Munish Sood
Mandi
The renowned ‘Himachal Darshan Photo Gallery’ in Mandi drew high praise from leading Bollywood personalities on the second day of the Devbhoomi International Film Festival 2026, as actors Aditya Srivastava, Rajesh Jais, and Hemant Pandey visited the iconic cultural space and described it as a unique visual journey through the heritage of Himachal Pradesh.
The actors were visibly impressed as they explored the gallery, which showcases Himachal’s rich cultural traditions, vibrant folk attire, temple-based dev culture, historical legacy, and breathtaking natural landscapes through an extensive collection of photographs.
Actor Aditya Srivastava described the experience as deeply emotional, saying that the gallery felt like “Himachal under one roof,” offering a complete glimpse of the state’s diversity and beauty in a single space. He particularly appreciated the dedication of the gallery’s 70-year-old founder, Birbal Sharma, calling his effort a remarkable example of passion and cultural commitment. He also urged authorities to support and preserve such heritage-driven initiatives, calling them vital for educating future generations.
Actors Rajesh Jais and Hemant Pandey, meanwhile, shared their global travel experiences and remarked that despite visiting several countries, they had rarely seen such a comprehensive and immersive cultural collection. They noted that the gallery effectively documents Himachal’s transition from traditional roots to modern development, making it a rare visual archive of the state’s evolution.
The actors further observed that the gallery could serve as a valuable resource for filmmakers, offering ready visual references for shooting locations across Himachal Pradesh. They described it as a “boon for Mumbai’s film industry,” where directors could easily identify scenic and culturally rich locations for future projects.
Both actors also expressed admiration for Birbal Sharma’s lifelong dedication, suggesting that his work deserves wider national recognition, as it has preserved Himachal’s intangible cultural essence in a uniquely accessible form.
The visit concluded with the film personalities acknowledging the gallery as not just a collection of photographs, but a living documentation of Himachal’s identity, earning it a place of pride in Mandi’s cultural landscape—truly reflecting the spirit of ‘Chhoti Kashi’.
