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Bahrain resident Shikha Varma is paying homage to the kingdom’s iconic roundabouts by capturing their beauty in picture form.
The kingdom is known for its bountiful roundabouts, otherwise known as rotaries or traffic circles, with Hamad Town alone boasting 22 of them; which the Works Ministry aims to beautify based on a proposal made two years ago.
The Indian expat who has been living in Awali for the last 16 years featured a series of stunning images of roundabouts on her social media as her way to commemorate World Photography Day on August 19 – because she believes in its symbolic significance and functionality.
“The geometry of a roundabout helps in slowing down traffic to maintain vehicle flow,” said the mother-of-two who is a freelance travel photographer, filmmaker and a versatile playwright.
“In Bahrain though, other than preventing traffic from locking-up and hindering free movement of vehicles, these roundabouts showcase the rich culture and heritage of our beloved island. Most of our roundabouts are symbolic of a specific heritage.
“For example, Al A’ali is famous for its traditional handcrafted pottery and the big clay pot situated in the centre-island of the roundabout is a mark of the village’s identity.”
She said the oyster and pearl near Al Ghous Corniche was another example of Bahrain’s legacy of pearl diving, while the oil well roundabout in Awali represented Bapco and the first oil well situated nearby.
“There was a mini dolphin roundabout in Awali a few years ago, which again reminded us of the adorable sea creatures found in Bahrain’s waters,” added Shikha, who is on the board of directors of the charitable American Women’s Association (AWA). She is also the founding member and current chairperson of AWA’s Shutterflies photography group.
“The fish and sail roundabout in Juffair is a representation of the inheritance of fishing and sailing in Bahrain and as for Hamad Town, each roundabout is crafted in a unique way,” she said.
“One can also see dhows, date trees, pearls, camels, forts, Islamic architectural features, the Bahrain map and other heirlooms as part of the roundabouts which keep us glued to the roots of this otherwise cosmopolitan and rapidly developing country.”
While the kingdom uses roundabouts to showcase culture, they are also essential for boosting safety and providing safe passage to motorists.
“It’s mandatory for aspiring drivers in Bahrain to learn the roundabout rules to clear their driving licence test,” she said.
“Though well-planned roundabouts are a boon to roadway infrastructure and traffic efficiency, complex looping junctions can be a nightmare and the challenging intersections must be replaced by signals or flyovers, which has been happening in Bahrain lately.”
Nonetheless, Shikha is delighted to have shared Bahrain’s rotaries and still giggles whenever she comes across huge roundabouts as it reminds her of a humorous scene from the 1985 comedy National Lampoon’s European Vacation.
“The protagonist gets stuck in a multi-exit roundabout in busy London and goes round-and-round in circles for the whole day as he is unable to figure out how to navigate the lanes and exit,” she said. “Hope it hasn’t ever happened to you!”
For details, follow @shiks_cliks on Instagram.
