Capturing Assamese Icons and Nature: A Mumbai Transplant’s Perspective through Utpal Datta’s Lens
I am new to Guwahati, and I am even newer to its arts scene. I came from Mumbai with a background at NCPA and Jehangir Art Gallery. So, I was pleasantly surprised when I visited a solo photography exhibition by the renowned film critic and author Mr. Utpal Datta of Guwahati. It featured faces and nature combined and intertwined to explore the relationship between humansâsome prominent, some iconic, and some unknownâin their natural surroundings.
Utpal Datta, currently a Professor of Practice and Dean of Performing Arts at Assam down town University, Guwahati, has worked for All India Radio for a long time and is a man of many talents. His books â24 Framesâ and âFilm Appreciationâ are well-known in film studies. He has also received a special jury mention for his writings in the National Film award. Utpal Datta is creative, and his creations do not end with writing books and making films; they also involve photography. He has a keen and observant eye for things, which is well reflected in his photography show.
Seeing Bhupen Hazarika, Deepali Borthakur, Homen Borgohain, and Birendra Nath Datta was a pleasure. Particularly, I liked Birendra Nath Dattaâs photo in chiaroscuro in his simple yet elegant study. The light falling on the bookshelf reflected his love for studying in depth. Deepali Borthakur, the iconic singer of Assam, looking fondly over a calendar with her own photo, made by Utpal Datta, is another memorable piece. A rare photograph of Bhupen Hazarika with a full open smile accompanied well by his wife in another frame. Utpal Datta, over his illustrious and long career, was privileged to capture the moments of the icons of Assam. So, a Homen Borgohain looking askance and a Jadab Payeng, the forest man of India, looking tenderly over his greenery creation is something to experience at the exhibition.
It was not only with great people he hobnobbed but also, his photos of female vendors in a busy local market and an old photographer suavely dressed and standing to focus his camera exuded a certain amount of energy. Then there were serene beach photographs of the Andamans and the river banks of the mighty Brahmaputra. In the end, the exhibition concluded with the painted scriptures of âSarva bhabentu Sukhinaâ from the Upanishads beautifully capturing the theme of nature and humans.
Overall, it was a delightful experience peering into the nature and icons of Assamese culture, coming from Mumbai. I was thrilled to experience some of the unique faces and landscapes inextricably intertwined. (Exhibition venue: Guwahati Artists Guild, dates 8th to 12th march 24).
Tailpiece: Well-known film director Biswajeet Das made a short film âFragments in Timeâ based on the exhibition. The film is available on YouTube.
Version-2, In translation: GUFTGUWITHPLAN41-930-24032024-ঠসমŕ§ŕŚŻŕŚźŕŚž সŕŚŕŚ¸ŕ§ŕŚŕ§ŕŚ¤ŕŚż ŕŚŕ§°ŕ§ ŕŚŕŚžŕŚ¤ŕŚżŕŚŕŚ¤ŕ§ŕŚ¤ŕ§° সŕ§ŕŚ¤ŕ§ মŕ§ŕ§° পৰিŕŚŕŚŻŕŚź (NASL)
⢠ঠসম, ŕŚŕŚŻŕŚźŕŚžŕ§° ŕŚŕ§ŕŚŕ§ŕŚ˛, মানŕ§ŕŚš ŕŚŕ§°ŕ§ ŕŚŕŚŻŕŚźŕŚžŕ§° সŕŚŕŚ¸ŕ§ŕŚŕ§ŕŚ¤ŕŚżŕŚŻŕŚźŕ§ মŕ§ŕŚ ঠনŕ§ŕŚ¤ŕŚšŕ§ŕŚ¨ŕŚŕŚžŕ§ąŕ§ মŕ§ŕŚŕ§ŕŚ§ ŕŚŕ§°ŕŚż তŕ§ŕŚ˛ŕŚżŕŚŕŚżŕŚ˛, ŕŚŕ§ŕ§ąŕŚžŕŚšŕŚžŕŚŕ§ŕŚ¤ পŕ§ŕ§°ŕŚĽŕŚŽ ŕŚŕ§°ŕŚż দিয়াৰ পৰাŕŚ, দশঠদশঠŕŚŕŚŕŚ¤ŕ§!
