
—dyutiman mukhopadhyay
Durga Puja festival in Calcutta, India- one of the biggest street festivals in the world—an annual Hindu ritual originating in the Indian subcontinent which reveres and pays homage to the Hindu goddess, Durga.
Theme—Calcutta, India—the city I was born.
October 15, 2010; South Calcutta; Camera—Canon PowerShot A580.
The trailing fragrance of love
‘This city knows my first of everything—
As I try to run away—
She follows me.’
—English translation of an excerpt of a Bengali song written and sung by Kabir Suman on Calcutta.
Theme—Calcutta, India—the city I was born.
June 10, 2017; Calcutta, Eastern Bypass; Camera—Samsung Galaxy Grand 2.
THE JOURNEY
Theme—Calcutta, India—the city I was born.
October 2008; Calcutta; The Botanical Gardens.
Camera—Nikon FM-10 35 mm film SLR.
Death and Decor
The tusks and the Taj:
A British-Indian period (19th century) ivory-model of the Taj Mahal in the Indian Museum at Calcutta, and the skull of an elephant with partially cut tusks displayed in the same museum. The museum had inherited the ivory Taj from the Calcutta International Exhibition of 1883 – 84. Also referred to as the Imperial Museum, the Indian Museum is the largest and oldest museum in India. The skeleton of the modern elephant is displayed in the mammalian gallery of the museum. In spite of the ban, thousands of elephants worldwide are being killed every year for their ivory tusks and this particular ivory model—a macabre marvel—of one of the seven wonders of the world, reflects this gruesome lineage of brutality. 'Taj Mahal' —a UNESCO World Heritage Site, means the Crown Palace and is considered by many as the epitome of beauty and love. It was constructed using material from all over India and Asia. The irony is: more than 1,000 elephants were used to transport building materials during the construction. There is a popular myth that after the construction of the Taj Mahal, emperor Shah Jahan cut off the arms of the labourers and architects so that this unique creation can't be replicated. Most probably this is not true and remains a myth. However, just like the Egyptian pyramids it was made by the inhuman labour of countless workers. The 'arm amputation' myth is a metaphor that got adopted factually.
Theme—Calcutta, India—the city I was born.
October 13, 2019; Calcutta, Indian Museum; Camera—Samsung M30s.
hidden by fog
Babughat, a harbour built during the British Raj, along the bank of the Ganges. One of the well known places in Calcutta where secret couples spend moments of thready amour.
Theme—Calcutta, India—the city I was born.
December 26, 2015;
Camera—Samsung Galaxy Grand 2.