Telangana Culture and Heritage by K Ramesh Babu at State Gallery of Art, Madhapur, Hyderabad

For years I have enjoyed Ramesh Babu’s fine photographs published in the English newspaper THE HINDU. The reason why I liked them was their distinct photographic quality. Recently, when he showed me a large number of photographs he took after leaving this publication, I was pleasantly surprised by their wide range of themes and their pictorial quality. They portrayed certain little known facets of the life and culture of Telangana people, important festivals celebrated here for generations, important monuments, varied lifestyles of people, and the colourful Lambada tribals. He deeply studied their way of life and took detailed photos especially of their costumes and jewellery. These photographs are rare, for the Lambadas have retained for centuries their traditional costumes and jewellery, which they are now discarding and adopting the modern fashions. Notably, the Gandhari Lambadas are known for their colourful costumes, jewellery, tattoos and hair-do. Their charm fascinated Ramesh Babu; fortunately he took several images of these people in their traditional attire. Adding to these, he took photographs also of Bathukamma, Bonalu, and Sankranti festivals which are celebrated with great devotion and fervor all over Telangana. Being born in this state, he has been a witness to all these and has produced a number of very insightful photographs of these celebrations. His photographic quality is distinct and all aspects are keenly observed.

I am glad that this exhibition is sponsored by Tourism Department of Telangana Government. I am sure these works will be admired for their pictorial quality and variety of themes.
I wish that a selection from these works is published as an album, for they are rare records of a fast changing lifestyle and the material culture of Telangana.