Entering the PARENTHOOD world.

EVENT : VALAIKAPPU - Indian form of Baby shower

DAY OF EVENT : 05 MARCH 2012

PLACE : MUMBAI, INDIA

After a lavish royal wedding ceremony in the Iyer sect of South India, the occasion of Valaikappu (godh bharai in Hindi) is much awaited by the family. It is a celebration of the couple entering the new phase of a mother and father. It is celebrated by offering the mother-to-be, delicate and colourful bangles ('valayal' aka bangles in tamizh) with each of the women folklore taking turns in doing so. It is usually celebrated during odd months (preferably 7th or 9th) of pregnancy. I got a beautiful opportunity to witness the rituals and the unmissable moments of this meaningful occasion. 

The to-be-parents HARI and NEERAJA

 The seek the blessings of the Lords from a temple in the background.

The vibrant glass bangles are chosen in pairs of two and slid down her hands.

Raw rice particles are mixed with the holy mustard powder and sprinkled on her as a ritual of blessing.

 Her parents bless her and offer her a new silk saree to be worn for the second set of rituals to be followed.

The couple prostrate to the elderly members to seek their blessings. The elders sprinkle the mustard coated rice particles as a medium to shower their blessings.

 The mother-to-be is drenched wet by her husband and his sister before the commencement of second set of rituals, before which she changes into her traditional attire.

 They all inquire about the baby.
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AND NOW FOR SOME CANDIDS!

This is a 'sequence' shot  that I captured when the couple shared a hilarious moment.

Do click on it and view it in a higher resolution. Its worth it.

I caught you red Handed!

FOOTNOTE: She seems to be joyfully saying, "There! I caught you in the act!"

                       I captured her while traveling in train. The window seat  ride is such a thrill.

LIGHT SOURCE: Natural light flooding from the window. 

The MYSTIC Rose.

LIGHT CONDITIONS: Natural light.

Love at first sight

LOVE- The axis on which the world rotates.

the ULTIMATE Truth

I lust the idol. 

I worship his purpose.

I fear his destruction.

FOOTNOTE: I wish you all a belated MAHA-SHIVARATHRI. (It was on 20th Febraury)

KALAGHODA FESTIVAL 2012- part 2

LOCATION: MUMBAI. MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

DAY OF VISIT: 09.02.2012, 6.00 PM-10.00 PM

After PART 1 series that covered the art installations, this series shall speak about the performances and the way people interact with the space and other people that I found very interesting and peculiar.

  

 

Valentine's day is around the corner (to be precise, in 3 days) and this lovely couple seemed to celebrate it already.

KALAGHODA FESTIVAL 2012- part 1

LOCATION: MUMBAI. MAHARASHTRA, INDIA

DAY OF VISIT: 09.02.2012, 6.00 PM-10.00 PM

In my 7 years of life in Mumbai, never have I made it to the most celebrated festival of the city KALAGHODA FESTIVAL until the 9th of this month. KALAGHODA FESTIVAL is so called because its held in the place called KALAGHODA ( literally translates to a 'black horse'), which got its name because it housed the majestic black horses during the British rule in India. The festival celebrates the bustling 'Art and Culture' of Mumbai in a very lavish and extravagant way for 2 weeks every year. With my days packed with internship and an eternal struggle with my thesis, I never thought I would get to attend the festival. Somehow, destiny stepped in and stimulated the 'spontaneous' avatar in me which I had put to sleep for a while. I 'informed' my mom that I would be at the festival for at least a few hours and make the most of it. before she could react with open mouth and a fierce frown, I picked up my equipments and rushed out my home. 

I strongly believe that I could have clicked more 'candids' and 'events'. But as time was a constraint, these are he few significant captures I managed. As the title reads, this 'part 1' which is about the installations there. I shall very soon publish the 2nd part too.

A maze was formed with the use of disposed plastic water bottles as the partition.

A conceptual tensile roof was created which attracted a large number of people for its flexible and abstract nature. I clicked this in order to show how much it has an impact on the 'skyline' of the place.

LEFT: An installation promoting 'NO SMOKING' cause.
RIGHT: Disposed plastic bottles were again used in a different way as mini chandeliers hung from the banyan trees.

Handmade puppets and a few other dolls appeared to be straight from the 'Harappan civilisation'.

these adorable birds are made out of disposed aerated plastic packets. Most of them had 'lays' and other popular chips production companies' names on them.

This installation needs to be taken very seriously by Mumbai. As its evident here, it promotes anti-noise pollution.

This is an attempt to manifest the famous 'cutting chai' (half glass of tea is served in this very glass) culture of Mumbai.