‘Shakti, the Inner Story’, a photographic exhibition curated by our very own Dr. Tehnaz Dastoor, was beheld by eager and appreciative eyes on the 29th of September at ITC Sonar.
The entire event was put together by Window on Travel’s leading ladies − Tehnaz Dastoor, Ritusmita Biswas, Rita Bhimani and Elina Dutt. Rishabh Sud and Kounteya Sinha, photographers of international repute, were the ones who captured the splendid shots.
The theme of the exhibition was Shakti, which makes instant associations with both the Hindu goddess as well as strength.
Therefore, it was no surprise that the exhibition was a celebration of the inherent strength within women.
26 women were photographed, of various occupations, ages and outlooks on life, with one thing in common − an inner strength that coursed and pulsated within, unapologetic, vivacious, and elegant.
The black and white photographs guaranteed the absence of any deception, depicting the woman within as one who is a fully realised whole, despite being scarred by life.
Each photograph was accompanied by a short narrative on the muse, by Mrs. Bhimani, which aided greatly in emphasising the accomplishments of the ladies photographed.
While the theme was of power, the pictures were also colored with tenderness, a dual movement that corresponds with cherished values of womanhood.
The final photograph was of a blank-faced woman, with a question mark painted above her head, implying that any woman has the capacity to channel her inner power to be like the goddess Shakti, as well as the inspirational ladies in the photographs, in order to rise to the occasion and master any situation that is challenging.
The event was a great success, the reception being deeply positive. With a theme so progressive, universal and relatable, each individual in the room allowed themselves to be delighted by the artistry while they sipped on their wine and enjoyed the hors d’oeuvres all courtesy of Mr. Atul Bhalla, Area Manager East and GM of ITC Sonar.
The other sponsors of the show included Titan Raga I Am which stands for Women of Substance and Tata Pravesh which opens doors of opportunity for women throughout the country!
The Radio partner was Ishq 104.7 and RJ Ishani charmed the guests with her appearance at the venue and Harper’s Bazaar provided the on-line support for the event.
Some of the guests who attended included industrialists Harshavardhan Neotia and Sanjay Budhia, Ambassador and Rupa Chakravarti, Viresh Oberoi, artist Suvaprasanna and Swaroop Mukherjee, and actors Barun Chanda and Sujoy Prasad Chatterjee.
Jonathan Ward from the US Consulate and Rajlakshmi, Esha Dutta, Julie and Jay Mehta, Soni and Gautam Prashad, Sagar Daryani, Sumo Dutt and a load of bloggers and media were there to felicitate the ladies.
All those photographed for the exhibition by internationally acclaimed photographers Rishabh Sud and Kounteya Sinha included – Tara Sinha, Jhulan Goswami, Raima Sen, Tanusree Shankar, Ekavali Khanna, Shamlu Dudeja, Alokananda Roy, Rita Bhimani, Minu Budhia, Kiran Uttam Ghosh, Ramanjit Kaur, Mallika Dutt, Prerona Roy, Parama Ghosh, Saira Shah Halim, Anjali Saraogi, Reena Dewan, Ruchira Parshad, Susan Mantosh, Darshan Shah, Sanchita Dutt, Katayun Saklat, Elina Dutta; organizers Dr. Tehnaz J. Dastoor and Ritusmita Biswas.