Shooting - Patrick French

These images taken by me during an interview with Patrick French in Bangalore at the launch of his latest book on 'The World Is What It Is' a biography on Sir V.S. Naipaul, a Nobel Prize winner in Literature in 2001 and knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1990.
Anil Nair the Senior Editor with the Bangalore Mirror and me had gone for the interview Patrick French at The Park Hotel where he was staying on his two day trip. The moment we reached the hotel he was already being interviewed by another newspaper correspondent, so we waited for another 10 minutes and then had the chance to start our interview.
Partick French like most Britishers never liked to look at the camera and that proved as a plus point for me since I was able to get good portraits of him. What I liked about Patrick French is that he was very natural in behavior and calm in his approach to answer questions fired at him by Anil Nair.

Noted biographer Patrick French in an exclusive interview with Bangalore Mirror during the launch of his new book, 'The World Is What It Is' in Bangalore on May 4, 2008. The book is a biography on Sir V.S. Naipaul, a Nobel Prize winner in Literature in 2001 and knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1990.

British Actress Nicky Bingham Teaches art of Acting to Children

These photos were shot during a children’s programme at the Bal Bhavan children park in Bangalore. When I visited that event thinking that it will be another painting or craft making for children, to my surprise I saw this British actress and teacher Nicky Bingham imparting the art of acting to some 150 odd children all huddled up with full attention to every word and action she was making. The parents of these were standing in the backdrop to also learn some acting lessons.

Nicky also told these children as to how her long journey in acting started and what changed her course to also impart these finer techniques of natural acting.
Nicky told the attentive children that “When I was a child, I always knew that acting was in my blood. Some people tried to deter me because of its unstable nature but as soon as I went to drama school at 21, I knew I had found my home,” and added that when she chose to travel with a touring theatre company to South America, little did she know this was a decision that was going to change her life.
“I moved to Argentina for a year, we were based in Buenos Aires and touring the surrounding countries. When the tour finished, I stayed on for a couple of months and was offered a permanent job working in the acting field. I was actually getting more work in Argentina than I was in London,” she told the crowd who started to cheer her. Nicky Bingham style of acting and teaching is unique, she says that the audience should first understand what you as an actor is trying to convey through your words and action as this is gauged by them, once you have them in your sway then you have to build that tempo so that they end up not only watching your performance but remember it for a long period of their life.

Nicky also told them that what one as to do as an actor and as a teacher in acting. “When you’re in a play you are part of a team and you only have your character to think about. There are challenges, you constantly have to think of other people and work with others.
But as a teacher “you are on your own, you are responsible for everything: for all the characters, the narrative and for not missing out the crucial events. It’s hard because I’m responsible for the whole audience,” she told the children who by then had already gone through some real story telling by her. One may not be surprised I they get to see some of these students hitting the acting scene shortly with the lessons learnt from Nicky Bingham and give their senior actors a run for their money.

Locks Are Key To Health Here

This story below which was published in the Bangalore Mirror edition dated March 6, 2008 came about after my wife who read the Tamil newspapers said that such a thing happens even today in a city which as shunned religious beliefs and have taken up to god man’s who preach what our grandparents had once told all of us during our favorite bed time stories. So I quickly went to the Bowring hospital and spend some time and learned that how faith can turn one’s life from the almost gone to a win-win situation.
I then discussed this story with my editors and they gave a few points which I will have to look into and than develop the story. What you get to see down is a ground work of more than 3 days since Pushparaj was away from Bangalore the first three days. And another thing that changed my presupposition of the English dailies being the best to the local lingual dailies giving more apt and comprehensible news than the fluff and bluff which the English dailies churn out day in and day out.

Cutting up bodies in the post-mortem department and running a temple in the vicinity are all in a day’s work for 54-year-old Pushparaj, a fourth-generation employee of Bowring Hospital in Shivajinagar. According to him, the idols of Muneeshwara and Katteri-amma were found at the hospital site in the 1880s by his great-grandfather Muniyappa, and the family has tended to the temple built to house the idols ever since.

