Caught In The Evening Sun
The glow of evening light on a festive stone chariot
Picture taken in Chennai
Madras Mix
The omnipresence of snacks;
in this case meat or vegetarian “cutlets”, puri, vegetarian samosas and meat samosas,
with a choice of spicy pickle accompaniments:
___________________________________________
Pictures taken by the roadside in Chennai
Beyond The Temple Walls, Part 4: Policing Duties
Posing or policing, a policeman’s lot is not a happy one:
There are times when I can be fooled into wondering if the sun has still not set on the British Empire…
_________________________________
Picture taken outside the Kapaleeshwarer Temple in Chennai
Beyond The Temple Walls, Part 3: Seeing The Pattern
A woman sketches a kolam pattern on the pavement outside her shop
_____________________________________
____________________________________
Picture taken outside the Kapaleeshwarer Temple, Chennai
Beyond The Temple Walls, Part 2: An Offering
A boy prepares temple offerings.
Devotees give fresh coconuts, fruits and flowers in lieu of sacrifice.
___________________________________
__________________________________
Picture taken outside the Kapaleeshwarer Temple, Chennai
Beyond The Temple Walls, Part 1: Who Will buy?
Just beyond the walls of any major temple an unofficial itinerant market invariably appears;
the Hindu equivalent of a Cathedral gift shop and tea-room.
__________________________________
_________________________________
Picture of a flute seller taken outside the Kapaleeshwarer Temple, Chennai
Related posts
Temple Moments Part 5: The Wishing Tree
In the temple grounds grows a “tree of wishes”.
The threads tied around its boughs represent the prayers of women hoping to find happiness through marriage.
The miniature cot suspended from its branch is a plea to be blessed with a child.
__________________________________
_________________________________
Picture taken in Kapaleeshwarer Temple, Chennai
The libretto to Dvořák’s Song to the Moon from Rusalka can be found here
Temple Moments Part 4: A Man Rejected
_____________________________________________
Picture taken in Kapaleeshwarer Temple, Chennai
Temple Moments Part 3: Red Gold And Blue
An azure canopy bathes all beneath it in a still pool of aquamarine;
a temple devotee passes by..
__________________________________________
Picture taken in Kapaleeshwarer Temple, Chennai
Related post
Temple Moments Part 2: Dreams And Visions
An old man dreams temple dreams, while his young neighbour sees iPhone visions.
___________________________________
Picture taken in Kapaleeshwarer Temple, Chennai
Related article
Temple Moments Part 1: Making An Entrance
Picture taken by the ancient gateway of Kapaleeshwarer Temple in Mylapore, Chennai
_______________________________________________
Up And Away!
Enough is enough.
Today we fly.
Not very far;
Just over 550 km (350 miles) across the southern tip of the Western Ghats, Deccan Plateau and Eastern Ghats.
From the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal, India’s opposite coast.
To Chennai, state capital of Tamil Nadu, and the Madras of former times.
A friend has an installation on show in the city.
And I need to get out of my house!
The weather forecast mentions more rain in Chennai.
Not to worry:
I must learn not to fret over that which I cannot control.
Picture of a puddled lane taken in Fort Cochin.
Neither Use Nor Ornament 