Photos and Photographers (7): Henri Cartier Bresson

[Guest guest]

"Cartier Bresson is considered among the greatest photographers of this century.

Inspite of his great fame, Cartier Bresson has always cultivated anonymity. He

says that he prefers this because, 'in order to observe one must be unobstrusive

and able to pass by unnoticed'. That is the only reason.

He has great respect for India, for the Upanishads, which he terms as 'a

philosophy equal to the highest imaging ever produced by the human brain'.

 

The last photograph of Ramana was taken by him ten days before Ramana's

Mahanirvana which was on 14th April, 1950. He visited Sri Ramanasramam twice,

once in 1948 and again in 1950. He records, "I went to Tiruvannamalai to see

Ramana Maharshi who was a completely accomplished being. At Tiruvannamalai I saw

a ball of fire moving slowly across the sky. It happened 13 minutes before nine

in the evening.""

 

(Radiance of the Self)

 

I am sorry that I can't offer you one of this heartmoving last photos of

Bhagavan here, especially the last photo taken 10 days before Mahasamadhi. Most

of you will have seen it in any book or journal. If anyone can find it as jpg or

gif please include it in the album.

Cartier-Bresson has also taken some photos of the burial and one very beautiful

of the peacock.

 

 

Besides there is a very beautiful book available with photos of him titled:

Henri Cartier Bresson: In India

He has also taken the last photos of Mahatma Gandhi.