Seeing Qutub in a new light

The geography of Delhi is peppered with numerous mementos of the Mughal era that some times one forgets the people Delhi before them. One glance at the Qutub Minar is enough to remind you of the kings and queens of the Slave Dynasty who ruled Delhi before the descent of the Mughals. For the longest time now the Qutub Minar has been synonymous with the capital and there is hardly anyone who’d not have seen a picture of the minaret. Everyone who clicks a photo of the Qutub has to spar with this lofty lineage of the relic. First Lights at Qutub, an ongoing exhibition of photos by N Thangavelu not only manage to carve their own place in the chequered history of Qutub Minar photos but also offer a pleasing experience. <br><br>

Usually one views the image of the Qutub in solitary and perhaps it’s this very reason that one forgets the age of the historical object. Started by Qutbuddin Aibak, the first Muslim ruler of Delhi with the desire to surpass the Minaret of Jam in Afghanistan in 1193 AD, the Qutub Minar was finally completed in 1200 AD by his successor Iltutmish. People who cross the Qutub regularly and view it in passing often tend to forget how wonderfully it has survived the onslaught of time. While the collection has the customary low angle shot of the Minar, some thing that no collection on Qutub can escape, Thangavelu captures the elementary frame accompanied by a brilliant blue sky as the backdrop. Thangavelu has put in immense effort to separate the monument from the barrage of people who visit it every day and every frame of his lovingly composed. <br><br>

Whilst there is only so much that one can do when it comes to photographing the Qutub Minar, Thangavelu adds his own individual touch to the images. Surrounded by well manicured gardens, Qutub Minar is pictured through the arches of the ruins that encompass the main monument. An older remnant that is present in the area is the 1600 year old iron pillar. With 98 percent purity this pillar, too, is photographed well, especially the one where Thagavelu frames if from below some stairs. The one image that makes you look at it endlessly features a juxtaposition of two men made objects spread across centuries. The Qutub amidst the ruins in the background and a green iron bench in the foreground makes you wonder that man 800 years made some thing awe inspiring while all a man in the recent years made is a bench! <br><br>

Thangavelu’s romance with Qutub Minar is more than visible in the photos. He has utilized natural light very well--sunlight falling on the dome of the mosque, highlighting the relief work on pillar and has played with it thematically--light filtering through a jail and illuminating a grave--is worth watching. The First Lights at The Qutub Complex is a very impressive collection for its simplicity and seamless compositions. This one’s not to be missed.