Pushparaj near his family run temple inside the Bowring hospital (left), and of the main building which houses the OPD near the main entrance of the hopistal (right).

The temple’s renown is such that people from all walks of life, including doctors, judges, students and relatives of patients, offer prayers here. Most of the devotees claim their prayers have been answered.
According to Pushparaj, his great-grandfather Muniyappa, a dafedar at the hospital during British rule, found the idols while they were digging the site for the construction of the first hospital building in 1882. The British did not want idols kept inside the premises, but seeing the resentment of their Hindu employees, allowed the shrine to come up. “Later, the temple had to be shifted as another building was coming up, and was relocated near the main gate of the hospital, said Pushparaj.

Pushparaj stands outside the building where the idols were found (left) and next to the mortuary where he presently works by cutting the bodies (right).

Given the nature of his work in the post mortem department, Pushparaj performs the pooja in the temple early in the morning while his wife Mahadevi performs the evening pooja. Mahadevi said that after them, their son Babu will continue the family tradition of running the temple.
Sister Selvi, a nurse at the hospital, said she offers a prayer every morning for the welfare of the patients under her care. Her sentiment was echoed by fellow-nurses Prabha and Shanta.
Two regulars at the temple for more than 25 years are city residents Kitty and Prakash. Pushparaj said that every Friday, however busy they are, they come and pay their respects to the deities housed in the shrine.

A doctor, who did not want his name mentioned, said that for more than 30 years, ever since his college day, has been a regular at the temple and all his prayers have been answered. A unique aspect of the temple is that visitors to the hospital attach a lock to the gates of the temple, asking for the quick recovery of their relatives. Sudha, whose daughter was admitted to Bowring for her delivery, offered a lock and said her prayers for a normal delivery were answered.
Latha, the mother of an accident victim who was brought to Bowring in bad shape a month ago, also offered a lock to the temple. She said that within two days, her prayers were answered and her young son is now recovering well, much to the surprise of the doctors.

Whether it works miracles or not, what is in-disputable is that this little shrine has been a source of solace down the years for thousands of visitors while their near and dear ones recover in the wards of the hospital.

The Village which Defied Democracy

When the whole world stands up to salute the Democrat processes of India, this little village on the outskirts of the silicon city of Bangalore defied this very same process and also wounded it with a nail right through the heart of Democracy.
Ramagondanahalli 16 kilometers away from the center of the garden city of Bangalore and 10 kilometers away from the electronic city (Silicon City) stayed away from exercising their franchise except for one black sheep in the whole of the village.
Though many newspapers in the city of Bangalore and the TV crews missed the non voting defiance by the villagers against their farm land grab by the Bangalore Development Authority, the DNA Bangalore edition had a small single column in their 24th April, 2009. Since the next day was Saturday and I had got myself into a relax mode, did nor bother nor take any pain to follow it up. But on Sunday, I was hell bend on going to the village to speak to the people who had defied Democracy.
When I reached Ramagondanahalli along with Preetha S Kumar (one of the few present day journalists who likes to go on the field), while most others would rather than sit in the office and collect them on the phone or worse still were some of them make up quotes with fabricated names, may god bless them.
The serene surrounding of the village was a pleasure to see and then talking to the residents who defied to vote and to add insult to injury they also told us that how they shooed away the visiting candidates of the Bangalore North constituency.
So talking to them became very easy as they obliged us and the village elders took us around and allowed us to cross question anyone at will in their village as to why they did not go to vote.
Most of the villager’s young and old whom we spoke to had one answer with them and that was the Bangalore Development Authority was acquiring their farming land in the name of development and compensating them with 40 percent of the authentic value of their land. This they say with a chorus ‘was robbing them of their livelihood and also undermining them as illiterates.’ So we decided to teach the whole Indian political system a lesson, which if this system is rightfully put to use will be – By the people, for the people and of the people – while this no longer exists. The motto now by the present political system is – By the people, for my family and of my family - one need not take a guess at what I am trying to convey.
There was revolution in Ramagondanahalli. The villagers want their land back from the BDA. As DNA reported, the protest came to a head in Thursday’s poll. The entire village, barring one resident, just refused to cast their ballots. Below are some of the reactions from the angry village on Sunday, three days after the polls, and found its residents fuming and remorseless.
Below are the pictures taken by me along with the angry quotes of the villagers against the BDA acquiring their homes as well as their farming land for the every land hungry citizens of the silicon city.

