The Beautiful South

I have been so fortunate over the years travelling to numerous continents, enjoying the different topographies along with different cultures and beliefs of each individual country. But yet again I find it difficult to take in the richness that India has to offer, especially to people like myself privileged to enjoy such experiences.

I started my travels to the Beautiful South beginning with Bangalore, the IT city of India. What a contrast. Modern day malls, luxury hotels, peppered with the traditional way of Indian life. Armed with my most important possession, my camera, I started to explore beyond the cosmopolitan buildings to find the true India. Winding my way through the narrow streets I stopped to observe the daily life of individuals and was taken by the emotions that that were on display from children laughing through play, to the woman taking a rest after some arduous chore, contemplating her next task. How tired she looked!

Meandering through the lanes I came across one of the many markets in Bangalore where the vendors were busy selling their wares, some with smiles, others showing concentration. Two of the vendors that caught my attention were the woman surrounded by the vegetables she was determined to sell, taking a tea break and in very deep thought. I wondered just how many hours she had sat hoping to make enough from her daily business to buy the necessities that her family required. Turning the corner, I then came across another vendor also taking a break, dreaming beyond what she was achieving today, with a very pensive look. The aura I felt from her was so strong that I was sure she would achieve some of her aspirations. I then compared this side of Bangalore with the more modern Bangalore. The young woman dressed in modern attire driving her scooter, displaying control not only of her vehicle, but apparently her life too. This is the diversity I wrote about in one of my previous blogs.

On my journey to Hassan I was taken aback with the strength of the women working in the fields, some harvesting crops or sowing seeds, even assisting with the ploughing of the fields. As I have observed so many times, they stood with pride, laughed amongst themselves and displayed contagious smiles. Yet, where were their male counterparts? What displays of strength. As I captured these moments I was struck by a group of women skipping down the field laughing and dancing. With their colourful attire and infectious laughs, my mind went to the many times that I had participated in corporate team building exercises to bring together a team, yet, here I was observing a true team working together not needing any type of guidance. Where had we been going wrong in our working environment?!

Travelling west towards Chennai, I was delighted to have the opportunity to visit the sea, but I wasn’t quite prepared to see the working fishermen, again a photographer’s dream. Rolling waves as the back drop, the successful catch gleaming in the sun through the mesh of the nets, and the glee on the fishermen faces for their successful catch. In contrast to the fishermen, I came across a young gypsy girl, gutsy and defiant and it struck me that although a young tender age, she had already experienced a harsh life.

Near Madurai, I was humbled as I watched the young mum taking her child to school on her bicycle. The look of determination was evident on her face and I could not help but wonder if she was also as focused on the goals she had set for herself in her young life? I thought back to the many countries I had been lucky to visit or work in where there would be no thought of taking the children to school by any other mode of transport but car and should for any reason the vehicle be out of action the easy option would be taken of keeping the child away from school for the day. How ashamed I felt especially as many such culprits, including myself, keep fit by working out in the gym on a regular basis and have no excuse for laziness.

As I travelled through Kerala the diversity of this beautiful part of the world was so evident as I lazily relaxed on a houseboat on the backwaters clicking away. I was still not prepared for the Venice of India and happily I took the offer of being taken around the narrow canals on a small rowing boat allowing me to get nearer to my subjects. I watched the lady decked in a red striped outfit, mist swirling around her boat as she crossed from one side of the canal to the opposite side full of pride and confidence. I was amused to see the next rowing boat where the female was showing the upper hand holding her umbrella sheltering her from the intense sun, while her partner actively rowed… A strong woman!

As I left the luxury of my houseboat I travelled through the villages and rural areas where I came across many wonderful landscapes and beautiful people. Still in awe of the strength that the women show in their daily routines I captured the emotions of these people through my lens. Women carrying huge piles of wood, with no grimaces showing in their faces. They posed like models as they walked along the rough and uneven tracks. Females carrying the overflowing water bottles having just collected the fresh water for the day, to the woman washing her sacred cow in the river, how much more diversity could just one small journey bring? My journey still continues throughout the beautiful south, as each corner I turn, I am faced with a new experience.