Kamal Sahayi again, now in search of silent beauty

Kamal Sahayi again, now in search of silent beauty






Palakkad: Kamal Sahayi had reached here again after three decades, this time to capture the silent beauty of the silent valley. Earlier if the fate was to become the voice of the valley, now it is to capture the silent beauty.
Kamal Sahayi fist reached the valley when the trucks carrying production equipments to construct a dam in valley , began to disturb the silence of the valley- in 1979. At that time arrangements were progressing in war footing to construct a dam there. Sahayi came to make a photo feature for the magazine 'New Delhi Magazine;' of which Khushwant Singh was the editor then. During that time no relevant environmental movements were palpable to protect silent valley then. Majoirty stood with a claim to have dam to curb the electricity shortage. At that with the influence of O V Vijay an, Kamal was sent to silent valley to write a report to protect it. With a letter from the electricity board chairman , Kamal reached here and renowned photographer Ayeshakagal also accompanied him. Their guide was Namasivayam, who was working in Kozhikode Sathra Sahithya Parishath. Namshivayam was with them pretending as labori. No one in electricity board known that they came to write photo feature on silent valley.

Though they came for only week, they have spent as many s 27 days deeply moved by the beauty of the valley and 15 roles of film were utilized. In this time the labor unions of the ruling government under stood that they are `enemies' and though they attempted to attack them, both Kamal and Ayesha were rescued with help of Namashivayam.

During that, a 32 page cover story was published in New Delhi magazine about silent valley. The rare and beautiful pictures of Kamal attracted the attention of each. The pictures were able to make thunderstorms in the political centers of Delhi. It is estimated that these pictures and reports are behind the decision of the Indira Gandhi to preserve the silent valley. Now long 31 years have passed and Kamal is here again in his 60's with digital camera , to immerse in the beauty of the valley.













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