Family Albums from Ladakh
Photography, Performance and Prose

Much of the early visual imagery of Ladakh began to be produced in the late 19th century. With the
greater ease of travel into the Himalayas at that time and after the turn of the century, Ladakh was
frequented by government administrators, missionaries, explorers and scholars. Alongside the
photographs of visitors to the region, by the 1950s, Leh was also home to three photo studios: Syed Ali
Shah, Dijoo and Lalit Photo Studio. Together their images form part of an important visual
documentation of the history of Ladakh that speaks of its landscape, culture and the people who
inhabited it. These images have also established photography in the region and have since inspired
future generations of young Ladakhi photographers.
The impetus for this exhibition ‘Family Albums from Ladakh’ was the COVID-19 Pandemic. We found
that the pandemic and ensuing lockdown brought people together, in urban and rural areas of Ladakh.
Family members were spending more time with each other, youth (many of whom had come in from
schools and colleges outside the region) were interacting with their elderly relatives, talking and
exchanging ideas. This idea behind the exhibition was to bring family members together, take out old
photos and talk about them.
People were invited to participate in the exhibition by sending in their entries under three themes:
reflecting on the past, recreating scenes and connecting with people from their past. Entries were
received across age groups and from people from Ladakh as well as those who have visited numerous
times since the region first opened in 1974. The oldest image dates to 1911, with more recent ones
dating to the last few years.
It is interesting to see the type of photos that have come in from people recalling their relatives and the
rich elaborate dresses worn in the 1930s or hairstyles of the 1980s to the entry of new gadgets such as
the radio and television, to remembering small details about family members that have passed on or
events that were once held. Cherished memories of childhood summers and winters spent with friends,
interfaith relationships, and small kind gestures. Beyond the visual image the narratives allowed
participants to introspect on the image rather than merely describe what the photo showed. Thoughts
revolved around sustainability, practicing agriculture and dependency on domesticated animals. Some
contrasted the past with the present.
Most photos are of a time when smart phones were not ubiquitously owned. It was not so long ago
when taking pictures and getting them developed was festive in itself, visiting a photo studio was an
event that people dressed up for, making them memorable. They are an anchor to our past. The
transition to digital cameras and the smart phone revolution, some argue, has robbed this tool of
memory-making of its charm.
Memory as both individual and collective is an important medium to understand one’s cultural identity.
Family albums are a wealth of knowledge, artistic creativity, memory, and a reflection of the past as one
contemplates the future. They are also interesting objects to look at in order to delve into memory to
understand the representation of one’s cultural identity at a very personal level. Hence, this project
became an important medium/idea to bring forth the photos in an interactive and playful manner. It
helps us construct modernity without losing cultural identity and also adapting to the modern methods
and views. At the same time the images moved away from the cliched representations of Ladakh.
This public participatory exhibition encouraged people to rummage through old family albums, engage
with family members, learn about personal histories, while reflecting on the visual image.
Together these photos speak not only of the past but also of contemporary issues in Ladakh. But more
than that they turn the gaze inwards, so Ladakhis start looking at themselves and how they were/are
“viewed”. And how they “view”. Over time, all the photos in our collection will help us better
understand the representation of Ladakh.