Shades of the desert

Sudhir Kasliwal’s portraits and monochromes trace the life and journey of villagers in the heart of Rajasthan and their lost traditions and ways of life

Lensman Sudhir Kasliwal’s Rajasthan is far removed from the one perceived by tourists. “There is more to Rajasthan than maharajas, forts and fortresses. Through my series of portraits and monochromes shot in different villages of Rajasthan, I have tried to capture the essence of Rajasthan — villagers in their true self — clad in colourful angrakhas, dhoti, turbans, odhnis or adorning traditional jewellery. They make for interesting subjects and present the heart of the land.”

After chronicling Rajasthan for over 50 years, Kasliwal has seen a rapid transformation in the lifestyle of people. “The way they dress up or how they celebrate festivals or enjoy at melas has changed significantly. There are traditions and rituals like Ladu Oonth, where locals used to assess the strength of a camel by climbing on it, have become a thing of the past. When I look back at some of these pictures of mine, I feel like a chronicler of history and folklore of Rajasthan,” says Kasliwal who is also a fifth generation royal jeweller.

The faces in his portraits speak of innocence and enrapturing smiles. “Most of my subjects look poor but they look happy and satisfied. The aesthetic sense that I find in villages is something missing in urban spaces,” says Kasliwal, who still believes in the charm of developing pictures in a darkroom. He adds, “Holding the prints in my hand gives me real satisfaction and joy.”