Freelance photographer Ragooty S explores the connection between the body and the soul in ‘Dehee Deham’, an exhibition of his photographs. The show, in two parts, has 16 boudoir photographs and 45 frames that capture street scenes, those taken during his travels and festivals of Palakkad.
The boudoir photographs convey his idea that the body and soul are not two entities, but one. “The body is seen as the physical vessel through which the soul experiences the world, but what if we viewed them as partners, each with its own voice and role. Why can’t we see the body as an active participant?” he asks.
Though Ragooty was not quite sure of the way people would respond to the photographs, he was pleasantly surprised. “I received positive feedback,” he says. The four ft/three ft photographs have been printed on canvas.
The rest of the photographs capture a range of people’s emotions. “I hail from Palakkad and have grown up seeing the festivals in the region. I have always wanted to showcase them through photographs,” he adds. The Onathallu, for instance, a traditional martial art and dance form, forms a part of Ragooty’s collection.
The exhibition is on till May 22 at the Durbar Hall Art Gallery from 11am to 7pm.
