Ramleela – The Vanishing Art

Dr. Urvish Joshi, a left brain personality, executing his living as a professional medical doctor and faculty, 15 years ago turned into a right brain photographer within the process of soul fortification. It was his dad who gifted him a single-lens reflex camera and since then he never stopped making this world look more magnanimous through his lens. Starting his creative journey through the ladder of painting, Urvish experimented with inexhaustible genres before settling with the right one, where you click the most complicated creature of this planet, people!

Album ‘Ramleela – The Vanishing Art’ was shot few years ago at the Khokhra area of Ahmedabad, where Ramleela, a historical and mythological epic play based on the life of Lord Rama depicting how he fights the army of Ravana to rescue his wife Sita from captivity, and is performed  every year by a motley group of actors. Based on the original verses of Ramcharitmanas, written by Goswami Tulsidasji, the vibrancy of this performing art is flourishing since the 16^th century, but somehow since last few years, the popularity of this art is waning drastically. This album is about the combination of varied human emotions and expressions captured within a single frame and also a benevolent effort of saving the Ramleela tradition. Even though these aren’t motion photographs, the boldness captured of every character clearly reflects the rage within its every roar.

It is us who has to make sure that we don’t let vanish the best of ours. Team Creative Yatra dedicates this album to the astounding art of Ramleela, which is part of the UNESCO’s Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity List.

Photo Studio Curator : Ketan Modi