Vedika Banakurthy pictures of Pothrajas during Bonlu in Hyderabad. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Every year during the Bonlu festival that matches the monsoon in Hyderabad, an ordinary person turns into a Pothraju, a folk deity and calmness, his face is painted in turmeric and vivid stroke of Vermilian. The picture of Vedika Bonkurthy catches these Poth rajas in the moments before the Bonalu procession, which documentes their work of formation. With the title ‘Body Bifour the Spirit’, the image removes the essence of local culture.
This photo is part of an exhibition cured to mark World Photography Day, along with many others. Opening at the State Art Gallery in Madhpur on August 19, the show features landscape, architecture, street photography and paintings by Hyderabad -based photographers. It is organized by Hyderabad Center for Photography in collaboration with Telangana Government, Telangana Tourism, The State Gallery of Art and Indian Photo Festival.
Sudhakar Singh Bondili’s photograph shades of brinjal | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
“We were not bound by a subject. The criteria were strong images that reflect the cultural landscape,” says Acwin Mathews, director of the Indian Photo Festival. From over 500 submissions, 44 photographs of Hyderabad and Telangana were chosen.
Selection range from pictures to architectural sites that act as cultural markers. While photographers Jai Ho from Hyderabad and Telangana, their lens often wanders from far away, bringing visual narratives from their journey.
The image of Deepika Daparti, the image of Kutab royal tombs, Hyderabad | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The highlights have a ‘Ecos of the past’ by Deepika Daaparthi, a black and white image of Qutub Shahi tombs, implicated by succulent greenery, with domes and arches that talk with the historical grandeur of the monument. Ramdalai Tilak contributed an aerial shot of training of young wrestlers Akhara In Kolhapur, there is an indication for the rich custody tradition of the region. Ravi Kumar Saxena’s work turns into Kutch’s Ran, where a trader in handmade clothing stands against Stark white sand. Meanwhile, Sudhaksingh Bondili’s ‘Shades of Bagan’ captures the rustic attraction of the villages of Myanmar against the backdrop of the ancient UNESCO-recognized temples.
The exhibition runs from 19 to 26 August in the art of the state gallery, Madhapur. Admission is free.
Published – August 19, 2025 11:21 am IST