Need of the hour

The photography show at Chitrakala Parishath by Indian wildlife conservation trust is the ideal refreshment for the scorching  summer. Barely do you come across a show which is a social awareness programme aimed at promoting conservation of wildlife and nature, something which is the need of the hour considering the kind of dwindling and fluctuating climate we are living in.

All the digital prints on canvas on display at the show make for an enchanting experience. The photographs have been taken by different photographers from the trust in various parts of India and also some are being shot in the picturesque Africa.

Most of the immaculately taken photos lay emphasis on the serene and subtle emotions between animals and their relationships with their environment around them. Some of the most standout images in the show are that of the sitting tiger whose twinkle in the eyes and grace have been captured perfectly by the photographers.

The poise, elegance and incredible poses of the tigers, leopards and elephants have been captured with elan. One of the participating photographers and president of Indian Wildlife conservation trust Pramod P Lakshmin says, “The motive of the show is to kindle a sense of conservation and sow the seeds of conservation amongst the masses. We are planning to cover most of the colleges and schools so that more students participate in this show.the idea ist o involve the public so that they like and appreciate the beauty of nature which is depleting.” Quizzed if the current climate scenario is the after effect of depleting nature and lack of conservation, he says, “The mercury is been soaring the highest in the past decade, and we want youngsters to put their foot down and realise that we need to start conserving the nature to protect this planet.”

Speaking to another photographer and member Praveen Siddanavar who heads a software firm, he discusses some unbelievable projects that the trust is undertaking. He quotes, “I do more of natural history photography capturing rare moments of wildlife. In Bengaluru, especially depleting forests and tree covers has led to man animal conflicts. Near Bannerghatta, I was shocked to see apartments in the fringes of the forests and leopards stray in the apartments.

There was a road kill of a leopard too. Showcasing the photos is also our way of creating awareness among the folks. We also have a full day programme where we teach the children about the forest, show them slides as we believe the children are the future naturalists. We want to start it from the grassroot levels. Our aim is to take this to a national level. Currently the Karnataka Forest Department is supporting us in every way possible.”

The photography show is a sheer visual treat, taking you down memory lanes and is sure to rekindle the love for nature and wildlife in us afterall we all need to take conservation of nature seriously before it gets a tad too late. The show is on at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath till May 1. Guided walks for school andcollege children are also there.