lastlook
sidHPur, india “Sidhpur is a dusty town in the north of Gujarat. The Dawoodi Bohras, an affluent trading community of Shia Muslims, built palatial homes in the early part of the last century, imitating western Renaissance features and embellishments. In the last 50 years, the town has been abandoned almost totally, the only residents left being women and old men. The feeling you get as you walk around is that of an empty film set. The surreal nature is further enhanced by a warm, dust-filtered light, which gives everything an extra glow. This was shot in the late afternoon as the remaining residents began to appear. I waited in the middle of the street, feeling completely alone but very much observed by hidden eyes that peeked through the grated windows—I was Gary Cooper in my very own personal and quirky High Noon. As I moved around the abandoned homes and streets, I was filled with a sense of discovery and intimacy that is what I long for in my work. Even if India seems to have been photographed far and wide, it can still offer up many surprises.” ✚ ph ot o g r a p he r s e b a st i a n c o rtés • i n tervi ew ed by chr i stop her kucway 122 january 2012 | travelandleisureasia.com