Some of the Best Indian shots

This is a section of digital colour images from my Indian Visit that almost started a year ago now.

To see some of my Black and White images click here

I spent two months working in one of India’s most basic orphanage in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. There was no running water and at least 14 hours without power everyday, millions of flies that came during the day and when you slept buzzed though your ears, nose and mouth.

The images in this portfolio are of Indian children; most are of the orphans we lived with, showing the undiminished lives of youth, with nothing, yet a clear degree of contentment. This comes from an important lesson, life’s vital needs of friendships, food, sleep and faith in God. For them, its life without the material clutter of the Western world, basic but happy. They are the life-blood for the next vibrant generation and India’s pioneers striving to grow out of poverty.

2 Days till Christmas!

They were all sat outside the main building illuminated only by a few Christmas stars, their faces shining with happiness as they saw some visitors, it was a long way from the main road and overlooked by some local mountains. This leprousy centre cares for 40 families affected by the disease here and they have been provided houses by the government but now receive little help…only 1,000 rupees a month which is around £13. It is a good set up though as the families are able to look after their family member affected by this illness. Over half of the people were Christians and we talked about the meaning of Christmas and sang a few songs beneath a tin roof and illuminated coloured stars. We asked if there was anything they needed and they asked if it was okay if we bought them some food toward their Christmas meal which we did along with soap and oil.

It is now drawing near to Christmas and there has been much excitement in the orphanage as a kind sponsor bought clothes and presents for all the children. We have also attended a few functions, one was at a five star hotel in Coimbatore, the children took it in turns to dance, sing and be entertained by the hotel and we treated to a luxurious meal of chicken biryiani and ice-cream. Tomorrow all the children have leave and we are hiring a bus to take them all out to a famous place in the city for a nice meal, this is to be followed to a trip the park or swimming pool, yet to be decided. It will be a typically Indian last minute decision!

The children’s faces were in great fear as the stairs moved towards the sky in the shopping Centre, they had never seen moving stairs and it was one great leap for an Indian child to board this magic staircase. We had to give some of the 7 orphans we took on this trip a friendly nudge onto the escalator, it took a little while before they realized that the steps appeared too as they walked into the steps to start with by the fifth floor they were pros! It was very funny to witness their first escalator experience! KFC was the next stop and lastly dodgems which proved hilarious so with shining faces they returned sleepy and satisfied. We also went to bed happy after a successful mini trip with 7 of the orphans.

A trip to the zoo

The bus speeds along the dust road towards the orphanage building leaving a dust cloud behind it. All the children with beaming faces run to get the best seat next to the diver which ends up not just being one seat but 5 seats as they squish into the front. This was a small trip we organized for 30 of the smaller children many of the older children have exams at this time of year so on the 15th we took them to the local zoo, gardens and park. Ice cream was also a highlight of the day, but for one boy who ate his ice cream and then went round on the roundabout so fast that his stomach must have been still rotating when the ice cream reappeared over the fence!

We also had a day trip to the most southern point of India this past week we took the eldest orphan with us who is 19, he had never seen the sea before so it was amazing to see him experience his first sight of the ocean. Where we were in Kanyakamuri the Indian Ocean, Arabic Ocean and Bay of Bengal all meet so it’s not a bad spot to see your first bit of sea! We then went to take a ferry ride to some historic temple…it’s always a bit disconcerting when you board a ferry and have to wear your life jacket ‘just in case’!

Work on the orphanage is progressing well the beams now connecting the pillars are now built and the store building is completed. Each pillar is now being added to with more metal. Most of the expenses are being supported by generous people from the West. Some of the materials has also been kindly sponsored by local companies who wish to help with the construction.

As it is the lead up to Christmas if the children have any families then they are visiting them now. We met one child’s mother while she was working in a supermarket and we had to promise to bring her 2 daughters next time. We obtained permission and took her two daughters, when she saw us she left the checkout and bought enough biscuits to fill a whale for them to take back. She spent some time with them and as we left there were tear streaming down her face, this lady has to work 6 days a week from 9am to 9pm to live in a women hostel and cant support her children.

One recent event was some carol singers, they had contacted the orphanage to say that they would arrive at 10am to sing to the children, finally at 1am in the morning they arrive all the children forced themselves awake to get only a few carols and a prayer before they made an exit. I sometimes wonder how the children are so awake/can function as many of the older ones study until the early hours of the morning before getting up at 5 or 6am. 3 hours sleep per night seems to be the price you pay in India for a good education and an escape from poverty.

These photos were taken at a school we recently went to.

A welcome to Stawell

We travelled out to the farm along one of the many dusty brown roads with a cloud of dust rising behind the faithful beaten up red truck. Farmer Ken with his old cap, mud weathered hands, says to me in an Australian Drawl as he hits the gas pedal in his rustic oz boots, ‘so hows it going Sam’; ‘just awesome this is the life’ I say.

The first day I got out the car near the high street, or as they call it the city Centre. Feels a bit like a ghost town as you see about 10 people as you walk down the main street, they all greet you like they have known you for years. The town of around 6,000 people started in the 1800s with the opening of a gold mine after around 150 years this mine is now due to close next year. On the first day I walked down to the train station a very large building and there were a few waiting people for what must have been the only train of the day. Time just seems to stand still. Everything is very quite the odd car passes by, for a brief time everyday the town is returned to time when the horn of the train is heard coming through and then returns to a timeless, sleepy, outback town! It is also woken up every morning with a earth shaking tremor from the daily explosion down in the gold mine.

Stawell is on the flat plain between the Grampian Mountains and the Pyrenese Ranges. Recently we climbed the Elephants hide which is a smooth, steep sided mountain and climbed to the top, it was worth it for the view. Last few weeks has the feeling of being at the zoo or wildlife park, not just because of the local people but because of the coloured parrots that wizz infront of you. Lizards crawl from rock to rock and even in the locals gardens. Last night I had a glimps of a tarantula sitting nicely on the ceiling.

One night was Kangeroo shooting out on the farm this experience is very different to any I have had before. Standing up on the back of a 4×4 as they call them a ute, with a gun and spotlight and as you drive across the paddocks scanning the hill line for any life or eyes. They look the most stupid animal jumping around the place, but they eat so much crop. There are over 100 in the hills just behind the farm, you can find them up to 7ft. So we stop the car, aim and BANG and another one hits the dust.!

Bill who is one of Kens sons was paying some bills off the other day and one was to his boss and the boss (known as reptile) reminds me of a ‘cowboy’ and ‘hippy’ shaken up inside a tin of noodles.

So in his words to you, ‘You having a ball?’ followed by ‘well gota keep rocking’ as he disappears down the road in a forklift truck with his wispy long hair wafting behind him with rapid acceleration.