PRESS
Well, well, well: Meet the artist documenting stepwells around India
Sunday in Hindustan Times, October 06, 2024
Rashmi Ghosh is obsessed with Stepwells, which is probably a good thing- since there are thousands of these ancient beauties in India, and not much documentation of them. See how the Pune accountant got started, tour the most unique wells she visited, and find out which she dreams of seeing next.
Stepwells in the shapes of swords and keys; others that look like giant works of origami art basking in the sun... Rashmi Ghosh, a Chartered Accountant from Pune, has stepwells on her mind.
Step in Time
The New Indian Express, July 21, 2024
Ghosh’s obsession led her to more than 40 stepwells in various states, engaging with guides, locals and archaeologists.
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"We do not choose our obsessions, they choose us,” expounds Rashmi Ghosh. In 2022, the 57-year-old artist visited a 17th century stepwell in Karad, Maharashtra, and was captivated by the pattern of its steps, columns and platforms that descended in harmonious order into the earth. It spurred her to document these unique medieval structures.
Ghosh’s obsession led her to more than 40 stepwells in various states, engaging with guides, locals and archaeologists. Her passionate peregrinations culminated in her solo art exhibition held in Pune, Mapping of Stepwells: A Visual Narrative which showcased 20 photographs and 28 in mixed media.
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Lessons in conservation from ancient stepwells
DECCAN HERALD, June 16, 2024
Nalini S Malaviya writes about an exhibition in Pune that documents stepwells in India through mixed media works, narratives and photographs
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Water management, conservation strategies and access to clean drinking water are burning topics today. In such a scenario, Rashmi Ghosh’s solo exhibition at Monalisa Kalagram in Pune, which delves into stepwells of India, assumes greater import. The ...
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Why this Pune chartered accountant is in search of stepwells?
The Indian Express, Jun 18, 2024
Ghosh has visited step wells across Maharashtra, from the 18th century Baramotichi Vihir in Satara to Gumtachi Vihir Stepwell in a private property in Talegaon Dhabad, to several in Gujarat, Delhi and Rajasthan, among others.
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Barely two-and-a-half hours away from Pune, near Baramati, is the marvellous step well of Loni Bhapkar whose sculptures amazed Pune-based artist Rashmi Ghosh. “There is a beautiful Mallikarjun temple there and, though, it is broken, I managed to go inside with a priest,” she says.
Ghosh has visited step wells across Maharashtra, from the 18th century Baramotichi Vihir in Satara to Gumtachi Vihir Stepwell in a private property in Talegaon Dhabad, to several in Gujarat, Delhi and Rajasthan, among others.
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Exploring India’s Ancient Stepwells: A Journey Through Art In Pune
PUNE PULSE, June 21, 2024
An upcoming exhibition in Pune promises to shed new light on India’s ancient stepwells, showcasing their architectural grandeur and crucial role in water conservation amidst climate challenges. Renowned artist Rashmi Ghosh, a former chartered accountant, traces her fascination with these structures to a pivotal visit to Naktya Raviyachi Vihar in Karad back in 2022.
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