Yeh mera India - 6

Trunk call: Yes, we do have elephants. This scene of mother-child bonding was taken off the beaten path near the Nagarhole Wildlife Sanctuary, Karnataka.

Oasis: They say paani pilaana sawaab ka kaam hai. In the desert sands of Jaisalmer, Rajasthan, a thirst is quenched.


Stumped: This is in the middle of the Periyar Bird Sanctuary, but could be anywhere. To see the bare remains of a tree in the middle of the sea when there is foliage in the background is a rather humbling experience. Shorn of its identity, its faith in where it belongs remains intact. It also symbolises the common citizen who stands out despite having nothing.

Yeh mera India - 5

Drums: One of those impromptu celebrations in Gujarat for no particular reason at all. Is this not devotion to the everydayness of life?

Bare necessities: In a village off Bhuj in Kutchh (where ‘Lagaan’ was shot). These mud houses have rounded roofs to deflect the harsh sunlight and act as incubators on wintry nights. The drawings on the outer walls are usually of animals and birds and made with rice powder. Every home has some sort of embellishment.

The shadow of god: I liked both the colour and the faith contrast. A drab man had painted his little hut with the bright hues of a god he believed in. Did that god believe in him?