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URBAN INDIA

Upon an audience interactive presentation of an earlier series on ‘My Urban City’ in London, in 2006, I was stunned, to see the part, where people react to the work – was met with complete silence.
My head rapidly spun thoughts of “how bad could my work be, and heading to the I’ll never make it in Photography” paranoia, until I heard a murmur from a lady who said – “I had never expected to see this kind of India.”

I confess – I was taken aback.

Baffled by the response, I thought, that I too, had never ‘expected’ people from the first world to not know anything about Urban India! India has in the past 5 years had a huge influx of foreign immigrants moving in search of employment and a comfortable lifestyle. I had presumed that we were so much in the news (for better or for worse), that they had to know, or at least be curious or must have come across information about India and its emergence as a diverse, conflicted yet a powerful and very popular country. India, the largest democratic country in the world, had also in 2005 opened up the FDI policy and allowing investment stakes up to 100%, so economy wise we were beneficial to all, including the media.

Quickly, another gentleman added – “Well, we are only used to seeing images of the Taj Mahal, the beautiful and exotic rural men and women. We have never seen this side of India, which if I may say so, is not very different from our own contemporary generation.” Others quickly added their agreements to that critique.

I agree the ‘exotica’ exists and is like no other. Our history is a heritage I am proud of. But that isn’t all, is my point. India is probably one of the fastest developing nations in the world. And it is baffling to know that most believe that we are still stuck in the colonial times. There are true stories about how people have landed up at the Heathrow in 2004, ready to travel to India thinking they never needed a visa.

I realize that most of the fault lies in what sells, is bought and projected of Indian photography or its news. Many documentary photographers from India also only shoot what might sell, instead of exploring what other realities might be there to present. It is either the exotica – the villages, the mustard fields, the camels, the chaos, the snake charmers. OR it is spirituality -a term used to describe India’s biggest characteristic and ironically, we ourselves don’t know what that really means. But these are the terms, which have formed our identity. Unfortunately for us, the extremely profitable tourism industry thrives on only such imagery. But since we are one of the oldest civilisations, guards to of one of the seven wonders of the world, it is worth a peek and therefore selling history as tourism is valid.

Nonetheless, I confess, I was both disappointed and pleased after my presentation. Disappointed by the ‘first world’s’ unfamiliarity of global trends, and pleased because I had shown them something they had never seen before.

The amazing fact is that in a Big City environment, most of us are migrants from different towns, small and big, religions, cultures, creeds, skin and colour. As urbanites we have become only more tolerant working and playing together under the singular umbrella of Diverse India. We seem to have left our ancestral debates and judgments of classism behind. Other than the fact that we are Indian, and we have managed to straddle liberal as well as conservative beliefs with flair, there remains no other identity. Though political parties are always trying to sway us otherwise. And along with being ‘aware’ citizens of a creative, sharp, smart and contemporary generation of India. We like everyone else too come with vices.

Having said that, I have also considered the fact that we as humans always look for information that we ‘pre- aspire’ to gain, know or own. And why should anyone look for pictures or information that is not novel to them, especially when the subject is a urbane and liberal lifestyle environment. India may have found its urbanism only two generations ago, but, since the general opinion and information in the west IS that India is still not an Urban developing country yet, or for some not even independent, this photo essay is an attempt to alter that opinion.

Here are some images which these are some of the cities I have visited in India; some personally, some on commission. I photograph what is contemporary and true to my times. This is my world, my bubble. Some are friends, some acquaintances and very few remain strangers.

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