PHOTO TOUR

The Dance of the Gods - The Mesmerizing Theyyam of Kerala - A Guided Photography by Dheeraj Paul

Kerala

Led by: Dheeraj Paul
Jan. 12, 2023 to Jan. 16, 2023

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Tour price

₹49,999.00 per participant on Double occupancy basis

Special Offer for Sony Alpha users

First Time attendees get *50% off of the above cost. Repeat Photo-Tour participants get *25%

About the tour

A Guided Photography Journey to cover Kerala’s Most Amazing Festival – The Dance of the Gods - Theyyam. The blissful state of Karnataka and Kerala have great wealth of cultural traditions . The celebrations of these traditions is through an array of races, fairs and festivals which can be any photographer’s delight stories. They bring forward ancient myths that speak of gods, goddesses, saints, heroes and demons who once walked through this incredible land inspiring extreme Photo-Journeys.

About - The Dance of the Gods

One of the most special and extraordinary festivals one can witness in Kerala is none other than Theyyam. The word Theyyam literally means ‘God‘ and hence the Theyyam dance is known as the ‘Dance of Gods‘. Performed by men enacting female roles too by wearing elaborate make-up, intricate headgears and colorful costumes It is unique, powerful and a divine splendour to watch and Shoot - colourful costumes , exotic make-up and hair raising dance moves are the main highlights of Theyyam.

The facial makeup of each artist is so complex that the artist has to lie on the floor for hours while the designs are painted on their faces - we shoot the behind the stage too.. Many of these performances involves dancers walking on hot coal, the sacrifice of a rooster, etc. The colours and lighting can be mind-boggling , feast your ears with the hypnotic chants and rhythmic drumbeats as well as your eyes with the colourful pageantry and vigorous dance moves that are any photographer’s dream project

Be prepared for erratic sleep hours as many of these festivities run late into the night and even early hours of the morning . We shall have many hours of guided photography shoot sessions covering most intricate Genres as we travel along the coast to witness the authentic celebrations around Dance of the Gods with Highly acclaimed photo-mentor & Travel Photographer Dheeraj Paul & Indian Photo Tours operations team ensuring highest safety precautions protocols during travel and stay.

Highlights

Special

An exclusive behind the scenes as well as beach shoot session of world famous Kalaripayuttu is planned during sundowner along with many blue hours and sunset shoots . Continuous Critique sessions, guidance, shoot sessions and discussions in an interactive exciting environment.

  • Tour Dates : 12th to 16th of January 2023. 5 Days / 4 Nights stay and includes all meals/ Group inland travel to various Theyyam locations/villages. The group reports at Kannur, Kerala on 12th January 2023, which is well connected by air , road and rail with major towns of India. The group can take flight out from Kannur international airport on 16th January 2023 afternoon. Payyanur/ payangadi are nearest railway stations.
  • Strict Hygiene and Precautions : Our Comprehensive Stay & Travel Safe policy ensures highest safety precautions & protocols during group travel and stay. Single occupancy subject to availability on first come first basis. Social distancing & usage of Face masks are compulsory as deemed.
  • Inland Travel : to various festival village locations at Kannur. Raliway station/Airport shared drop arrangements payable on actuals.

Costs of Guided Photo-Expedition:

  • INR 49,999/– per participant on Double occupancy basis
  • Special Offer - First Time Photo Tour Participants (Sony Alpha users) pay – INR 25,000/- (50% off) per participant Repeat Photo Tour Participants are eligible for a special price of INR 37,499/- (25% off) per participant on double occupancy. T&C Apply.

Camera Fees:

Please note that Camera and Monument entry fees payable directly by participants.

If you want to be on this Master Class and need any assistance/information, call Indian Photo Tours at 9910903636 /9811044788 or write to them at events@indianphototours.com.

Most Important - Due to limited availability - Registrations are purely on first come first basis and above offer is limited to very few seats..

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About Dheeraj Paul (tour leader)

Dheeraj Paul was born in 1974 in Delhi into one of the most well known and respected photography family in India. He has a vast multitude of experience in editorial and advertising photography spanning close to three decades. He is a prominent and acknowledged voice in the contemporary photography community in India with his mentorship influencing new and upcoming photographers. He is also the brand ambassador for Sony Alpha photography and the Founding Director at Indian Photo Tours where he leads guided photo expeditions and masterclass for photo enthusiasts. With a goal to capture moments in daily life, he specialises in people, travel, fine-art, food and architecture photography. Due to his early induction into photography with indoor photography, he is also an expert in indoor lighting setups. He also teaches advanced photography at the AJK Mass Communication and Research Centre at the Jamia Milia Islamia University of Delhi. His diverse experience has made him a widely renowned photographer mentor today. He has been a part of the jury for the International Sony Photography Awards 2014 and 2015. He has also been invited thrice in a row for the International Jury by the Humanity Photo Awards 2009, 2011 and 2013 in China co-organised by UNESCO. His work has been critically and widely acclaimed. He has a wide range of published books including “Around India’s First Table - Dining and entertainment at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, “The Golden Temple- A Gift to Humanity”, “The Art of Indian Cuisine” and many more to his name.