Portrait of a Nautch Girl by Raja Deen Dayal

March 5, 2011


This photograph by Raja Deen Dayal is a stunner! See this for pic credit.

A plethora of emotions churned within me seeing this picture.  First, the terrific looks, the confidence, the posture - again confident and relaxed.  The magnificent effect of the monochromatic picture moved me.

If you see it properly, the face of the girl shows she is very young, may be 14 or 15 years old.  NOW, the write up next to the picture (which I did not click) said, she was a 'Natch girl' which means, that she was a professional dancer.... and I guess many things are said and unsaid here.... 

After I had gotten over the magnetic appeal of this picture, a thought strung me badly.  Girls her age, were not educated, and the families traditionally into this profession would encourage their daughters to take up the profession of a dancer, no choice here.  Thinking about the exploitation they must have suffered at that time, pained me.

And to prove the point, another picture waited for me. it said it all, I'll be posting it next.

Be there.


RESTLESS

12 comments:

BookWorm said...

mmm.. True.. This was the best one of the lot.. and as usual.. you comment on the same was also apt.. you read the pic well...

zephyr said...

Your sudden change of mood could be discerned in your write-up. So true, that when we see a little deeper into a picture, it tells us a thousand stories and not all of them happy ones.

A Restless Mind With A Sensitive Heart! said...

Book worm - thanks...

Zephyr - yeah right.

Travellingcamera said...

It seems I missed a great show :(

Thanks for sharing !

Vivek said...

Hi friend,

how you doing ? coming @ ur space after a long gap , You have really put the real picture ,the choice is not on the girl side and at this very young age of 14 -15 its tough for an individual to change its course.
But now the scenario has changed and so is the thinking behind it.

Thanks for sharing.
I will be travelling will look for your upcoming picture.

take care
enjoy super sunday

A Restless Mind With A Sensitive Heart! said...

Welcome VJ Sharma,

Also, u have missed the wonderful exhibition and fair on Mahabharata at IGNCA. Will be posting that too.

tk cr

RESTLESS

Jack said...

Restless,

Saw both photographs. This one is really superb in every aspect. I agree about exploitation of girls those days. There are many things unsaid.

Take care

JOBS WORLD said...

I could not see the pictures, may be some problems

Vee said...

these are some wonderful photos! i am totally amazed, Restless. thanks for sharing.

A Restless Mind With A Sensitive Heart! said...

Vivek - thanks for the visit.. yeah after a long time! enjoy.

Jack uncle, thanks, I too liked this one the most :)

Vee, glad to see ur comment after a long time :) Thanks :) I was mad to see this exhibition. Visited it once, clicked pics and then realised the flash was on, so had ruined the pics!! Then went again, on the last day of the exhibition, to click all these pics.

Am glad, these are being liked :)

RESTLESS

Anu said...

This is the best of whole lot RS!!
Yes..it does express a whole lot of varied emotions! Very inspiring too!!

A Restless Mind With A Sensitive Heart! said...

Vaish - I know the photographer in you feels inspired, right?!

RESTLESS

Related Posts with Thumbnails