Portrait Photography

Oh, what a blessing it is to meet so many people and capture their  entrancing faces, windows to beautiful souls carrying millions of worlds within them.

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Chinnathambi Anna, a very influential man at the Munnar town auto stand. However, all I could focus on was that "powerful" side profile.

Chinnathambi Anna, a very influential man at the Munnar town…

I left Munnar the happiest I've ever been in my life and Perumalamma is one of the reasons. "My dad married my mom in Tirunelveli and brought her to Munnar. And now, I married off my daughter and I have a grandchild also. Years went by so fast", she said. Perumalamma is currently working as a cook in the homestay I was staying in. She has been working in the same house since even before it was a homestay. "I used to work in a tea estate but because of my high blood pressure, I had to quit that job. I later came to this house and worked for the lawyer couple who are the owners, and now they've leased it to the owner of the homestay." As Perumalamma went on to talk more about her family, about the town, about people and about life, I found it hard to concentrate on the delicious Appam she had made for me, for ever words were even more fulfilling. Perumalamma's Puttu and Kadala Curry was just like the conversations with her – you wouldn't stop with just one serving. You'd want more. Being camera-shy, Perumalamma's wide grin is something only the homestay guests could witness."The salary may not be sufficient, but I can work with freedom here. There isn't anyone to boss me around when I'm working", she said. Her sorrows might be too sensitive and personal for me to share here. I'd surely miss my Munnar breakfasts from the house of Perumalamma. She's so graceful and kind that she doesn't realise how kind she is. "27 years ago, when I converted to Christianity, they named me Annai Teresa (Mother Teresa), but I don't think I deserve that name. She's so compassionate and kind to everyone. Nobody can be like that". I don't know if Perumalamma is a Mother Teresa. And I've never met Mother Teresa. But Perumalamma is as kind an individual as I'd ever meet.

I left Munnar the happiest I've ever been in my…

If anyone staying in the hotels/homestays in Devikulam wants to "partaay", their go to place seems to be Samuel Anna's shop, which is actually a modified truck parked on the side of a street. No, he doesn't organise any parties. But, for example, when a certain someone from my homestay wanted to buy alcohol, Samuel Anna arranged and sent an auto to get him/her some Old Monk. He doesn't have to do it. He doesn't get anything out of it. Simple things. But what I truly enjoyed were the conversations we had and how comfortable he made the guests feel. My early mornings used to start with a conversation with Samuel Anna, as his shop was closest to the intersection from where I had to catch a jeep to go to Munnar Town.

If anyone staying in the hotels/homestays in Devikulam wants to…

Devikulam knows Polos Chetta, who runs "Anju's hotel", for his tasty beef curry, kadala curry and for his radiating smile that'd make your evenings shine brighter even as thick fog begins to set in December's late evening Munnar. Chetta used to add an extra appam or a few more scoops of curry, whenever I went to his hotel. Even if the taste of his curry wanders away from my memory, his warm, friendly smile would always stay with me to remind me of my munnar evenings.

Devikulam knows Polos Chetta, who runs "Anju's hotel", for his…

Rajiv Chetta owns "Traffic Jam" Hotel in Devikulam. Since Polos Chetta's "Anju's" has only limited varieties of dishes, the only other stop for some variety is Traffic Jam. Rajiv Chetta's portrait reminds me of so many of my dinners. Even though lack of customers and lack of employees were a grim sign, that hasn't deterred Rajiv Chetta in working harder. Again, another hotel which is well-known locally for its the beef curry. What's up with Munnar and Beef?

Rajiv Chetta owns "Traffic Jam" Hotel in Devikulam. Since Polos…

I remember how the conversation started with Thomas Anna. "Putham Pudhu Kaalai" was playing on the radio and I had forgotten the name of the movie it was from (Alaigal Oivadhillai. I forgot probably because I was too away from 'alaigal'). I tried Googling it, forgetting the fact that you don't get internet in Devikulam. Oh, but how could I forget the name of the movie? Thomas Anna and his wife helped me out. "This generation knows this song only because of that Vijay Sethupathi - Trisha movie. Those days, it used to be very famous"

I remember how the conversation started with Thomas Anna. "Putham…

Mary's fight here is something I would have never believed that someone living in Munnar would have had to face. Her fight is for water. Munnar has either a creek or a canal running parallel in almost all major streets. There's a canal even next to Mary's house, but the water, apparently, is unfit to drink. "First they gave us this land to build houses, and later the corporation started to dump garbage on these hills. So, as this creek passes through the garbage dump, it carries all those garbage sewage with it and hence it is very contaminated. Residents here suffer from so many diseases due to consuming this water"

Mary's fight here is something I would have never believed…

Virtual Photoshoot of Sri

Virtual Photoshoot of Sri

Virtual Photoshoot of Kanika

Virtual Photoshoot of Kanika

Virtual Photoshoot of Aarthi

Virtual Photoshoot of Aarthi

Virtual Photoshoot of Ashwani

Virtual Photoshoot of Ashwani

Portrait of Balakumaran, an auto driver who braced through turbulent times with an iron fist

Portrait of Balakumaran, an auto driver who braced through turbulent…

Portrait of Balakumaran, an auto driver who braced through turbulent times with an iron fist

Portrait of Balakumaran, an auto driver who braced through turbulent…

Portrait of a mechanic at work

Portrait of a mechanic at work

The camera shy half-smile and the direct gaze

The camera shy half-smile and the direct gaze

A Aravind Akash look-alike who is also in the film industry

A Aravind Akash look-alike who is also in the film…

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