Exhibition on Udvada

"I realized there is no photographic record or documentation of Udvada that is home to the 270-year-old Iranshah Atash Beh­ram,” Parvez Damania, who belongs to one of the nine priestly families of that town of pilgrimage, informed Hindustan Times (HT) on March 28, 2012 regarding the exhibition mounted at the Tao Atrium Gallery in Worli from March 27 to April 7, 2012.

The photographs, taken over a two-year period, are the work of Shantanu Das for whom the assignment was a challenge as he was not permitted entry into the house of worship. "I had to capture the images of the devotees and customs through the iron gates,” he told HT. "I tried to capture the town in all its distinct glory by highlighting the religious identity and lifestyle of the locals. They were very hospitable and enthusiastic,” he said.

Images of Udvada: (top) view through Iranshah’s gate; (below): Parsi homes Photos: Shantanu Das

Over the years Damania had noticed many changes in Udvada: dilapidated buildings, decrease in population, steady loss of land due to sea erosion. This prompted him to do his bit to preserve the heritage. "The photographs try to capture the spirit of the town so that the future generation can look at these images and learn about the customs, traditions, costumes, architecture and the general way of life in this center of pilgrimage,” Damania told Mid Day (MD) of March 30, 2012. Poignant portrayal shows members of the community in various moods — praying, gazing from their balconies, out on walks, cooking in their homes.

When asked by the Daily News and Analysis (DNA) reporter on April 3, 2012 about how he picked the frames for the exhibition, Damania said Das first pared them down from the artistic and technical angle; later both he and the photographer made a shortlist from the historical and cultural aspect. Intended to be part of a far larger collection which has been assembled for a coffee table book, the entire lot will be digitized for posterity, Damania stated.

In a write-up sent to Parsiana Damania mentions that the exhibition of around 60 photographs provides "not just a substantial view of the history and culture of this beloved town, but also provides a compelling study of the Zoroastrian community in all its fabled old-world splendor, religious identity and lifestyle... an entire world has been fabulously captured, and it all amounts to our generation’s gift to all the generations to come.”