Kashmir and Scinde Valley; Watercourse from Zojji-la Pass c. 1867

Editor: This photograph by Samuel Bourne, titled *Kashmir and Scinde Valley; Watercourse from Zojji-la Pass,* depicts a striking mountain landscape. The monochrome tones give it a timeless quality. What symbols or cultural meanings do you see at play here? Curator: Note how the steep, vertical rock formations dwarf the watercourse. Does the water, a traditional symbol of life and purity, navigate through harsh, almost insurmountable obstacles, reflecting the journey of the soul, perhaps? Editor: That's a fascinating way to look at it – a visual metaphor for life's challenges. Curator: Indeed. And Bourne, as a British photographer in colonial India, may have been consciously or unconsciously imbuing the landscape with narratives of resilience and the imposing power of nature. Editor: I hadn't considered the colonial context. Thanks, I learned a lot about symbolic weight in photography! Curator: Likewise! It's a privilege to explore such enduring questions together!