- The first book of its kind to shed light on the tradition of Gauri
dance - Featuring hand-painted photographic prints Gauri (also known as
Gavri or Gavari) is celebrated by tribal communities in the southern
part of Rajasthan as a forty-day festival that entails fasting and
celebration in honour of Lord Shiva and his consort, the Goddess
Parvati. Public performances put on as part of the revelry include
dance, storytelling, music and worship. The tradition of the Gauri dance
has been celebrated for centuries, yet there have been no books in
English till now on this mystical and enchanting practice. Photographer
Waswo X. Waswo has joined with art historian Sonika Soni to create this
book that delves into the esoteric world of Gauri dance. Through Waswo's
distinctive studio portraiture, with the photographic prints
hand-painted by hand-colorist Rajesh Soni, the astonishing visuals of
Gauri costuming and performers is presented in beautiful color
reproduction. In her essay, Sonika Soni explores the history of this
ritual dance with an eye to examine both what is known about it, and
what still needs to be discovered, keeping central the conflicting
stories of its origins and the folk tales that make Gauri the enigmatic
opera of Mewar.
