Kabza — Vishesh Anand | Photographer / Creative Director

VISHESH ANAND

Photographer
Creative Director

PROJECTS

Vestiges
Kabzā / कब्जा
Time Moves Slow
A Bird in the Hand

KABZĀ

Kabzã examines the evolving landscape of a town where history and religion collide, revealing the deeper currents of political and cultural tension.

Once a capital of the Malwa region in Central India, Dhar is steeped in history, filled with ancient relics and ruins. Recently, it has become a place where history is being manipulated to serve prejudiced narratives, often at the expense of the Muslim community. Regional activists have propagated claims that an ancient religious site was originally a Hindu temple, using these narratives to justify violent protests and demand a 'reclamation.

The hypostyle stone structure, dating back to the 11th century, is a mosque that was shared by both Hindus and Muslims since 2003. It symbolized respect and coexistence between the two communities, but this communal harmony is being undermined by increasing communal polarization.

Kabzã documents the climate as it moves toward a more hardline, saffronized ideology. It explores how social narratives are leveraged to justify marginalization and encroachment. In the shadows of the old ruins, the saffron tide doesn't just threaten the history etched in stone-it endangers the delicate threads that once united this community.

MAIL / INSTAGRAM