Social activist-politician, Maneka Gandhi, speaks exclusively to Verve on the eve of her extraordinary photographic exhibition – The Incredible Moment – in the capital.

She has blueprinted a unique photographic exhibition in New Delhi. The proceeds of the three-day show, to be inaugurated on World Photography Day (August 19, 2005) at Kamal Mahal in the capital’s Maurya Hotel (and then on view for 15 days at the Moon River Gallery), will be utilised to make the first animal hospital in Kerala. In a quick interaction with Shraddha Jahagirdar-Saxena, 49-year-old Maneka Gandhi, who nurtures stray dogs in her home, reinforces her commitment to her cause – People For Animals – and throws light on her personal take on photography as art.

What has inspired you to hold this exhibition?

I have always been interested in photography as an art form, despite never owning a camera myself. For the People for Animals (PFA) fundraisers, I plan years ahead and I normally look at some kind of art that has yet to ripen commercially. PFA did the first major group exhibition of paintings more than 10 years ago, both in Delhi and Mumbai; then we did it for ceramics. In both cases we sold out. I have wanted to showcase photography for a long time. Everything fell together when I found a few volunteers who were photographers themselves.

Atul Kasbekar

Is there a specific unifying theme of the exhibition, linked to animals?

No. We never ask our participating artists to do anything specifically. We request them to give the best of what they have done. This exhibition is titled, ‘The Incredible Moment’.

Do you have a personal interest in photography as an art form?

In my PFA office, I have always had maps and photographs. Two of my favourites are a grass snake peering out of a clump of grass and a crab looking at the sunset. Both of them show the microcosm as an intense and vital part of the huge macrocosm of the universe.

Do you think photography as an art form has recently got an impetus in India?

Every art form takes time to attract attention. Photography has been coming to the boil for a while now. Since the last two years you can see galleries investing in photography exhibitions. Earlier, professional photographers played it safe by being part of newspapers, travel magazines and advertising agencies. Now they are willing to experiment. Indian photography has come of age. It is as important as conventional painting and Indian photographers have as unique a world view as Indian painters.

Raghu Rai

Which is your own favourite photograph? An old one – with Sanjay and Varun perhaps?

Unfortunately, none of us have taken any pictures. But, my favourite is one of Sanjay holding Varun on the first day we came home from the hospital and another that Raghu Rai shot of Varun as a one-year-old, wearing a little dhoti and kurta, looking up, completely dazed by the circle of photographers around him at his father’s samadhi.

Think protection of animals, prevention of cruelty to animals... and the first name that comes to mind is yours. Your devotion to animals is unbounded. What sparked off your interest in them?

I was born like that and I have learnt much more over the years. This has nothing to do with devotion or love. The only way to peace is to live in harmony with all living creatures. Otherwise you cannot aspire towards peace between humans. The entire survival of mankind depends on animals and this is too little understood. Also, if you encourage the feeling of empathy not sympathy – putting yourself in the place of the other being – that is the basis of dharma which is the only thing that can sustain the planet.

How much of an impact do you think this exhibition will have?

I hope we earn a lot, as I would like to make my nineteenth and twentieth hospitals for PFA. The only way we can do that is if the photographs sell. The images are amazing and are available at real bargains. By next year, these photographs will be worth more than triple of what we are selling them for – many photographers have lowered their prices dramatically for us.

For more information, contact: Maneka Gandhi,
People for Animals, 14 Ashoka Road, New Delhi 110001. Tel No: (011) 23357088.