⢠মঠŕŚŕŚŻŕŚźŕŚžŕ§° মানŕ§ŕŚšŕŚ ŕŚŕŚŽŕŚžŕŚ¨ŕ§ŕŚ বনŕ§ŕŚ§ŕ§ŕŚ¤ŕ§ŕŚŹŕŚŞŕ§ŕ§°ŕ§ŕŚŁ, মৰমলŕŚŕŚž ŕŚŕ§°ŕ§ তŕ§ŕŚŕŚŕŚ˛ŕ§ŕŚŕ§° সাŕŚŕŚ¸ŕ§ŕŚŕ§ŕŚ¤ŕŚżŕŚ নŕ§ŕŚ¤ŕŚż-নিয়ম ŕŚŕ§°ŕ§ ŕŚŕ§ŕ§ąŕŚ¨ŕŚśŕ§ŕŚ˛ŕ§ŕŚ¤ ঠতি বিŕŚŕŚśŕŚżŕŚ¤ বŕ§ŕŚ˛ŕŚż পাŕŚŕŚŕŚżŕŚ˛ŕ§ŕŚ!
⢠ŕŚŕŚŕŚż মঠŕŚŕŚŽŕŚžŕŚ¨ŕ§ŕŚ ŕŚŕ§ŕŚ¸ŕŚžŕŚšŕŚżŕŚ¤ হŕ§ŕŚŕ§ যৠসমŕŚŕ§ŕ§° ŕŚŕ§ŕ§ąŕŚžŕŚšŕŚžŕŚŕ§ ŕŚŕ§°ŕ§ŕŚŕŚżŕŚˇŕ§ŕŚ ŕŚŕŚżŕŚ˛ŕ§ŕŚĄ,
⢠ŕŚŕ§°ŕ§ মŕ§ŕŚŽŕ§ŕŚŹŕŚžŕŚŕ§° ড° বিশŕ§ŕŚŹ পŕ§ŕ§°ŕŚ¸ŕ§ŕŚ¨ ŕŚŕ§ŕŚŕŚžŕ§°ŕ§ŕŚŕ§ŕ§° সŕ§ŕŚ¤ŕ§ ŕŚŕŚżŕŚ¨ŕŚžŕŚŕŚż হâব, যিŕŚŕŚ¨ŕ§° ŕŚŕ§ŕŚšŕŚžŕŚŕŚŕ§ŕ§° ŕŚŕ§°ŕ§ŕŚ ŕŚŕ§ŕŚ˛ŕ§ŕ§°ŕ§ŕ§° পŕŚŕŚŕ§ŕŚŽŕŚż ŕŚŕŚŕ§ (যিŕŚŕ§ মঠঠসŕ§ŕŚŽ ŕŚŕŚžŕŚ˛ পাŕŚŕŚŕŚżŕŚ˛ŕ§ŕŚ, ŕŚŕŚŕ§ŕŚŕŚžŕŚ¤ŕ§ সŕŚŕŚ¨ŕŚžŕŚ ŕŚŕ§ŕŚŕŚżŕŚ˛ŕ§ŕŚ â যŕ§ŕŚ¤ŕŚżŕŚŻŕŚźŕŚžŕŚ ŕŚŕŚžŕŚ˛ বŕ§ŕŚ˘ŕŚźŕŚž বমŕ§ŕŚŹŕŚžŕŚ মŕ§ŕŚ ŕŚŕŚŕŚŕŚżŕŚ¤ দিŕŚŕŚżŕŚ˛)
⢠দিনŕŚŕ§ŕ§° মŕ§ŕ§° নিৰŕ§ŕŚŚŕŚżŕŚˇŕ§ŕŚ ŕŚŕŚ˛ŕ§ŕŚ˛ŕ§ŕŚ হŕ§ŕŚŕ§ ŕŚŕ§ŕ§ąŕŚžŕŚšŕŚžŕŚŕ§ŕ§° পŕ§ŕ§°ŕŚŕ§ŕŚŻŕŚžŕŚ¤ ŕŚŕŚ˛ŕŚŕ§ŕŚŕŚżŕŚ¤ŕ§ŕ§° সমালŕ§ŕŚŕŚ তথা লŕ§ŕŚŕŚ শŕ§ŕ§°ŕ§ŕŚŻŕ§ŕŚ¤ ŕŚŕ§ŕŚŞŕŚ˛ দতŕ§ŕŚ¤ŕŚ ŕŚŕŚŻŕŚźŕ§ŕŚŕŚ¨ ŕŚŕ§°ŕŚž ŕŚŕŚŕŚ ফŕŚŕ§ŕŚŕ§ŕ§°ŕŚžŕŚŤŕ§ পŕ§ŕ§°ŕŚŚŕ§°ŕ§ŕŚśŕŚ¨ŕ§ (ৎৰ পৰা ১২ মাৰŕ§ŕŚ,২ৌ২৪)༤
⢠ঠসমŕ§ŕŚŻŕŚźŕŚž সŕŚŕŚ¸ŕ§ŕŚŕ§ŕŚ¤ŕŚżŕ§° পŕ§ŕ§°ŕŚŕ§ŕŚ¤ŕŚż ŕŚŕ§°ŕ§ ŕŚŕŚŕŚŕŚ¨ŕŚ¸ŕŚŽŕ§ŕŚšŕ§° মাŕŚŕŚ¤ ŕŚŕŚŕŚż মাৰি ŕŚŕŚ˛ŕŚżŕŚŕ§ąŕŚž মŕ§ŕ§° ŕŚŕŚ¨ŕŚ¨ŕ§ŕŚŚŕŚŚŕŚžŕŚŻŕŚźŕŚ ঠŕŚŕŚżŕŚŕ§ŕŚŕŚ¤ŕŚžŕ§° সাৰাŕŚŕŚś, পŕ§ŕ§°ŕŚŚŕ§°ŕ§ŕŚśŕŚ¨ŕ§ŕ§° ŕŚŕŚżŕŚŕ§ŕŚŽŕŚžŕŚ¨ ঠতি মনŕ§ŕŚŽŕ§ŕŚšŕŚž ŕŚŕŚżŕŚ¨ŕ§ŕŚ (ĹabdçitĹ)ৰ ŕŚŕ§°ŕŚżŕŚŻŕŚźŕŚ¤ŕ§, ড°বিশŕ§ŕŚŹ পŕ§ŕ§°ŕŚ¸ŕ§ŕŚ¨ ŕŚŕ§ŕŚŕŚžŕ§°ŕ§ŕŚŕ§ŕŚŻŕŚźŕ§ ŕŚŕŚŽŕŚžŕŚ¨ ŕŚŕŚŕ§ŕŚŕ§ŕŚŹŕŚ˛ŕŚŕŚžŕ§ąŕ§ বৰŕ§ŕŚŁŕŚ¨ŕŚž ŕŚŕ§°ŕŚž ঠনŕ§ŕŚ¸ŕ§°ŕŚż:
o মŕ§ŕŚ ŕŚŕ§°ŕ§ পŕ§ŕ§°ŕŚŕ§ŕŚ¤ŕŚżŕŚŻŕŚźŕ§ ŕŚŕŚŕŚ¤ŕ§ŕ§°ŕŚżŕŚ¤ হৠŕŚŕŚ¨ŕ§ŕŚ¤ŕŚŕŚ¸ŕŚŕŚ˛ŕŚŕ§ŕŚ¨ হৠমানŕ§ŕŚšŕ§° মাŕŚŕ§° সমŕ§ŕŚŞŕ§°ŕ§ŕŚŕŚŕ§ ঠনŕ§ŕŚŹŕ§ŕŚˇŕŚŁ ŕŚŕ§°ŕŚżŕŚ˛ŕ§âŕŚŕŚżŕŚŕ§ŕŚŽŕŚžŕŚ¨ বিশিষŕ§ŕŚ, ŕŚŕŚżŕŚŕ§ŕŚŽŕŚžŕŚ¨ ŕŚŕŚŕŚŕŚ¨ŕŚżŕŚ ŕŚŕ§°ŕ§ ŕŚŕŚżŕŚŕ§ŕŚŽŕŚžŕŚ¨ ঠŕŚŕ§ŕŚŕŚžŕŚ¤ â নিŕŚŕ§° পŕ§ŕ§°ŕŚžŕŚŕ§ŕŚ¤ŕŚżŕŚ পৰিৱŕ§ŕŚśŕŚ¤ŕĽ¤
