Buy a balloon aunty!

Its amazing how quickly we become de-sensitized to some situations....especially towards children on roads. when in India, we forget that children are indeed just children. Whether they are in school uniforms crossing busy roads or abandoned pearls...they are all children. I tried to imagine what would happen to these 'Balloon Boys'. I wish I knew exactly how much of their innocence remains...or that if I did put them in a school they would remain there.

I was on my way someplace today when I saw a whole bunch of children playing in the neighbourhood. Cars slowed down, drove 6 or 7 feet away from the curb and drivers were watchful and careful. Are the children in Seattle any more valuable than the ones that are forced to sell balloons on the streets of Bangalore??

A question without an answer....a situation that can't be helped no matter how much you try to.

Its hard to remain hopeful!!


They sell balloons for a living....people buy the balloons for their children...who are probably as old as these kids. As in most third world countries children such as these are left to fend for themselves. From their perspective, these balloons are not something to play with. Its their next meal...or joint....most sniff glue, drink, smoke....whatever helps them get through this cruel life!!

When I went near them I saw how tired they were...weary little bodies exhausted from an entire day's work. The time was half past 10...well past any child's bedtime. The boy in the forefront had a packet of food for all of them and wanted to just eat and sleep. The others were more keen on being photographed and were ecstatic when they saw themselves in the LCD screen. The little boy in the blue shirt was most eager to be photographed...he seemed most hopeful as well.

I wish I had taken better pictures...but my battery pack was giving me such a hard time...the camera went dead after every picture I took...:-( If not for Pradz and his generous offer to use his battery for the rest of my trip, I'd be shutter crippled!! Again Pradz...thanks buddy!! :-)))

Siesta

 

Dreaming Dishwasher :-)

An advertisement billboard or hoarding as its known in India....I thought this one was pretty cool!! 

Luggage

The train, the woman with her luggage - the baby and the man behind her were all moving. I never thought I could get this shot, but I am glad I tried. 

Mobility - The Great Equalizer!!

In modern India, the great equalizer is the mobile phone!! Surprised?? Well...dont be!! In a country that has been plagued and defined by its many class systems...based on region, religion, creed, caste and economic levels...mobile technology has emerged as the equalizer!! It might not make sense to a lot of people...but in India, what you do for a living has a lot to do with your 'station' in life....archaic huh??

This man is a migrant construction worker. One of the millions of struggling hordes dreaming the 'Indian Dream'. He does not speak the local language Kannada and communication is difficult. He hardly knows to read. His children dont go to school and run around freely. Some day he hopes to enroll them in the 'English School'. His wife, pregnant with another child, works on the construction site as well, carrying loads of concrete and brick on her head. And yet...he has the same mobile device as the Medical college students down the road and the MNC bank officer in the pink house and the just-returned-from-america-software-pro whose house he is building. In fact his device is way better than the one I carried while I was in India during this vacation!! :-))))

Mobile users are estimated to be at 80 Million users....no one has the exact count. The number apparently grows by 5 million users a month!! It turns out that India is the hottest market for Mo-tech today.... interesting article

 

Mehendi

This is Ayesha...she is a 12th grade/2nd PUC student at my mother's college, a very bright student and a prize winning Mehendi artist. She belongs to a conservative family, but hopes to break away from convention and study law instead of marrying young. Someday she will make a very fine lawyer...this year she would have applied to law colleges....and I pray her dream comes true!!
As for the Mehendi...I loved it!!

Blue Fly

This stunning blue fly was trapped in my car on hot day in India. He was about the size of a walnut. I had to wait in the hot car with him till he obliged me with a pose before I let him fly away.
I have no idea what kind of fly this is. So if anyone does, please do leave a comment and educate us... :-) 

Cantonment Railway Station

Built during the British Raj, this is the Cantonment Railway Stationin East Bangalore. It was way too early in the morning (noon actually! hey I was on vacation)...I was waiting for the train carrying my grandparents to arrive. I had not had my morning cup of Joe, which might explain what I was trying to do...I now have replaced the tripod I broke!! thank goodness!! :-) 

High!!

The time was around 8.30 am. I was in my car, parked in the Majestic area of Bangalore waiting for something or someone I have no memory of. That's when I saw a man stagger to a liquor shop, buy his liquor and drink it. He then picked a fight with the chap at liquor store who pushed him out of the shop. The fellow fell down on the pavement on some folded plastic sacks...the kind you get wholesale rice or grains in...or even cement. With no further delay or thought he spread open the sack and got in feet first and lay down on the platform. It all happened so fast, I was stunned...by the time I locked my car and came with my camera, the chap was snoring!! I noticed that he had stiched up a couple of sacks to make a sleeping bag. It seemed like this was his home...the foothpath in front of the liquor shop!
The morning light just added to the drama of the moment! 

Chicken Run!!

This was shot at a traffic intersection on MG Road, one of the most prominent boulevards of Bangalore, India. These chickens are probably headed to either the Empire or Imperial Biryani restaurants. Though not a humane way of transporting these birds to the butcher, it is a common way of transportation.
I shot this through the windshield of my car, so pardon the dusty haze. Clustered together and hung upside down, most of these birds will have broken feet and wings by now. The birds are frightened, not just because of the way they are hung, but also because of the noisy traffic, the vehicles that come very close to them and the petrol/diesel fumes.Mostly bred in captivity, this probably is the only outing these birds will have, definiltey their last and the dilated pupils probably see that the end is near.
 

what destination lies ahead.... 

Basking in the early morning sun. The earth is so red!! 

Is this my station?? 

Maddur Vada, Uddin Vada....u want vada medam?? 

guard Samwich anyone...Its the frightening and exhilarating when u are between 2 trains that are rushing past...needless to say dreadfully dangerous!! 

Peeking thru' the fronds 

A Passing Express!