Shutterbugs from Kolkata, Varanasi photowalk in Odisha’s Puri

Bhubaneswar: As they walked along the shores of Puri today, leaving behind footprints washed away by waves, their lens captured life in and around Odisha’s vast coastline.

This trip was a part of the ongoing photography festival, ‘Drishtiraaga’, in the City of Temples.

Among the photographers was Manish Khattry from Varanasi, and this was his maiden visit to Odisha. “I’m glad to be in one of India’s holiest places to capture some abstracts. I hope artists from Odisha collaborate with us and conduct activities in Varanasi too,” he said.

Photographer Jayati Saha, whose idea of photography is unconventional, believes Odisha is a paradise for people like her. “It’s a beautiful state. When it comes to the best beach for photography, I’ll always choose Puri for its diversity. Colours, scenery, faces, and with that the devotional touch of Jagannath, creates magic,” she added.

They were accompanied by Raj Sarkar, another photographer from Kolkata, who had attended this festival last year too.

In a meeting with the three artists yesterday, they unveiled some of their precious captures at Lalit Kala Akademi in Bhubaneswar. Manish’s collection had different faces of Varanasi and the Holi celebration at cremation ground with ascetic Shaiva sadhus (aghori). Jayati presented her pictures showing the helplessness of men starving in a famine-stricken region of Bengal.

Event curator and founder, Mushroom Photographers Circle, Sumon Sinha said the event aims at bringing photographers together. “People from different places bring along with them varied ideas and outlooks and the interaction turns out to be a great learning experience,” he added.

Besides photography exhibition, the fifth edition of the festival will also have a short documentary film festival in the evening today and a cinematography workshop by filmmaker Amartya Bhattacharyya tomorrow.