o দŕ§ŕŚŕŚžŕ§° ŕŚŕŚ¨ŕŚ¨ŕ§ŕŚŚ, পŕ§ŕŚ¨ŕ§° ŕŚŕ§ŕŚŞŕ§ŕŚ¨ হাŕŚŕ§°ŕŚżŕŚŕŚž, দŕ§ŕŚŞŕŚžŕŚ˛ŕ§ বৰঠাŕŚŕ§ŕ§°, হŕ§ŕŚŽŕ§ŕŚ¨ বৰŕŚŕ§ŕŚšŕŚžŕŚŕŚ, ŕŚŕ§°ŕ§ বŕ§ŕ§°ŕ§ŕŚ¨ŕ§ŕŚŚŕ§ŕ§° নাথ দতŕ§ŕŚ¤ŕŚŕĽ¤ বŕ§ŕ§°ŕ§ŕŚ¨ŕ§ŕŚŚŕ§ŕ§° নাথ দতŕ§ŕŚ¤ŕ§° সৰল ঠথঠমাৰŕ§ŕŚŕŚżŕŚ¤ ঠধŕ§ŕŚŻŕŚŻŕŚźŕŚ¨ŕŚ¤ ŕŚŕŚżŕŚŻŕŚźŕŚžŕ§°ŕ§ŕŚ¸ŕ§ŕŚŕ§ŕ§°ŕ§ŕŚ¤ ফŕŚŕ§ŕĽ¤ ŕŚŕŚżŕŚ¤ŕŚžŕŚŞŕ§° ŕŚŕŚ˛ŕŚŽŕŚžŕ§°ŕ§ŕŚ¤ পৰি থŕŚŕŚž পŕ§ŕŚšŕ§°ŕ§ ŕŚŕŚŕ§ŕ§°ŕŚŕŚžŕ§ąŕ§ পঢ়া-শŕ§ŕŚ¨ŕŚžŕ§° পŕ§ŕ§°ŕŚ¤ŕŚż থŕŚŕŚž তŕ§ŕŚŕŚŕ§° পŕ§ŕ§°ŕ§ŕŚŽŕŚ পŕ§ŕ§°ŕŚ¤ŕŚżŕŚŤŕŚ˛ŕŚżŕŚ¤ ŕŚŕ§°ŕŚżŕŚŕŚżŕŚ˛ŕĽ¤
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⢠ধনŕ§ŕŚŻŕŚŹŕŚžŕŚŚ, STAGE BUZZ মŕ§ŕŚ লŕ§ŕŚŞŕŚ¤ ৰŕŚŕŚžŕ§° বাবŕ§!
GUFTGUWITHPLAN41-930-24032024-MY EXPOSURE TO ASSAMESE CULTURE AND JAATIGATTA (NASL)
⢠Assam, its geography, people and its culture fascinated me to no end, ever since I first set my foot in Guwahati, decades ago!
⢠I found its people so friendly, lovable and highly evolved in their cultural ethos and lifestyles!
⢠To day I am so excited to be taken across Guwahati Artists Guild.
⢠And get introduced to Dr. Biswa Prasun Chatterji of Mumbai, who has a Jehangir Art Gallery background (that I immensely loved, frequenting the same â whenever good old Bombay beckoned me)
⢠My specific reference of the day is to the solo photography exhibition (8th to 12th March,2024) that was held by the renowned film critic and author Mr. Utpal Datta of Guwahati.
⢠Hereâs a summary of my delightful experience peering into the nature and icons of Assamese culture, through some very fascinating vignettes (ĹabdçitĹ) of the Exhibition, as narrated so brilliantly by Dr.Biswa Prasun Chatterji:
