Boys, temple, puddle, a photo from Tamil Nadu, South

Photographer's Note

There's not much to say about this. It's from Mahabalipuram in Tamil Nadu state, southern India, in October 1987. A group of school boys are playing among the puddles created by one of the daily heavy showers of the northeast monsoon. They were probably just enjoying a break between classes. I saw them outside a wall surrounding one of the many temple compounds of this very small town.

The weeks I spent along the Indian east coast in the autumn of 1987 were characterized by the monsoon, with one or several rather heavy showers every day. But they didn't really disturb me much. A few times I got completely drenched when I couldn't find shelter in time, and one evening in Mahabalipuram I noted in my diary that I had to wade through water up to my ancles when going back to my hotel after dinner. But that was very minor trouble. I think the southwest monsoon covering most of the country during the summer is much worse, and sometimes causes a lot of destruction.

An alternative, vertical photo is in the WS. Both photos were scanned from Kodachrome slides.

Fis2, ikeharel, Royaldevon, pierrefonds, jhm, ktanska, adramad, ChrisJ, COSTANTINO, PaulVDV, jean113, worldcitizen has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Fis2 (156736) 2021-02-03 0:38

Witaj Gert my neigbour today!
Managed to :)
Another interesting set of photos.
Interesting place, nice scene.
I like this picture from daily life.
Excellent reportage work.
Good morning.
Krzysztof

ikeharel (106381) 2021-02-03 2:24

Local boy's playground, Gert, they got together as some of them chatting and other's play with the puddle.
Part of the temple wall shows the depicted sculptures, good choice to "cut" the frame just above the wall.
Good afternoon,
Ike

everlasting (18002) 2021-02-03 3:36

another timeless image. Boys have fun with this wonderful temple as backdrop

Royaldevon (76708) 2021-02-03 3:49

Hello Gert,

I smiled when I saw this, for who has ever taken children near water and not seen the effect it has upon them!
Water is like a magnet!
There never seems to be a thought towards the consequences of splashing in the water: wet clothes, mud splatters! But, why should there be, for this is just such good fun!
I can see that they hold the temple, with its sculptures, in high regard!!!!

Have a good day,
Bev :-)
Has the snow remained for you? Ours has all gone!

Silvio1953 (206997) 2021-02-03 4:03

Ciao Gert, nice scene with a lot of children, beautiful reflections of fantastic temple in the puddle, excellent clarity, splendid light and wonderful colors, very well done, my friend, ciao Silvio

pierrefonds (104458) 2021-02-03 4:37

Hi Gert,

You have captured well the action of the children. The point of view is showing the details of the temple. The light is enhancing the colors. Have a nice day.

Pierre

lousat (130599) 2021-02-03 5:34

Hi Gert,I don't dare to imagine how the boys were reduced when they returned to school, after playing in the puddles ... hehe .... 2 beautiful photos of good quality, during this light monsoon and not devastating, but certainly a bit boring for travelers . Have a nice evening and thanks,Luciano

lucasgalodoido (27084) 2021-02-03 5:49

Olá Gert,
bem interessante mesmo essa imagem, típica da Índia, mostrando sua verdadeira essência. Nitidez fantástica.
Parabéns e Abraço,
Lucas

jhm (203975) 2021-02-03 5:59

Hello Gert,

School boys, but today maybe have self children's of the age!
I look always with great attention to your old pictures, certainly with the boy playing in puddle.
Sharp and clear photographed.
Excellent composition, and soft of colours.
Very well done, TFS.

Best regards,
John.

pajaran (103677) 2021-02-03 6:07

Pozdrav.
lepo mesto, stara arhitektura i deca, dobro pokazano sa lepim bojama, kontrastom i dobrim tekstom.
Dobar rad skeniranjem slajda i lepom fotografijom u
radionici.
Deca uzivaju u igri.
Lepa fotografija i uhvaceni trenutak.
Zelim vam lepo popodne, sve najbolje.
Paja.

jmdias (103906) 2021-02-03 9:20

gert

when I had the same age of these boys I loved to "surf" in the red mud in front the store of my father, it was slippery as a giant soap surface and one of the funny of the workers of the store was to watch the adults falling in the red mud.
nice flagrant with many boys having fun with nothing, as I had when I was a boy.

take care

jorge

ktanska (40499) 2021-02-03 10:27

Hej Gert,
Yes, they must be at school, as all have similar clothes. It is fun to see them in so many different postures. The one splashing water catches attention. Sculpted animals on the wall look nice too.
Kari

adramad (67600) 2021-02-03 11:00

Hi Gert.
A very vital photo with this good group of kids playing in the temple, they all seem to have very similar ages and are very thin and agile, for them it is something that has always been there and they do not give them any special value.
Point of view, sharpness, lightness, color and the chosen composition are excellent.
A very beautiful photo. I like.
You have a good day.
Best regards.
Luis.

