Araku in the tribal language means ‘Red & Rich’. 2400+ villages, several variety of tribes including few vulnerable Primitive Tribal Group (PTG), with a very rich wealth of ancient cultural heritage, 56 kinds of butterflies, 147 types of birds and several species of wild animals, beetles and rare spiders dot the entire valley.
Araku valley is instrumental in producing the maximum number of National and International Honors and distinctions to the photographers of Andhra Pradesh and is considered as a paradise for photographers. In November and December, the entire valley covers itself with a drapery of golden yellow Niger flowers giving dreamlike atmosphere. The entire expanse of valleys, plateaus and the hilltops get enveloped with thick mist in winter transforming into a fantasy land for landscape photography.
Dhimsa Dance is unique to this part of Eastern Ghats. Both men and women dance to the tunes of the tribal orchestra (mori, thuduma, dhol, dunduni and kanzari). Tribal women adorned in their traditional costumes and hairdo with flowers create excellent portrait opportunities.
‘Santha, the colorful weekly markets are flocked by the tribal people exhibiting their costumes, jewelry and hairstyle distinct to their tribe is another place for excellent candid photography.
Borra Caves: Also known as Borra Guhalu (caves) in Telugu is more than a 1million years old with breathtaking formations of stalactites and stalagmites is a must see. The Borra caves are one of the largest and deepest in the country.
Workshop Format:
The format of the workshop was carefully designed to yield maximum productivity. The workshop comprised of 6 outdoor sessions.
Mentor of the workshop:
Mr B K Agrawal from Vishakhapatnam, a renowned photographer with 40 years photography experience, mentored the workshop.
Delegates from all over India, registered in the workshop.
Andhra Pradesh: 5
Maharashtra: 3
Gujrat: 8
Rajasthan: 2
Uttar Pradesh: 1
Expert Session:
Topic: “Tribes in Araku”
Expert: Mrs. Jayshree Hatangadi, Visakhapatnam
Valedictory and Feedback Session:
Valedictory session was addressed by Chief Mentor. Delegates were distributed participation certificates.
Food and Local Delicacies:
Carefully menu was prepared to include most of the local delicacies while being health and hygiene conscious. A nice blend of in-hotel dining and outdoor-dining was done to give a good food experience of the city.
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