Capturing Goa... through heart and lens (Tilak Ranjan Bera)
Frederick Noronha
Capturing Goa... through heart and lens
Frederick Noronha
f...@goa-india.org
While visiting Broadway some time back, I ran into the
soft-spoken, polite medico Tilak Ranjan Bera. He's behind
some amazing photography out there, and since we share an
interest, I followed this up with an interview.
Extracts:
FN: Please tell us about your Goa book? How does it compare
with others in the same, coffeetable, pictoral category?
Tilak Ranjan Bera: There are many books on Goa authored by
Indian as well as foreign authors. Many authors concentrated
on some specific subject, some elaborated history in a
readable manner. One photographer has captured Goa from the
air and his book contains only aerial photographs.
Each book is interesting on its own merit. However, I
realized that many of them have not dealt with many subjects
related to the state, particularly, its archaeological wealth
and interesting pre-Portuguese history.
Moreover, many of them have not given due respect to the
natural wealth of the state which extends beyond its golden
beaches. Hence, I ventured to author a book giving due
consideration to all subjects related to the state.
FN: What prompted you to work on Goa?
TRB: I admit that even this is not a complete presentation on
the state and many people will find many things missing in
it. It is impossible to satisfy everybody.
I have just attempted to capture Goa through my heart.
FN: Tell us about your other books please.
TRB: My other books include: (i) Andamans The Emerald
Necklace of India -- UBS Publishers and Distributors, New
Delhi (presently eighth reprint is on sale). It contains an
elaborate description of various islands of this picturesque
Union Territory of India, its interesting history,
anthropological wealth, biodiversity and peculiar social
fusion.
(ii) Andaman and Nicobar. The Mysterious Bay Islands of
India. Pre and Post Tsunami. It is a pictorial presentation
of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. This I prepared during
pre-tsunami period, but the Tsunami devastated the islands
before I published it. Thus I included the devastation caused
by tsunami in the last chapter and elaborated the changes
with the help of a number of pre and post tsunami comparative
photographs.
Many Nicobar Islands has completely changed following the
catastrophe and some have been permanently evacuated as they
have been declared unsafe for human habitation. The
Honourable Lt Governor of the Union Territory has thus
remarked in the Foreword of the book: "Containing many rare
pre-tsunami photographs of the Nicobar Islands, this book is
certainly going to be an important pictorial document of the
Islands." Many Nicobar Islands has transformed for good. The
British Museum, London has now expressed interest in the
unique comparative photographs for display in the museum.
I have authored several books on Andaman and Nicobar Islands
in Bengali published by the famous Ananda Publishers. A
number of them have been translated in Hindi because of their
unique contents.
FN: How does Goa compare with the other places you worked on?
It's not so remote...
TRB: It is true that I generally prefer to present only the
remote areas of this fascinating country as I immensely enjoy
accepting the challenge.
Moreover, I prefer to choose an interesting place with
distinct culture. Goa is certainly not a remote state but
during my long stay there I realized that it is a unique
place with interesting and long standing cultural diversity.
Moreover, many subjects of the state were not given due
consideration in the existing books on the state. I wanted to
come out of that myopic vision about the place.
If, I have managed to bring many hitherto undiscussed
subjects about the state to the notice of the people, press,
visitors and the Government through my book to realize the
richness and the actual tourism potential of the state,
I'll consider I have achieved my aim.
I feel I have done my part to my satisfaction. Now, it is
upto you, the national and the international press, to
evaluate the potential and utilize the contents of the book.
I intend to present many such books about various interesting
places of this country after doing adequate research. Various
State and Central government departments like Tourism, Art
and Aulture and Information have to support and encourage me
so that I can continue in my endeavour.
FN: Do you think people staying in Goa appreciate the place
and its uniqueness (also its fragility) enough?
TRB: Majority of the Goans feel that the state is changing
and that too very fast. Many cannot appreciate the
consequences. They miss the olden days and the original
culture (which they feel is getting diluted).
Only a miniscule percentage of the intellectual population
can visualize the significance of various changes and think
about possible preventable measures. However, everybody is
living a happy-go-lucky life which is the essence of the
culture of the state.
