PORTRAITS OF INDIA



We made this trip in April to celebrate a dear friends wedding. This was my first time going back home since moving to Canada in 2002. The trip was 2 weeks long and we stayed an extra 9 days because of the volcano in Iceland. We truly felt blessed because we got to spend good quality time with all our loving friends and family. This good quality time came with delicious food, bloody hot weather and GREAT FUN!





I can tell you that the people of India are generally in a very good mood.
My camera was quite popular as well..









Kids in India always seem a bit older than they really are.

This little guy ran the sugar cane juice and the soda stand. So serious and so adorable. As a child he should be experiencing life from a far more simpler perspective. Or maybe he is and I don't know jack. Either way, it's not in me to feel sorry for people. I'd much rather be happy for them and see joy in whatever path they are on.


Ohhh, I got to buy some stunning back-drops. I will be blogging about all the treasures I've returned with in the coming weeks and the ideas I have for my next set of photo sessions!


Brothers






My baby cousin Yousaf. He simply lights up when you look in his general direction. I love him soooo much!

Home.





The picture above is the terrace of the house I lived in from age 10 months to 10 years. Back then, you could see the horizon at the very end of a sea of huts. Now of course the view has changed.

A place to wash your feet, by the entrance.



My grandma used to have these when I was a kid. She never really caught on to blenders so as a kid she would get me to grind coconuts and lentils using this fancy technology.




Kitchen











My Nami's (grandma's) beautiful hands..


The working man.


The Sadhu.


The artisan.









Beloved Ganesha in chains.





According to our guide (at least that's what he called himself and I wouldn't believe everything I say here) whirlpools caused the holes you see in these boulders by the river.










Beach food. Raw mangoes and roasted corn.






Good friends of mine started growing coffee a few years ago on their Balmadi Estate. Please take some time to read about their work. Some people do things with a kind of passion, intelligence and honour that we can all learn from. Not giving into any kind of temptation, the folks at Balmadi grow their coffee and other products using a mix of ancient Vedic methods coupled with the biodynamic methods advocated by Rudolf Steiner.




Palaces in Hampi. 


A place where people would spend their evenings hanging out. Pretty amazing way to spend your evenings I think.  








My favourite shape in the entire universe. The bottom picture would have been a lot prettier if the millipede hadn't been dead lol.





Asha - My teacher, my friend, my twin soul. I got to spend a day with her at a bookstore and it was nothing short of divine.










Temples of India


My love, Frankie. The heat finally got to him and he needed a moment. I think he finally understood how awful Canadian winters feel to me.






















The Wedding. The reason we made this trip and came back feeling so content, full of bliss and changed forever.
















Departure - At the Chennai Airport with my husband.