February 2016 – Musings of a Wandering Mind

February 29, 2016 —Categories: photos

Banganga Tank and Mumbai Skyscrapers

I was in Mumbai earlier this month, and it was the first time I photographed the city’s outdoors. Few places can offer such diversity to a street/outdoor photographer as Mumbai does, thanks to it’s sheer size and contrasts.

Although this is not my first visit to the city, this is the first time I noticed how tall do Mumbai’s buildings seem to rise, in whatever little space available. I have seen many images of Mumbai with skyscrapers looming in the background and had assumed that they exist in the photographs by choice (of the photographer’s composition). They seemed to fit well in those compositions. During this visit to Mumbai, I realized that if your image has Mumbai’s skies, it is very unlikely that there are no skyscrapers, no matter which part of the city it is!

February 25, 2016 —Categories: featured, kerala, Uncategorized

Theyyam of Kannur, North Kerala – Kandanar Kelan Theyyam

Theyyam is a form of ritual performance usually seen in the temples of North Kerala. While there are a few hundred different variety of Theyyams, nearly all of them have performers painted in rich colours and adoring elaborate costumes. As soon as the ritual begins, the performer or Theyyam enters a trans-like situation and is considered God. At the end of the performances, attending devotees seek blessings from the Theyyam and ask for solutions to their problems.

Some Theyyam performances can be fierce, involving the performer jumping across fire or even dancing with torches on the body. Kandanar Kelan Theyyam is one such Theyyam where the performer, helped by two assistants, jumps over the blaze. Here is a collection of images from a Kandanad Kelan Theyyam held in Kunnaru Village in Kannur district, Kerala.

A Theyyam artist jumps over the fire during Kandanar Kelan Theyyam. Click on the thumbnails below for more images from the Theyyam.