Sculptor Sculpted Sculpture

This is yet another picture clicked recently at Padmanabapuram Palace, Kerala/Tamil Nadu border. Statues of this kind are more functional as the stone 'deepams' (lamps) they have cupped in their hands are lit during prayers offered in the temple, right outside which they stand. This could be a classic piece; statue as well as the photography I mean.

The Entrance

Sculptures like this are found mostly at temple entrances. This was recently clicked at Padmanabapuram Palace, Kerala/Tamil Nadu border. An ironical statue that stands with folded hands ensuring an everlasting welcome across boundaries regardless of "boundary-issues". Not otherwise!  

Children Around The World

These are children in Thailand I clicked during a trip there. This was supposed to be a community affected by the tsunami. "So what?!" they seem to ask as they dwell in their innocence. Wish someone would ask me to go around the world clicking children and I would at the drop of a hat. Anyways, while working with sexually-abused children in the Philippines, a country where abuse of such kind was rampant... thanks to lousy, busy parents whose money-making and other selfish priorities were so high that they often never realized the neglect their children were subjected to until too late, it was quite easy to identify a child who was possibly sexually abused by looking at them once (the tell-tale signs would all be there, written quite evidently that one can't miss them after working with them for quite some time). This easiness to profile was getting quite uneasy within soon when a crowd had one too many. More uneasy it was when I realized that though secretly rampant, how helpless some children were in India subjected to sexual abuse in the hands of people they trust the most, with nowhere to run nor hide and not very often, if at all they come out with the truth, subjected to ridicule and malicious treatment yet again that they neither deserve not desire. Thus the silence though yet it moves. Thats when you find comfort in watching wonderful parenting and safe, secure, confident and happy children.       

Kids Will Be Kids

Amongst the many things I enjoy, one thing ofcourse is to capture the twinkling eyes and eruptive smiles of children. The way they rush towards the lens (sometimes though scary) is often rewarding. Here is one such occasion when their smiles got frozen in time. Working with children I have often noticed adults who say that they cannot handle children or that they are not comfortable with children or any other excuse to keep themselves away from these mischievous tots;  when looked into their real issue, these are adults who would have had a turbulent childhood themselves, denied of love and care and neglected; the scar that itches every time they see childhood not actually the children. So next time you see an adult who can't "deal" with children, you know who needs an extra dose of love and care... right?!   

Prison Walls

This was a shot I framed a while ago during one of my visits to a prison in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. The Superintendent was showing me around this (thankfully) unused, depleted part of an old British structure where I came upon this interesting wall outside one of the cells. As usual, aroused by the ruins and in seeing the enigma of perfection in imperfection and upon pondering what this possibly could have been, I was told that this used to be one of the many "isolation chambers" in that block, which was said to be used to break the deadliest, hardest and the crookedest crooks. The metal slide like thing you see open (click on the picture for a clearer view) used to be the space through which food was pushed inside for the person held within (mostly freedom fighters). Think when the White Man said "isolation", he meant 'no-human-contact-whatsoever.' Isolation, today, is supposed to be the deadliest of human torture/punishment in the civilized world and is often considered worse than hanging. Talk about the power of loneliness to kill! 

Anyways, cool picture right?!

Some Roads Are To Be Travelled Alone

Doesn't this road show a character? Deserted, hardly trespassed and seldom taken-a feeling of eerie serenity. This was a photo taken through the lenses of my simple "roll" camera, enroute a tiger conservation project in Kallakaad, Tamil Nadu. The road almost challenges you to think, "What can I expect around that corner? Should I take it? Should I not?" 

Talk about choices in life...  

The Log

This is a photo taken a while ago... the interesting thing about this log is the 'nail' (if you notice), quite often you will find a nail in most trees as it is a belief that the iron wades off ghosts and spirits who otherwise might settle down in the tree tops... hahaha! Anyways, hope you enjoyed the photo.

3 Rules Of Comedy

The one above I like for the many messages it carries in a simple line. This shows the irony in our country. Money, money, money... 

Once again this is proof that the truth makes us smile. A technique very often used by comedians. To make us smile nevertheless laugh all that they do is speak truth innocently with a free-flow. Think.

This is just another technique used by comedians and it once again uses the 3rd count. Tell 2 things step by step in a serious manner with a serious content and let the 3rd line follow up with something totally absurd and there you go something to smile about. This is a technique used by stand-up comedians.

Hibiscus

A bright red Hibiscus flower in full bloom at Er. Christopher and Er. Sarjila's home in Nagercoil. Its nice to live amongst flowers and they make that point clear around their house which is home to many such plants which gives them the luxury of living in the wilderness amidst the urban jungle. Most of the flowers I had clicked earlier were taken at their place during many of my often evening visits to their place. This one too clicked recently.

Fancy, Do You Know Her?!

This is a small-sized flower which a Botanist identified as the "Fancy" found growing in Nagercoil in my friends house clicked recently.