Arka Dutta /India
Holy Men of Kumbha My visit to Kumbha Mela at Allahabad in 2013 was mainly to witness and experience the sight and the mystifying Naga Sadhus. It is a tradition and a culture that you cannot kill, and it is a certain conglomeration of social significance with spiritual strength. Naga Sadhus (naked holy men) are a particular group of Shaivite saints. They are the epitome of renunciation. They hardly appear in public and the Kumbh Mela, where they come to take the holy bath, perhaps is the only time they are seen in the open and up close. The sheer persona of these men and the mystifying cult that precede them has an enthralling effect. With their nudity, matted hair, ash-smeared bodies, and smoking chillums, Naga Sadhus are forbidding and would not do anything that would help in demystifying them. The Nagas engage with the world outside only after some careful prodding and they barely interact with the mass. Perhaps the only day they are seen animated is the day when they take the holy bath at the Mela and the sight of them rejoicing is a magical one.
Arka Dutta
Curator Statement:
Arka Dutta’s Black and White documentation of Naga Sadhus during the 2013 Allahabad Kumbha Mela, are an awe inspiring imagery of the largest religious congregation ever with 120 million attendees. This gives us an insight into the only festival where this community of hermits gather together, leaving their Himalayan caves and coming down to the plains. This overwhelming sight with thousands of Naga Sadhus covered in ashes is an experience of a lifetime. Arka’s starkly expressive images capture them in every possible mood, energy and enthusiasm, giving us a glimpse into their mysterious surreal and bizarre world. This community among many Hindus are considered a representative of the gods on earth.
Sandeep Biswas
Hombres santos de Kumbha Mi visita a Kumbha Mela en Allahabad en 2013 fue principalmente para presenciar y experimentar la vista y los Sadhus Naga desconcertantes. Es una tradición y una cultura que no se puede matar, y es un cierto conglomerado de significado social con fuerza espiritual. Los Naga Sadhus (santones desnudos) son un grupo particular de santos shaivitas. Son la personificación de la renuncia. Apenas aparecen en público y el Kumbh Mela, donde acuden a tomar el baño sagrado, es quizá el único momento en que se les ve al aire libre y de cerca. La mera personalidad de estos hombres y el desconcertante culto que les precede tienen un efecto cautivador. Con su desnudez, su pelo enmarañado, sus cuerpos embadurnados de ceniza y sus chillums humeantes, los sadhus naga son prohibitivos y no harían nada que contribuyera a desmitificarlos. Los naga sólo se relacionan con el mundo exterior tras una cuidadosa insistencia y apenas interactúan con la masa. Quizá el único día en que se les ve animados es cuando toman el baño sagrado en el Mela, y verlos regocijarse es mágico.
Arka Dutta
Declaración del curador:
La documentación en blanco y negro de Arka Dutta de los sadhus naga durante el Kumbha Mela de Allahabad de 2013 es una imagen sobrecogedora de la mayor congregación religiosa de la historia, con 120 millones de asistentes. Esto nos da una idea del único festival en el que esta comunidad de ermitaños se reúne, dejando sus cuevas del Himalaya y bajando a las llanuras. Este sobrecogedor espectáculo, con miles de naga sadhus cubiertos de ceniza, es una experiencia única en la vida. Las imágenes crudamente expresivas de Arka los captan en todos los estados de ánimo, energía y entusiasmo posibles, y nos permiten echar un vistazo a su misterioso mundo surrealista y extraño. Entre muchos hindúes, esta comunidad se considera representante de los dioses en la tierra.
Sandeep Biswas
Acerca de Arka Dutta
Es una fotógrafa independiente dedicada a la fotografía documental y periodística, cuyo objetivo es preservar la realidad y servir de diálogo para el presente y el futuro. El amor por los viajes y el deseo de vivir diferentes acontecimientos sociales, culturales y medioambientales motivaron a Arka a dedicarse a la fotografía. Es autodidacta. El objetivo principal de sus fotografías es retratar los distintos elementos medioambientales, culturales y sociales que pueden llamar la atención sobre problemas o dar a conocer acontecimientos y esfuerzos motivadores. Sus obras han tratado de abarcar distintos temas, desde el cambio climático y los prejuicios de género hasta acontecimientos culturales y sociales que exaltan a la humanidad o dejan entrever su diversa naturaleza. Arka nació en 1983 y vivo en la ciudad de Calcuta, en la India. Estudió ingeniería y es licenciado en Mecánica. Arka ha terminado recientemente un trabajo sobre los bahuroopis de Bengala Occidental y realiza un proyecto medioambiental a largo plazo en Sundarbans .
About Arka Dutta
Is an independent photographer who is keen on doing documentary and journalistic photography, which aims to preserve reality and serve as a dialogue for the present and the future. Love for travel and the urge to experience different social, cultural, and environmental affairs and events motivated Arka to take up photography. He is self-taught. The primary focus of his photographs is to portray the various environmental, cultural and social elements that can draw attention to problems or apprise events and efforts that can motivate. The works have tried to encompass different subjects from climate change, gender biases to cultural and social events that exalt humanity or give a glimpse of its diverse nature. Arka was born in 1983 and I live in the city of Kolkata in India. He studied engineering and have a B.Tech degree in Mechanical stream. Arka has recently completed a work on the Bahuroopis of West Bengal and doing a long-term environmental project in Sundarbans.
Publications/Awards/Grants
Work chosen for Grant by Sahapedia. The work on Bahuroopis of Birbhum was completed under the mentorship of Dinesh Khanna. It was published by Sahapedia.
Awarded 3rd Prize at Days Japan Photo-Journalism Award. 2018
Keynote speaker at Victoria Memorial, on behalf of Ministry of Culture, presenting my photographic work on Kumbha Mela along with a talk. 2019.
Worked with Mr. Vindu Goyel of New York Times on covering volatile political atmosphere of West Bengal. His role included doing field research, content contributor and as a photographer. The story was published in both digital and print media in New York Times. 2019.
Worked with Mr. Josh Haner of New York Times on a story on death of Indian climbers on Mt. Everest and how their remains were found and recovered after a year. The story was published as Deliverance from 27000 feet in New York Times.
Photographs published at CNN showing environmental pollution of Jharia Coal mines. 2019.
Was Awarded as Photographer of the Year at Black and White Spider Awards. 2018.
Photographs/series published in National Geographic, FeatureShoot, Washington Post, New York Times, SDN etc.
