Beyondfocus

Koovagam, a sleepy hamlet near Villupuram in Tamilnadu, wakes up to world's attention at the end of every Spring Season. Come April, its only temple, dedicated to Lord Koothandavar, turns into a beehive of activity even as its rustic folks play host to their unique guests, the transgenders of India, who gather for the Lord's festival with their offerings. Chaitra masa or beginning of Indian summer is the occasion when transgenders have a date with their God that includes a wedding ritual with him.

The week long jamboree sees transgenders in bridal attire on the full moon night Poornima for the nuptial knot in the form of Mangalsutra with Aravanan as the Lord is known by another name. Venkatesh has emerged successful in capturing the subtleties and nuances of this festival.

Shot in the picturesque locales of Kodaikanal by K. Venkatesh,, the exclusive Photo Gallery reveals Sridevi in different attires and moods, capturing her beauty and grace in style.

Though ignored by officialdom and berated by society, the transgenders have come a long way to complete with the best of the bevies to wear up their sleeves what any celebrity model can and walk away with flying honors. A case in study is Sridevi, a 32-year-old transsexual from Bangalore, who can give other fashion models a run for their money with stunning looks in elegant dresses and daring poses that will arouse more than awe.

The transgenders want the fashion industry to recognize their existence and give them an equal opportunity to compete with other models irrespective of the gender. The photo Exhibition, titled Models Beyond Gender demonstrates through a collection of portraits that transsexuals like Sridevi are well qualified to be a celebrity model as any other.

K. Venkatesh, holds the reputation of being the man-on-the-spot and needless to say he was there along the ravaged coastline of Southern India, covering the human misery, post the Tsunami wave. The human misery following the Nature’s fury, the helplessness of the mankind in the face of the natural disaster, the poignant scenes of struggle for existence and the human spirit to survive are vey well depicted in this collection.

Water, one of Nature's gifts to mankind, is becoming a scarce commodity, especially in Karnataka. What has been over centuries a source of life for Homo sapiens and flora and fauna is vanishing from the land that was once proud of its rivers, lakes ponds and deep wells? This collection of photographs presents the catastrophic effects of reckless activities of man. The parched land and a farmer in distress bring out the gravity of the situation while a serpentine queue for a pot of water reinforces the cause-effect theory. The long-walk of children with a pail on their head indicates the grim shape of things to come. Venkatesh, through this collection of photographs makes a fervent appeal for conservation of water.

Shravanabelagola, the Jain pilgrimage town, about 50 km from Hassan, comes alive every 12 years when millions of devotees from the world over assemble atop the pictures que Vindhyagiri hill and Chandragiri hill to celebrate and witness the Maha Mastakabhisheka of Lord Gomateshwara. This album has captured the statue of Gomateshwara in all its hues during Maha Mastakabhisheka. The pictures here also depict devotion and renunciation.

This is a collection of illustrations on the new and the old Bangalore, the liberal and the conservative side of the Silicon City and the challenges it faces.

The Ornate Jewellery worn by Lambanis of the Deccan Plateau and Rustic women of southern Tamil Nadu over the centuries is unique and grandiose as their design, materials and craft are steeped in the folklore of India.

At a time when the joint family tradition has become a thing of past and where nucleus families thrive, the 180-member strong Narasinganavar clan is an exception in modern India. This album captures the life in an undivided family and stands in stark contract to the present day nuclear families.

For the hundreds who die alone and abandoned every year in India's technology capitol, Praveen Kumar, 21, is an angel of mercy. He is the sole companion of the city's orphan dead, carrying them on their final journey and giving them a dignity in death denied in life. Praveen cleanses the city of its guilt. This collection of photographs traces the selfless service of a young man in a world which is becoming more materialistic.

For millennia, cities and towns have shaped and reshaped themselves in an endless cycle of life and renewal. What remain are a few grand monuments, extravagant creations of the mighty and the powerful. The humble dwellings of the tiller of the land and the workshops of the artisan have been forever ephemeral. The future is always built on the ruins of the past. The buildings, half built and half demolished, as pictured in this album reaffirms the adage that change is the only permanent phenomenon in the world.

