Rising from the Ashes

• Photographer
  Jayati Saha A renowned transaction lawyer who gave up her lucrative career for her first love, photography, Jayati Saha is a self-taught photo-artist, with an extremely sensitive eye that has captured moments glistening with human emotions. Based out of Kolkata, India, she is peripatetic and her journeys have taken her to the India not known or seen by many. Her work has been used as tutorial material and forms part of private collections. She is also a contributor at the Getty Images Inc., USA.
Jayati is a keen educator and regularly conducts photography workshops in rural schools. Her works have been exhibited in India Angles (2010) - Indian Council of Cultural Relations, Kolkata, India, Namaste India (2011) - Bucharest, Romania, Colors and People (2012) – Calcutta Information Centre, Kolkata, India. Her works titled ‘Gujjars of Devmali’ and 'The Story of Holi' have been published in Life Force Magazine, works titled ‘Labour of Faith’ has been published in Photojournale, 'Home of Hope' has been published in Private Photo Review Magazine. She has an Hon'ble mention in Deeper Perspective Category of International Photography Awards, 2015. Her work has been selected in Travel Photographer Asia, 2015 and exhibited in Kuala Lumpur., India

In the scriptures of the Hindu Religion, a widow is forbidden from
enjoying life by marking days, eating bland food, living in bleak
surroundings, thinking colourless thoughts of penance and
wearing white clothes. They are believed to be sinners and must
not budge from their chosen path of renunciation. One day in a
year, when they are given the choice of celebrating life during the
popular spring festival of colour in India, better known as Holi, a
mixed feeling of euphoria and guilt grips them. Their severe
struggle to stay alive for all days in a year, suddenly stop making
any sense. Hence, throwing caution to the wind, while some of the
widows take a leap of faith in trying to find a real meaning to
staying alive happily for atleast one day, others remain in a
dilemma. They fight the battle between spontaneity and scriptures
and eventually some are successful in finding a meaning to their,
otherwise, meaningless and bleak existence. The power within
these women drive them to soar high as Phoenix from the ashes
and see a new life for one day while discarding the struggle that
each one of them goes through every day. On such a day fate
appears weak before their strong desire to make a choice………a
right to make a choice to be happy.

• Awards
  Contributor at the Getty Images Inc., USA. Exhibited in India Angles (2010) - Indian Council of Cultural Relations, Kolkata, India, Namaste India (2011) - Bucharest, Romania, Colors and People (2012) – Calcutta Information Centre, Kolkata, India. Published in Life Force Magazine and Private Photo Review Magazine. She has been a featured in Photojournale. Hon'ble mention in amateur section of Deeper Perspective Category of International Photography Awards, 2015. Selected at the Travel Photographer Asia, 2015 and exhibited at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.