Kutch: Triumph of the Spirit celebrates the resilient spirit of the people of Kutch. Assaulted by wars, droughts, famines, floods, and a myriad other natural and man-made disasters, the spirit of the people has time and again risen from the ashes like a phoenix.
The photographs in the book are varied, including the traditional and the contemporary, the exotic and the mundane. The book grows upon the reader slowly. It is an interesting read with stories of Hajipirpii Baba who got killed by dacoits, or the drunkards not being able to distinguish between the sadhu and the monkey, the searching for food, or the story of vada dada who was hacked to pieces trying to save cows. The book is a great experience minus the snobbery and jargon of the narrators interrupting voice.
While Khare’s travel narrative celebrates the resilient spirit of the Kutchi who weathers the disasters-from earthquakes to droughts- that hit his region, Susan Bullough’s photographs capture the colours amid the aridness.
