Surasundaris on the walls of Rani-ki- Vav remind us that sensuality is the doorway to spirituality, that growth and fertility are as important as piety and devotion, that even before we undertake dhyana of the deity in the sanctum or in different parts of the vav we must saturate our mind with the beautiful so that we can attain the state of serenity and purnatva.
Sensually evocative, beautiful from tresses to the toes, with eyes downcast, surasundaris are an expression of unsurpassed grace. They are a reminder that a woman is the most adorned expression "prakriti, that to indulge in it is to affirm our senses and enrich our mind, but the aesthetic journey does not stop there. The contemplative viewer will see the surasundari as a poem and a song, where every limb and every gesture are the lyrics, the texture of the stone is the rhythm, where metaphor is the key that will unlock the many, meanings and suggestions.
The stepwell in Patan is perhaps the most admired structure of its kind and is a testament to the imagination and skill of the sthapati and as we walk through its many- tiered pavilion we almost hear the hushed voices of the queen and her retinue that stayed there away from menacing eyes and sweltering heal Come, tread softly, as you are entering a hallowed space of beauty.
If you see a photographer wandering through fairs and festivals, temples and mausoleums, not only taking photographs but becoming one with the world of mankind and monuments, it must be Vinod Contractor. Having lived in the United States of America for many years Vinod has returned to Gujarat, which is where his heart is, in its people and places, its voices and footfalls, its colours and moods. When Vinod looks through his lens he does not just see objects, but he is touched by the sap that flows through them, the emotions that define them and the spirit that enlivens them. His photographs are not just pictures but a visual and living document. Through his camera he captures forgotten stories, half-remembered conversations, the hammer and chisel of the shilpakara, the whisper of the surasundaris. This is what makes his photographs alive not just with colour but with feeling, not just with precision but with a third dimension. It is not uncommon for Vinod to spend hours finding the right view or the correct shade of light, the perfect glance or the most evocative pose before he clicks his camera. For him his camera is not just an instrument to create photographs but a means to record for posterity his feelings and his love for India. Vinod is married to Jayshree and they make their home in Valsad, Gujarat.
Harsha V. Dehejia is Adjunct professor in the College of the Humanities of Carleton University in Ottawa, ON, canada, He has several books, films and curated exhibitions to his credit.
Kirit Mankodiis MA, PhD, from Pune University. He is associated with the Cultural Divisionof Franco-Indian Pharmaceuticals. he wasresponsible for the defining work on Rani-kiVav. Currently he is engaged in repatriating illegally removed art object from India.
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