Dear Friends,
Lalit Verma’s photography exhibition on _‘Purna Maha Kumbha Mela’,_ held last night on 7 March, 2025 at the NSCBICC (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Indian Cultural Centre) was a highly appreciated event attended by many who are curious to find out more about this incredible human phenomenon.
This unique largest congregation of devotee, a rare event to occur only once after every 144 years, only at Prayagraj, achieved the unimaginable number of over 630 million visitors, comprising of saints, monks, seekers, men, women and transgenders.
They flocked at the Treveni Sangam, a confluence of the three rivers – Ganga, Yamuna and the mystical Saraswati – over a period of 45 days. The Purna Maha Kumbha Mela was just over, thus, the interest of the exhibition due to the currency of the event.
The Purna Maha Kumbha Mela culminated on 28th February, when several celestial bodies/planets were in alignment, a unique cosmic phenomenon and sign of the auspiciousness of the event for those who believe that the stars have a profound effect on our lives.
The exhibition was conceived by Sutra Foundation in an association with NSCBICC (Director, Smt Vijayalakshmy Sunderrajan) and MAITRĪ (Smt Shakuntala Sharma).
Besides the excellent photographs by Lalit Verma, the irrepressible photographer based in Puducherry/Pondicherry (who runs his own Aurodhan Art Gallery), there were several highlights last night worth mentioning. One was the profound knowledge on spirituality demonstrated by our High Commissioner of India to Malaysia, HE Shri BN Reddy. A much respected and beloved figure among the Malaysian Indian community,
Reddy Sir, revealed in his speech, his superb knowledge of Indian spirituality and its essential spirit. The other highlight was the dance of the Aghori/Sadhu by Jagyandatta Pradhan who captured the spirit of the Kumbh, transporting the audience to another otherworldly realm. The image of the magnificent body, naked, matted haired, ash besmeared Aghori sent visible gasps, through the guests (especially the women). And they were not disappointed!
Jagyan, assisted by Geethika Sree created a magnificent work in record time to surprise Lalit Verma who had mentioned in passing that he missed the dance of the Aghori created once by the inimitable Guna, for his exhibition (more than 10 years ago), also based on the Maha Kumbha Mela, at Sutra Gallery. (The notable and unforgettable Guna, a Sutra Dancer, who created many memorable roles for our previous performances).
The last highlight was Lalit’s documentary-video that captured the whirling intense activities at Prayagraj emboding the philosophy of Sanatan Dharma which is about the diversity and inclusivity of Life in all its complexity.
The Kumbh is about the acceptance of the nuances and dramatic colours of Life in all its magnificent hues and manifestations. The seeker has to remain both detached and in wonderment of what it means to be alive in this moment of Life, which is but a blink of an eye in the Life of this Multi-verse.
The banter and Q & A brought further insight to understanding of the docu-film and photography. Lalit Verma quoted the wisdom of Sri Aurobindo who is the leading light and compass in his life.
Lalit’s photography is eventually a metaphor of the complexity or ‘gateway’ of Life. It is up to a seeker to see the ‘human’ or ‘divine’ aspect in his interpretation. One sees what he wants to see.
The Sanatan Dharma is Life itself and at the Kumbh one encounters the unknown and enters into the colossus ‘Realm of the Unknown’!(This exhibition will continue at Sutra Gallery after its stint at the NSCBICC)
Sutra