The Bastar that was: a unique photo exhibition in Delhi

Ahmed Ali [Photo: Amit Verma]

Mr Ali, who is now 91, has been shooting since the 1940s, starting with portraits of British families, going on to advertising and industrial photography as well. But, to quote from a note sent to us by his daughter Nafisa Ali:

His ‘grand’ moment that is still very dear to him, was when he was asked to undertake an expedition into the remote jungles of Madhya Pradesh to capture the images of the tribal people of Bastar, which he accomplished with rare sensitivity. What led him to this project was sheer chance.

“It was a Swedish Film Director Arne Sucksdoff, considered one of cinemas greatest documentary film makers, who was making a movie of a tribal boy, called The Flute and the Arrow in 1956, that again brought about a once in a life time experience for me. They needed a live tiger for a particular scene, and all their efforts to get one were in vein; someone advised them to try a professional animal exporter, George Munro, who lived in Calcutta. Munro knew of a rich family who had reared a tiger cub, which was now fully grown and tame, like a house pet. Munro managed to persuade the owner of the tiger to sell it to him, and he in turn sold it to Suckdoff, who when asked Munro to transport the tiger in a special steel cage, to Narayanpur in Bastar. Munro, a good friend and shooting companion of Ahmed Ali, requested him to come along for the trip. As the film was to be shot in the Bastar Jungles (then Madhya Pradesh), this was how my photography of the Bastar region and tribals came about. We all stayed in Narayanpur. The Adivasis of Bastar, whom we lived amongst in the village, fascinated me. I took hundreds of photographs of the Muria and Marias. It was at the weekly ‘Haat’ (market) that Adivasis would gather, coming from remote jungle areas in a 20 mile radius, to buy and trade their local produce for city benefits ranging from soap to salt. I captured unique images of the Adivasis - their incredible jewellery, tattoos and hairstyles and style of dress, in 1956.”

Ahmed Ali with Nafisa Ali [Photo: Amit Verma]

The shots you will see at Gallerie Romain Rolland capture an era and a lifestyle that no longer exists.

Ms Ali is looking to bring out a coffee-table book featuring these photographs at some point, but until then, this exhibition will be your only chance to see them. The exhibition opened on Friday, and, alas, will close on Sunday, and it won;t be travelling to other cities, so try and catch it.

Ahmed Ali with one of his favourite photographs in the exhibition. [Photo: Amit Verma]

Amit Verma, from our photo team, visited the exhibition and got a few shots of Mr Ali with his daughter and with his work.