The geriatric generation of Bangalore, touted as India’s high-tech city, are not only victims of old age problems, but also of a modern society, which has little time for caring these genteel souls. The frailities of old age; the loneliness and the effervescence in the evening of life are well brought in these photographs.

In the forests abutting the Western Ghats live a people whose identity is as distinctive as it is enigmatic. Their past is an unforgettable, hazy memory and their present is here and now amid the patchwork of identities that make up Karnataka and India. The lifestyle of these tribals is well portrayed in this collection.

With a transwoman as a model, the pictures in this album draw similarities between a neglected monument and a stimagatised community. Shot in the forts of Bidar, this collection speaks of discrimination. Discrimination is not just about race, caste, class, creed or language. It is very much about gender. This has been hard-died into our tradition. Transgenders are evacuated, abandoned, trivialized and constantly rejected.

Bidar has been the victim of neglect too. Bidar was the biggest kingdom in India in the 15th century. It was celebrated for its beauty, tolerance and multi-culturalism. It had a roaring economy and housed the biggest markets of Asia. But now, Bidar is among the poorest districts in the country. Bidar carries a stigma. It was made to feel unequal for no fault of its own. But then, this impression was mostly created by those who never had an opportunity to see, understand or experience it. Bidar did not deserve this. And the fort symbolizes all that is wrong with this historic city. Something similar can be said about gender inequalities too.

With a transgender as a model, this collection of photographs captures the places of historic interest in Hampi. Known by the sobriquets such as the biggest open air museum in the world and ultimate academy for architects, Hampi is among the places one must visit during his or her lifetime. The pictures draw a parallel between the model and the exquisite stone structures. Both the stone and the model conceal their beauty. It blends the story of the Hampi ruins as well the life of the model with equipoise. It features the model that took birth as Chandru and went under the knife to become Sumitra.

The Culture of Halakki Okkaligars on the Verge of Extinction. In a rapidly changing world, many cultures are on the brink of extinction. They are either evolving into new forms or undergoing transformations. The Halakki Okkaliga community of Karnataka is no exception to this.

Women of this community wear unique ornaments, and while younger generations may consider these ornaments outdated, women above the age of 50 continue to adorn themselves with these traditional adornments, enhancing their natural beauty.

Rare images of such women, captured by photographer K. Venkatesh, have not only been immortalized through his lens but also displayed, leaving a deep impression on the minds of the public.

The saying Where Light is, there is no Darkness doesn't quite hold in reality- light and darkness coexist, and in the hands of a skilled photographer, they can dance together creatively. Veteran lensman K. Venkatesh, captures this interplay in his striking black-and-white images of K.R. Market, Bengaluru. His work focuses on how fleeting flashes of light from vehicle headlights illuminate ordinary people and their surroundings in the shadows of the bustling market.

In a place where chaos reigns- crowded streets, overloaded carts, and non-stop traffic- Venkatesh finds beauty in the everyday. The headlights of passing vehicles reveal the hidden moments: vendors balancing goods, people carrying heavy loads, and the rhythm of life amid the darkness. These fleeting illuminations give new life to simple, routine scenes.

For two weeks, Venkatesh patiently captured these moments, focusing not on grand monuments, but on the resilience and quiet dignity of the common man. His photos immortalize the lives of those working in the shadows—often unnoticed, yet full of energy and struggle. By highlighting this contrast of light and darkness, Venkatesh creates a timeless tribute to the spirit of everyday life.

For weary and exhausted individuals, even a short nap can provide a fresh burst of energy. There are many sayings about sleep, ranging from "He who has no worries, finds sleep everywhere" to "Sleep is a daily death, but each time it is followed by a new birth" as expressed in poetry. Sleep is of great importance for humans, affecting physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Urban dwellers, who rest in the places they roam, often take a midday nap to rejuvenate them. K. Venkatesh has captured images of these moments, presenting a series of photos that showcase how sleep can revitalize individuals.

The Battle of Light and Darkness: The Significance of the Wax Candle.

