Kaynat Kazi’s Gimpse of colourful India
“There is only one life, do what you want to. Live your dreams because each one of you is capable of doing so.” Kaynat Kazi.
Derived from Persian word Kaynat means universe, and such is the personality of this woman who is extremely welcoming, charming and easy to converse with, Ms. Kaynat Kazi. Began her journey of reading from children columns in newspaper, editorials and then novels & literature, Kaynat Kazi was always inclined towards literature and history. Doctorate in Hindi Literature, Kaynat realized how she always wanted to be associated with literature in any form, “I would read out the literature books the moment I would get new bundle of my course books. In my house too, stationeries and books were given as gifts, as my father was also a very knowledgeable person he took care of what we read. Even when I had no clue about what to study, my father would read out to me ‘Amir Khusrao ki Paheliyan’, a book which had every paheli he ever wrote in his entire life. I was daddy’s girl and my father had interest in photography too. Since childhood, he would teach me compositions of photography, and every minute thing about it. You might not learn about it at that age but they do stay within you. Further, I completed my MA and PHD in literature.”
For Kaynat if language is a medium of expression, so is photography. She expresses that the way you write or speak, the same way you click the moment to state any emotion. “For me, photography is extension of literature. It is said that a picture is equal to thousand words. So when I completed my PHD I questioned myself what to do next? So I entered in the field of photography. My mentor & boss Prof. Shubhashis Gangopadhayay encouraged me to get into photography professionally. So from then the journey started. Also, one of my friends guided me to join Dr.O.P.Sharma from Triveni kala sangam class, who is considered the maestro of photography. It is my luck that I could get a space in his class because it is said that if you have entered his class then you have made it to the stars.”
Kaynat learnt the basics of photography from O.P.Singh and started exploring world. Her first professional photography began from streets of Delhi. “Chandni chowk has always amused me because the place has so much versatility within it. The moment you start there is Red fort, and then when you go further you would see shiv mandir, after few more steps you would find a church, then gurudwara and finally Fatehpuri mosque. All these places beautifully represent the unity in diversity of our country. So I have tried capturing that.”
Kaynat defines herself as a traveler who doesn’t like to visit routine places but villages, she loves meeting people and to be their life’s part. For her, photography involves knowing the person, the place, the event inside out. “I believe in spending time in understanding people, surroundings and click when I think it’s the right moment and right time. Sometimes I might not even click.”
As she shares her experience with us, she also shared one of her best moments that touched her heart, “Once I was in Rajasthan and was clicking pictures. I noticed a girl was looking at me from a distance, since a long time. After couple of minutes, she walked towards me and pulled my stole to ask if I charge to click a picture. I was shocked to see that a child mere 5 years to 6 years old is so realistic that she knows that it takes money for getting a picture clicked. She didn’t want to be clicked if it’s chargeable but would like to be clicked if it’s not. I said to her that I don’t charge for a photo and she asked if I could click a picture of hers. In a fraction of second, her eyes lighted up with emotion of joy. I clicked many pictures of hers and took address so that I can get them delivered. She lived in a place where there was no service of courier available; thanks to India’s post service which helped me to send these pictures to her. I don’t know how she must be feeling about those pictures but I hope that she is happy.”
She believes that if there is bad then there is good equaling to it. People do come forward to help you when required. “My experience of so many years has made me learn that people are always ready to help you. Yes, I do have perks of being a woman, I don’t have to face shy people and can comfortably be a part of someone’s household. I can ask anyone if I can click them and they are comfortable about it and there are so many other things which come as a benefit of being a woman photographer. I’ll probably say that a woman photographer is like a sugar in a cup of coffee, she can adjust anywhere and everywhere. People share their privacy with you because they trust the fact that you will not misuse the photographs. I personally love clicking woman and children and you can see that none of my photographs are studio clicks. I love clicking women who are strong, independent, who work to earn and who are naturally beautiful.”
Kaynat proudly says that she is a photographer for and of common people and as a person she is like all of us and simplistic. In terms of professionalism she loves the work of Raghu Rai, O.P.Sharma, Ansal Adam, Steve McCurry, Yousuf Karsh and so on.
She has covered a lot of places, but believes there is much more to witness. “I want to explore each and every corner of India. Amongst all, the best places I would suggest from photography and travel point of view would be Mandawa, Shikhawati region of Rajasthan- it is a heritage site which has an open art gallery and amazing wall paintings, next would be Leh and if you don’t want to go much far then Brindavan and do visit Barsana on Holi, but above all visit villages as they offer you to have a completely different outlook on lifestyle. They have different cultures and different crafts. I have covered a series of craft in my exhibition as well, because I think they are our heritage which has to be restored in a better way. The craftsmen are magicians, who have knitted small things with their hands, but their children have no interest in continuing this art-form, they want to match up with the world. So such art-forms or crafts have to be restored, for which I have done my bit by presenting them on broad level.”
There is one black and white portrait of an old woman, whose face is full of wrinkles but has a wide bright smile, Kaynat connects herself most to this picture because she feels that she would be as happy and satisfied as the woman is in the portrait, when she gets old. She believes wrinkles are her success story and untouched beauty.
Ending the conversation, Kaynat expressed her other interests and what are her future plans, “I love music, rural art and paintings and I believe we can’t judge which sort of songs we like because whatever we listen to, is what we want to listen in a certain mood. I like Suraiyya, Shamshad Begum, Mukesh etc. and I am also interested in poetry and short-stories. Soon my two books, one on poetry and one on short-story, are going to be published. And my next project would be to launch a photography based coffee-table book.”
Have a news story, an interesting write-up or simply a suggestion? Write to us at info@oneworldnews.in