o Faces and nature combined and intertwined to explore the relationship between humansâsome prominent, some iconic, and some unknown – in their natural surroundings.
o The pleasure of seeing, again, Bhupen Hazarika, Deepali Borthakur, Homen Borgohain, and Birendra Nath Datta. Birendra Nath Dattaâs photo in chiaroscuro in his simple yet elegant study. The light falling on the bookshelf reflected his love for studying in depth.
o A rare photograph of Bhupen Hazarika with a full open smile accompanied well by his wife in another frame.
o Deepali Borthakur, the iconic singer of Assam, looking fondly over a calendar with her own photo – another memorable piece.
o A Homen Borgohain looking askance and a Jadab Payeng, the forest man of India, looking tenderly over his greenery creation.
o Utpal Dattaâs photos of female vendors in a busy local market – especially that of an old photographer suavely dressed and standing to focus his camera.
o Serene beach photographs of the Andamans and the river banks of the mighty Brahmaputra (what a Divine Feeling I get every time I remember crossing the mighty Brahmaputra!)
o Painted scriptures of âSARVA BHABENTU SUKHINAâ from the Upanishads beautifully capturing the theme of nature and humans.
o Well-known film director Biswajeet Dasâs short film âFragments in Timeâ based on the exhibition, available on YouTube.
⢠Thank you, STAGE BUZZ for keeping me in the loop!
An in depth assessment.
Thank you for such an in-depth review. Humbled and honoured.