Dreams to be razed: Some of the portions of the Ramagondanahalli village which houses 1300 odd residents with some of them who have constructed their dream homes will be razed to the ground by the ever growing city of Bangalore. These farming lands along with their homes will be shortly converted into Bangalore Development Authority (BDA) plots, for the ever demanding land hungry citizens of the silicon valley.

Elders Speak: Lakshmamma, 90, right, with her daughter-in-law Ratnamma, 30. She says she would definitely have voted, had the BDA reversed its decision (left), as Veerappa, 85, with wife Sakamma, 70, and daughter, 32, are likely to lose their livelihood if the BDA acquires their half-acre farmland. (right)

Farmers Say: Munai Gowda, 26, works on his only farm which BDA is acquiring (left) as V Narayanappa, 53, has five acres of arable land. He is not happy with BDA’s suggestion that he can retain 40 per cent of his land. (right)

Tough Talk: N Srinivasaiyya, 53, has a large family, with 35 dependants. He is an arecanut farmer and the loss of land will spell doom for his family, (left) Sokkamma, 84, is furious at BDA’s attempt to acquire her land. “Can you tell us what will we eat? Mud perhaps?” she yells. (right)

Youth Anger:Harshita, 18, seen above with her family, decided to forgo the opportunity to vote for the first time, in solidarity with the rest of the village (left), Sreenivas, 44, Anusuyamma, 32, and Mavitha S, 25, show their voters’ identification cards, which, of course, they didn’t use.(right)

Woman Power: Vyankantamma, 45, with her 25, year old daughter Gangamma have 10 quintals of land with a few cows and a small house which they will lose to the BDA land grab (left), as Shanthamma, 30, owns half an acre of land. She stares at a bleak future as the BDA remains steadfast in its decision to acquire land. (right)

Family Fury: Vajramani, 50, along with his mother Siddhamma, 74 and wife Padma, 45 who own 32 quintals of land say that they will have to eat mud if the BDA takes away their land and home (left), as Ramaswamy, right, 50, with wife Mahalakshmi, 38, and daughter Mamta, 18. They do not regret their decision to abstain from voting. (right)

M Shyamanna, 65 who has two wives and four daughters yet to be married says that the political system in this country stinks from head to toe, and adds that he can not sell his 5 acre land because of the BDA litigations against their village, (left) as N Muniraju, 45 who aslo owns 5 acres along with his 4 other brothers and with a joint family strength of 25 members, he said that the BDA is paying us 40 percent of the actual value of the land and where do they expect our 25 members to sleep and cook their daily meal.

The villagers say that they will boycott all future elections and not let any candidate in their village ever if the BDA does not stall the land acquisition. “Let the BDA cancel the acquisition first, then we'll think of something else. Until then, there is no question of voting even next year or even during the upcoming councilor polls” said the whole village in one voice.
If this happens it will put democracy to back in time to rethink where our elected democrats will be worried about, since if this issue is allowed to boil many such Ramagondanahalli's will be born in the world’s largest country which flaunts of a sovereign, socialist, secular and Democratic Republic in their constitution only on paper.

