Impressions of Rajasthan

Rajasthan, situated in the northwest of India, is a land of contrasts : from the arid plains in the west sculpted by desert winds to the eastern states with their lush fertile valleys and rolling hills cloaked in green. Not only do the region's imposing forts, palaces, and pleasure pavilions continue to enthrall visitors from across the world, it is also a land rich in street color and popular pageantry.

Bruno Morandi's vibrant photographs expertly capture the everyday life of those living in Rajasthan-from the isolation of the Thar desert to women washing in groups on the banks of lake Picchola, and from camel herders chatting at the Pushkar camel fair to children playing in the streets of Jodhpur, the blue city. The photographs also provide a glimpse into havali, the once luxurious homes of wealthy merchants, ornately decorated with richly painted frescos.

Impressions of Rajasthan offers a unique view of women painting the walls of their modest homes with powerful, sacred frescoes depicting village scenes, abstract designs, or natural elements such as trees in blossom, peacocks, elephants, tigers, and lotus flowers. The informative text by Carisse and Gérard Busquet provides the historical context of this land rich in architectural patrimony and artistic tradition. It explains the symbolism and spiritualism portrayed in the murals that are essential to the cultural heritage of Rajasthan.

This uncharted voyage across an ethnically diverse land with its momentous history is rich in color, detailed observation, and, above all, vitality.