A 22-year-old photographer from Jaipur peels the mask off the faces of members of a nomadic tribe who live in costume and shed their garb once every 42 days, only to take on a new one

For the 22 year-old photographer, who has learnt Kuchipudi, Bharatnatyam and performed as a theatre artist, it seems fitting that her first solo exhibition tackles the question of roleplay.

Vidisha Saini's exhibition has a collection of 18 photographs of behrupiyas -- a nomadic tribe of male impressionists, who form an intrinsic part of traditional folk theatre -- titled Pratibimb (the Hindi word for 'reflection').

The show also contains a collection of 12 photographs of artistes belonging to the Asiad Russian Circus in a series called Showtime. Through both collections, Saini juxtaposes the identities she takes up and sheds as someone on the threshold of adulthood, against a community of people whose livelihood depends on role playing.

The pratibimb series

Au00a0vegetable seller


Ardhanarishwar avatar of Parvati


Ardhanarishwar avatar of Shiva


Hanuman carries Sita to safety

Last month, as Saini was on her way to Jaipur from Varanasi, she came across a behrupiya outside the Varanasi airport. "He was dressed like Hanuman. Everything about him shouted divinity," says Saini. "What made him human for me was the fact that the Sanjeevani mountain that Hanuman carries had been inverted to become a begging bowl. This Hanuman was collecting money and food grains in the mighty mountain of health," says Saini.

As she chatted with Hanuman, she realised that behrupiyas were traditionally supposed to change their garb every 42 days, and were originally spy messengers who transported news between kingdoms.

On returning to Jaipur, Saini was in for a pleasant surprise. The Jaipur Kala Kendra was hosting a three-day cultural festival for traditional art practises, where 80 behrupiyas from five different states had congregated.
"We come across them everywhere, but never stop to watch what they do. Their performance isn't just comic caper -- it's who they are -- they immerse themselves in that role, and emerge only to take on a new one," says the photographer, who also shot behrupiyas between roles. She, however, only chose to exhibit the portraits of the men in character.

"These portraits are their true identity."

On the surface, modern-day behrupiyas have turned professional. They carry mobile phones and have given up their nomadic lifestyle for a more settled one. They travel only for scheduled performances, and even carry business cards with their favourite characters etched on them.

Scratch the surface and their bone crushing poverty is visible. Saini's portraits reveal holes in their godly apparel and tattered costumes.

While the photographer marvels at their acceptance of change through the various garbs they put on, her portraits speak more eloquently of how modern economic pressures have wrought far greater changes in their lives.

The exhibition is on till May 15, from 11 am to 7 pm at the Mathieu Foss Gallery, Goa Street, Ballard Estate, Fort (Sundays closed).
Call: 67477261