Royal Frame

Every frame has a story to tell,a character to explore and a chapter from history to be revisited. Continuing with his work on royal heritage,Arvind Singh Mewar,Chairman and Managing Trustee of Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) and 76th Custodian of the House of Mewar,has opened doors to a photo exhibition. Titled “Long Exposure: The Camera at Udaipur,1857–1957”,the exhibition is on display at The Bhagwat Prakash Photo Gallery,Zenana Mahal,The City Palace Museum in Udaipur. “While the stories and anecdotes are part of the family history,at the same time they are biographies of historical figures who were instrumental in bringing about paradigm shifts in the history of our country. We wanted this to be accessible to everyone and also play our part in preserving our collective heritage,” he says in an official statement. “Long Exposure”,after being closed for public view for a brief span of time for reframing of some pictures,is now ready to take visitors back in time. The collection traces the evolution of Udaipur’s photographic heritage over its most significant 100-year period. From Maharana Shambhu Singh of the 19th century,to the time of Maharana Bhagwat Singh in the 20th century,the collection comprises portraits,hand-painted photographs,album prints,and gelatin silver prints by several well-known photographers.The focus,reflects Mewar,is to keep alive the “living heritage” of Mewar. “Living heritage is a constantly evolving model of managing heritage and keeping it alive,dynamic and relevant to changing times. It has the inherent dynamism to trigger development of modern facilities in ancient environments leading to enrichment of local economies,enhancement of quality of life in communities,employment generation,stemming of the rural migration to urban areas and generating greater pride in traditional professions,crafts and culture. It injects dignity in heritage and enriches the societal fabric,” says Mewar.