FN: How is your book doing?
TRB: The book is likely to be primarily bought by the foreign
visitors. Unfortunately, it was released last April only at
the end of the tourist season and as you know this season
also there is an unprecedented decline in their number.
Hence, the actual potential of the book could not be gauged
during this period. Present sale is in the local market and a
little bit in the Government sector. Sesa Goa purchased few
copies to encourage me.
FN: Do you feel the market has a space for slickly-published,
if costly, coffeetable books?
TRB: I am very confident that if the contents of the book is
interesting and unique and presentation unusual and
imaginative there is scope for many books. Specially when it
is marketed at a value for money price.
Moreover, my aim is not to earn money but to fulfill my
passion. I am happy once I recover my investment so that I
can start working on my next project. There are other
publishers to run the industry as it is their business.
Incidentally I am quite happy as a professional also.
FN: Please tell us a bit about your own background?
TRB: I was born in Kolkata and a Bengali by birth. My father
retd as a Dy Chief Engineer of Eastern Railways and hence I
got an opportunity to see this beautiful country quite
extensively since childhood.
I passed school leaving exam in 1975 and was awarded National
Scholarship by the Ministry of Education, Govt of India. I
initially joined IIT Kharagpur to persue an engineering
degree. Later, in the same year (1975) I joined Medical
College Kolkata, as I preferred to become a doctor which was
my childhood ambition.
I am a nature lover by birth (Virgo is my Sun sign) and I
have extensively toured all the wildlife sanctuaries of the
country and the Himalayas. I am in love with this fascinating
country and I am proud to be born in this land.
My country has unparallel richness in culture, history,
philosophy and natural wealth. It is unfortunate that all of
us are not conscious about it.
My endeavor is to present this country elaborating the unique
features and richness of each state. I am thoroughly enjoying
my passion which I have taken quite seriously. It has become
a monopoly of the foreign authors to write about my country.
I accepted the challenge of publishing books similar to their
presentation. I wish the marketing world co-operates with me
to overcome this struggle for existence.
FN: What are your plans for future books?
TRB: I am presently working to publish a book on Ladakh. I
have visited that place several times in the last thirty
years. It is a fascinating part of the world and definitely a
subject worth presenting. It is a challenge by itself.
FN: Is it worth getting into authoring one's own books? How
do the economics work out?
It is immensely enjoyable and thrilling. I was forced to
publish my own books as no other publisher recognized the
worth of my manuscripts and rejected them including Penguin.
I am not an established author or a professional
photographer, thus they had apprehension in investing huge
money. However, at this stage I am more confident and am
thoroughly enjoying it because everything is under my control
-- the cover, printing, presentation, editing and even
pricing.
I have accepted the challenge. Yes it becomes difficult to
market them without the help of a good established national
and international distributor. But, I am confident one day
they will recognize the potential and take serious interest
to market them in their own interest.
Initial investment is there which unnerves you. If a sponsor
is available, it becomes easy. But my PR is horrible (you
remember I took one month to respond to your simple
questions) and I had no sponsor. But, I am confident that
some day I'll be able to recover my investments (may be with
a little help from friends like you).
FN: Any tips for people who would like to discover other
parts of India and write about it?
TRB: India is a fascinatinating and interesting country. Let
us (Indians) discover and enjoy its natural and human wealth.
Let us share our knowledge with others living in India or
having interest about our country.
I am ready to interact and guide anybody who is planning to
author as writer/photographer about any part of this
wonderful country. I need to understand the angle and the
vision to give necessary guidance and help whatever is
possible for me.
Goa: a journey and reminiscence
Dr. Tilak Ranjan Bera
ISBN 9788190612104
Price: Rs.2000
Available at: Broadway, Panjim
Email: tila...@hotmail.com
Frederick Noronha can be contacted on 2409490 (after 2 pm) or
SMS 9822122436. Email f...@goa-india.org
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Frederick Noronha
Goa,1556 :: Books from Goa :: http://tiny.cc/goa1556