Project - We Are the Lights, Within.

Being born and brought up in a Hindu family, the idea that we humans carry the flame having the same properties of flame from God's big 'Hawan-Kund' (Flame from God’s supreme sacrificial fire) was known to me. The imagery of the soul got affirmed from the 'Pauranic' movies of 70's and 80's in which a devotees' soul would be getting mingled with 'Vishnu' or some other deity.

The Project - we are the lights, within, is the result of this affirmed belief that stayed throughout my life even though my practices changed from hard core religion to liberal self motivated spirituality. But the content remains the same; the purpose remains the same - 'to know who I am, what is the purpose of my life, what I am doing here etc.’

top: Origination, middle: Evolution,
bottom right: Realizaion, bottom left: Actualization.

 The final four images of the project - namely Origination, Evolution, Realization and Actualization are mainly the different stages of growth from unconscious birth to conscious awakening of self. Throughout this depiction, the light remained the central subject. I would like to mention here the reference point which worked as a pillar stone for these works. In 2009, for fun sake, I captured few images of Ananya Dance festival in Delhi, at very slow shutter speed. It was like the dancers' bodies dipped in colour and used on a canvas like a brush.

reference: Ananya Dance Festival, 2009, Delhi

At the end I would like to thank Mr. Joyel Pious (Department of Communication, HCU) for collaborating in this project and for being model in last two stages of the project.