In mythological and historical narratives, darkness and light are often interpreted in various ways. Light symbolizes hope, while darkness represents despair. In times of struggle, many lament, "Nothing seems to be working, and everything seems lost." What is unseen is often associated with darkness. However, when a beacon of light shines, life appears beautiful once again. Similarly, the wax candle, which dispels darkness, holds significance in many cultures. K. Venkatesh, who constantly focuses on the light of life, also captures the image of a wax candle in his photographic exhibitions, much to the amazement of his audience.

Imagine a life without clarity about the next moment. For example, if you finish your work and wonder where to go next, that uncertainty is similar to experiencing a sudden shift in circumstances. This sense of uncertainty can be troubling. However, compassionate Indians have learned to adjust to such situations, even stepping onto the streets when faced with sudden challenges.

During the Note Ban (demonetization) in India, when people's lives were thrown into disarray, K. Venkatesh captured the essence of this moment through his photography. The struggles of ordinary citizens were evident, and he unveiled this chaos to the world. He documented what an institution or political party might have done but as an individual, highlighting his dedication to his craft.

Behind the news of the metro arriving in Bangalore were days spent planning the route and facing struggles along the way. There was a battle for power, with different forces clashing over the design and structure of the metro. Whether it was the road, the buildings, or the shops, everything was affected by this transformation. It was during this period that photographer K. Venkatesh witnessed buildings being demolished and decided to capture this destruction. His aim was to show the agony of these changes, turning them into a visual narrative.

Now, the metro has begun its operations. Women and children travel smoothly, and many who once endured the hardships of commuting on two-wheelers have found relief. However, K. Venkatesh, thought it necessary to share this transformation with the public, and he did so through his exhibition, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Metro. This exhibition could also be titledA Good and Deadly History of the Metro,as it portrays both the positive and negative aspects of the metro's development.

Photography is not just objectifying for visual delight but more than one can imagine or perceive, as evident from these pictures of lonely trees and lesser mortals like trans-genders and cross dressed bonding so well with Nature to be a cynosure of all\!

Though huge trees with massive trunks have been the part of the garden city especially on its main roads and residential areas, giving shelter and spreading the green cover, the trans-genders like Sumitra crave for identity, respect, dignity and acceptance than recognition in a gender dominated or biased society.

The relationship between Nature and human beings is as old as the forest but has been associated with man or woman and not those in between who have every right to live a life as others with dignity and honour. As part of Nature, trees and trunks are manifestation of God’s creation, evolution and dissolution. So are the trans-genders Deepu, Stella, Sushmita and several more, including cross dressed such as Laya, who are as gracious and beautiful as women and as strong and healthy as men,

asserts the veteran off-beat photographer K.Venkatesh who gives form and shape to abstract subjects and makes them a creative work of art\!

Portrayal of Pandemic Havoc on Ordinary People.

The Coronavirus pandemic caught humanity unawares when it invaded the world 2 years ago in January 2020 and continues to wreak havoc, causing a trail of death and devastation globally. In its second avatar last year (2021), the invisible virus (Covid-19) shook a complacent India, overwhelming its inadequate health infrastructure, claiming thousands of lives, infecting lakhs of citizens and disrupting livelihood of its ordinary people across the country.

Caught between life and livelihood, ordinary people, especially the poor, migrants, labourers, construction workers, daily-wage earners, hawkers, vegetable/fruit sellers, their women and children were the worst-affected, as they were left to fend for themselves and had resigned to fate. If the extended lockdown and Covid-induced curbs during the pandemic’s first wave from April to December 2020 affected the ordinary people most, the magnitude of the second wave and its rapid spread from April to July, 2021 dealt a body-blow to their livelihood, as the prolonged shutdown badly hit the economy, especially in the informal sector where thousands of jobs were lost.

K. Venkatesh has also published a pictorial book on Transgender's rituals and festivals, titled Koovagam, which is first of its kind in India.

Venkatesh holds the reputation of being out of focus by touching subjects with human angle, which are offbeat. His Transgender Calendar, a first of its kind in India is one such work of his. In an era of models and supermodels, often stripped and emaciated, Venkatesh has attempted to provide the rightful space for the third gender through his Calendar.