What if a railway track runs through your house?

What initially drew me to this house for a photo session had more to do with its architecture than the people who inhabit it – this widowed lady and her 2 bachelor brothers in their late 80’s.

This mystic of a house is about 25 kms from Calicut city ( Kadalundi, Kerala, India ). The person who took me there perhaps mistook me for a journalist. As he elaborated on the story of how enterprising their ancestors would have been in constructing this mansion - more than 200 years ago. Spread on more than 6000 sq ft., it is complete with a dozen dark and dingy bedrooms (to keep them cool and cozy even in peek of summer you see), 3 huge kitchens, plenty of common areas and an inner courtyard. Here sunshine and monsoon pours in cheer and gloom through the year. However, the most useful part of the house was outside it. An outhouse that in itself was over 4000 sq ft in 2 floors - just for thousands of coconuts to dry in obscurity and for men and guests to sleep, equally lost. The prevailing matriarchal system ensured women pride of place at home and in society. Explaining why the stronger and elaborate main mansion was meant exclusively for the women of the house.

Within a few decades of its occupancy, British rulers decided to build the railway line connecting up to the entire stretch of southern peninsular – right across this house. Imagine your house run over by a railway track one fine morning! I wonder how this family swallowed the news. The shift was imminent. Once thought of as immovable property, the settlement found itself on the move. With surprising precision the entire household was uprooted and relocated to its current destiny. The main mansion, the outhouse, the massive barn and a cowshed that can accommodate 30 of them.

This climax left me curious with two thoughts.
- Wasn’t it ever indicated in the destiny of this house - according to the traditional Vaastu Sastra – that it will loose its home ground sooner than later?
- Traditional architecture had it in such a way that almost the entire house was meticulously chiseled out of dismantle-able wooden structures. What drove the architects of yore with such far sightedness to consider the recycle-ability while planning for buildings?

The cry for recycling, especially in building materials, has never been more relevant than today. Any architects among my readers?

Rahul was new to me. I was new to him too. In 30 seconds we were like old pals and went around the house. He, chasing some imaginary rabbits and me trying to capture him in some sunlight.

A little later he was upset from a domestic upsurge of emotions. Nevermind I said, and he was trying to forget it himself, it looks like! Sometime they understand you better than you yourself. Children, as they say, has absorbent minds. We as adults should make sure what's around to be absorbed.

I particularly love the early morning sunshine, blurring his vision mixed with tears. He is carefully clearing it all, by himself.

'Prez' went to London to study journalism and came home to work with Chennai's leading newspaper. Only to realised that being a journo had less to do with having any proverbial nose for news itself.

She was quick to realign herself in to the much more mindful and meaningful world as a Montessori teacher. Her faminine features highlighted in a drastically bolder silhoutte - is shrouded in mystery.

Precisely like the person she is...those who know her close enough will identify with this portrait too. As for others...you cant even take a wild guess.

Personally I rate this one as a 'correct' portriat of the real person.
Then you might ask me if I know the real person. The answer is in the imagery itself.

Meena looks straight out os 70's art house movies. In her case, not quite out of context either I must say.

Life at 'Shanthivanam', her home, has never been in a hurried pace. Wildgrass overflows the causeway to this abode of wildreness. It almost looks submerged like an island in an ocean of grass. Modern materialistic trappings rarely will find its way here. Matter of fact and meaningful, conviction rules her life. Poetry, music, occassional friends dropping by (including me), a wonderful father and a chatterbox 5 year old daughter occupies most of her time in any day. Rest f the time she appears to be quite lonely...and waiting for something, somebody, someday.

This image might looks so candid as if he is lost in his thoughts. In fact he is most aware of this picture being taken. Tell me why. He is looking into the preview screen and is clearly posing. Tell you how I know? The pretender is the image is me!

Yeah I had just woken up and the bedroom was filled with sunlight. I thought of attempting to shoot myself in the glory. Here you see me in the mirror and in my hand you see my Nikon.
I have resisted the temptation to crop out the table lamp shade refelcted in the mirror to hint that its a case of shooting into the mirror and therefore it is the photographer himself.

Now that the story is told the intrigue is lost huh? Well I'm sure this will inspire you to try this out yourself.

Once again its my self portrait. Very tricky shot though.

Here is how it happened. I was in Padmanabhapuram palace ( now a museum), near Trvivandrum . The yellowish stone is actually a pillar with scriptures in old malayalam script. Well you can hardly make out the scriptures. I was leaning my head against it and shot this from below, betweek the pillar and me. The result looks as if I'm bearing the burden on my head, funny!.

Having a farmhouse off the East Cost Road (ECR) on Chennai – Mahabalipuram route is no big deal these days. Every family worth their proverbial salt has one – or is coming up with one soon. Even I do own some property there. Rest of the Chenna-ites are ambitiously working towards it.

I had an appointment to visit the man in the picture on a sleepy Sunday afternoon, again in his farmhouse off ECR. As I drove past the huge wrought iron gates gaping out of a 12 ft granite wall I was confused. There was only a modest house hiding in think foliage. Paint flaking off and worse still no demarcated parking space. I found it more troublesome to avoid parking under any coconut tree.

Finally when I did get out only I noticed the vast stretch of land under the palm fringed sky. I was surrounded by coconut trees - thousands of them. I picked up my jaws from the floor and rushed inside. I clearly had the task of a chasing a fast receding sunlight.

Well it was a modest old fashioned farmhouse indeed. I was to profile the retired and settled couple. She, a doctor in her late sixties and he an engineer in his late seventies. Dusty wooden handicrafts stalked all over the house hinted the African connection. I was right. The couple had returned from 27 years of service in Mozambique. This property was bought 22 years ago - a sprawling 18 acres of sandy land sandwiched between ECR and the Bay of Bengal. I took permission to explore the house and surrounding for available sunlight for the photo session.

Discovered more 'n more artifacts and rugs piled up all over the unused corners – all with a stamp of African tribal art. Deciding to shoot outside the house was for want of some sunlight and I had made up my mind to highlight the presence of trees trees in his life – in Africa as well as in his expansive farmhouse and I deliberately layered him within the overlapping shadows on the wall of his house.

He is lost in a pensive mood – thinking about some answers digging deeper into his sojourn in the dark continent.

Vijay and Arun are identical twins and completely adorable. I just let them unwind with a huge dressing mirror. Thought it might just multiply the fun. It did indeed. I am so proud and happy about this picture that I have used it in my business card.

Call me on 9444916905 to capture such rare moments with your children and see the snowballing effect of fun.

Check out my portfolio here.

Hearing has become feeble for him. He is mostly lost in thoughts even when intensely looking at you. Understandably so, as he is only a few years away from a century. She was healthy at 82.

I wanted to break the POSED feel of the picture and suggested she talk to him about something. “Why would I talk to someone who can’t even hear me?” she was quick to retort in curt words. I swallowed mine.

Loneliness assumes a new meaning and dimension in twilight years I suppose. Maybe it looks scarier than it really feels. Maybe not!

View all images from this shoot here.