NEW DELHI, Sept 7: From a house fly sitting on the withered paw of an adult tigress to a tiger cub taking a quick dip before setting out for his next prowl, nothing can miss the keen eyes of famous wildlife photographer Aarzoo Khurana whose ambitious initiative ‘ATR’ saw her documenting India’s 55 tiger reserves.
“All Tiger Reserves: Through The Lens”, currently underway at Bikaner House, showcases over 50 breathtaking photographs, giving visitors an opportunity to experience India’s rich wildlife heritage through the lens of the photographer who ventured into the heart of the country’s most protected landscapes.
“The idea was to showcase people about the species that are left behind and the tiger reserves that somehow do not get that kind of attention. There are 55 photographs and 55 tiger reserves, and it took us about seven months to complete a 37,000 km journey covering the length and breadth of our beautiful country.
“And the fact that I am the first woman photographer to do so gives me immense happiness and sense of accomplishment,” the advocate-turned-photographer told PTI.
The exhibition, inaugurated by Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav on Friday, is divided into five zones — West, Central, South, East and North — and its layout maps the itinerary of the actual ATR travel.
Photographs from both, known and lesser known tiger reserves, are featured in the exhibition, including Assam’s Kaziranga Tiger Reserve, Maharashtra’s Melghat Tiger Reserve, Uttarakhand’s Corbett Tiger Reserve and Madhya Pradesh’s Satpura Tiger Reserve.
Besides the big cats, Khurana’s oeuvre also features photographs capturing rare candid moments of peacocks, sloth bears, rock pythons, otters, golden langurs, elephants and more.
A wall, featuring a giant display of India’s map along with a collage of photos of Khurana and her team, gives visitors a peek into the different aspects of the arduous journey, be it about the challenges or the fascinating people they met along the way.
All profits from the sales of the photos, ranging from Rs 11,500 to Rs 2.5 lakh and above, will be donated towards wildlife conservation. (PTI)