Tue (83018) 2021-02-03 11:22

Hej Gert,
Du fangede de mange drenge i hvidt meget godt mens de legede i regnpytterne, hvilket nok er et leg som er det samme verden over. De fleste sidder dog foran tempelskulpturer og ser på de andre. De kan måske ikke lide at blive lidt mudret eller også er de bange for at blive straffet når deres hvide skjorte bliver snavset.
Lars

GyurMaster (21755) 2021-02-03 11:32

Dear Gert,

This time I have to disagree with you about the photo pick. I like the Ws better maybe because of the interaction among the photographer and the boys, maybe because of the white shirts seems to be arranged as a pyramid.

Anyhow, I add it as favourite.

Best Wishes,
Gy.

ChrisJ (161132) 2021-02-03 16:20

Hello Gert,

In Central & East Java I quite often came across school study groups visiting old Indian style temples. Of course, now Bali is the only remnant in Indonesia. This group of boys playing in the mud animates the scene. It does indeed look like they are awaiting directions form their teacher. Tfs!

ifege (33587) 2021-02-03 20:04

Hi Gert
Like kids everywhere - water is always very tempting. A good pair of photos from you endless archives.
cheers
Ian

COSTANTINO (104999) 2021-02-03 22:27

hello dear Gert and have a nice day
Looking at the young boys down there
many thoughts come into my mind...
but I keep them for myself personally....
...a group of school boys playing
among the puddles.....
regards
costantino

PaulVDV (55531) 2021-02-04 2:04

Hello Gert,
The water and mud do not disturb these boys in their game.
I have a little preference for the picture in the vertical format. It shows almost the same scene but I have the impression the bas-reliefs are a little bit better expressed.
The surprised face of the boy in the front is also a nice bonus.
I've also heard very bad stories about the southwestern monsoon. When I was in Kerala during our winter a few years ago, I could still see the results of entire mountain slopes coming down during the previous monsoon season and taking everything with them.
In July, 1995 I was in Udaipur and my hotel was located at the deepest point of a street with a steep slope. After the downpour at the end of the afternoon, the only option was to wade through the water to the entrance door.
The water was knee high, but the most nasty thing I found was the dead rat that floated there ...
Best regards, Paul

emka (153354) 2021-02-05 0:02

Hello Gert, Nice scene and this time the colours are natural. I like it when school children have kinds of uniforms. It can be just a white shirt and blue shorts. They look so neat. And in India, the girls have often beautiful dresses. Wonderful sculpture. Interesting blue sign in the Tamil language. I have never tried to learn any of the Indian languages, I could only recognize some scripts.
Hav a nice weekend

Malgo

jean113 (22561) 2021-02-06 10:12

Hello Gert, imagine having this temple as your background as you play with your friends!
Barefoot, the boys are not worried about the large puddles.
It is a lovely unrehearsed and spontaneous shot.
The boys are totally natural, unaware of you with your camera.
Kind regards, Jean.

worldcitizen (14458) 2021-02-13 14:33

Hello Gert,
This is a nice daily life shot. I like the combination of architecture and activity. The boys look happy playing with their friends. I wonder, where are their shoes?! Take care...

kasianowak (15980) 2021-02-21 5:51

I like the school uniforms, the pattern of white shirts makes the photo special. So does the juxtaposition of young boys and the centuries-old architecture.
I think people miss something special by travelling only in the "good weather" seasons. I really enjoyed foggy mornings in Varanasi in January last year, even though I was told that I missed spectacular sunrises of the late summer/autumn. Most importantly, you are more likely not to be surrounded by big groups of tourists if you travel during monsoon. :-)
Have a nice Sunday evening.
Kasia