Sightless get new view of Sanchi Stupas

This story and picture of the then Leader of opposition of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickramasinghe and that of the Blind children of the Arushi were a double whammy for me and one can say just landed on my lap while I was a private visit to the Sanchi Stupa with my wife in November 2000. First their was a huge crowd surrounding the former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka and later I saw some blind children gathered around the board and trying to read what was written in Braille to their in-charge. My passion for photographing them started much to the annoyance of my wife. I still went ahead and started to speak to the children and to my surprise I landed a national level story for the underprivileged.
So after I went back to Bhopal and released the pictures of the Sri Lankan’s visit to the holy Sanchi Stupa and later asked my Editor if I could go ahead and write about the blind children’s involvement in putting up a board in Braille to help the other visually impaired visitors to this world heritage site in Madhya Pradesh. Below is the Story which on the front page of the Hindustan Times all India editions and the picture of the Sri Lankan leader which was used in the Bhopal Edition of the Hindustan Times.

RANIL WICKRAMASINGHE LEADER OF OPPOSITION IN THE SRI LANKAN PARLIAMENT GOES AROUND THE SANCHI STUPA BEFORE BEING BLESSED BY THE SACRED RELICS OF ARAHANS SARIPUTTA AND MOGGALLAN THE CLOSE DISCIPLES OF LORD BUDDHA AT SANCHI STUPA DURING HIS VISIT TO INDIA IN THE MONTH OF NOVEMBER 2000.


Sightless get new view of Sanchi Stupas

Even if Radheshyam Panwaria cannot savour the visual splendour of the Sanchi stupas, he can at least delve into its glorious past now. Courtesy a novel initiative by the Archaecological Survey of India (ASI), Bhopal Circle and an NGO Arushi, a brief on the world famous Buddhist monuments has been put up in Braille and a wheel chair provided at the site for the physically impaired.
Thousands of others afflicted from visual and other forms of physical disability can look forward to visiting this World Heritage monument built by King Ashoka.
There are also plans for putting up more Braille boards at six other archaeological sites through out Madhya Pradesh by the end of next year.
For Starters, this facility has created history in itself, as it if the first of it's kind in the country for the visually impaired where the incidence of partial and total visual disability is very high. This could well be a learning experience for both the governments at the State and the Center to set information boards in Braille at various other historical sites - starting maybe from the Taj Mahal in Agra?
Anil Mudgal, a volunteer of Arushi, mooted the concept. He was bombarded with questions every time he took blind students to Sanchi. "This time when these students were given these details in Braille, they were satisfied. They did not forget anything they had learned through the Braille and this is what provoked me to push this project through."
Dr Mishra said that he was aware of this facility, having seen it in Munich, Germany and at a Roman site, which he visited some years ago. "When the Arushi people approached me, I was thrilled and we went ahead with the project. I feel it will be a success."

Dr Mishra said that the ASI - Arushi endeavour was to put up Braille details and the wheelchair facility in world -famous sites like Khajuraho, Mandu and Bhimbetka. ASI and Arushi are also coming up with other useful projects like information on historical sites in the Braille book format and the audio-cassettes to help the physically challenged. Dr Mishra will be shortly requesting his fellow officers of other ASI zones to make such facilites for the disabled. He feels that it will not be a difficult task since the cost factor is minimal.
Radheshyam, who was seen checking for grammatical or spelling mistakes on the Braille board at Sanchi said that these efforts would "help people like us." Incidentally, he would also pit his chess skills against none other than Vishwanath Anand some time next month!

Thirsty doves quench his 'Soul'

This story which you read below was the first I wrote for the Bangalore Mirror Edition on June 23rd , 2007. The BM was launched on the 15th of June 2007 and since I liked writing soft human interest stories, I caught on this story during my early morning visit to Cubbon Park on June 22nd 2007 morning, only to see thousands of pigeons surrounding a man patiently pouring water into pots kept at various points of the High Court lawns facing the Vidhan Soudha. I got very curious and tried to get closer to talk to him only to scare the pigeons. So I first captured all the pictures I needed and waited for another half an hour or so, for the man could get free and was available to speak to me. Below is what transpired between him and me.

Many Bangaloreans love that morning walk through the serene environs of Cubbon Park. Those taking the route through the High Court road often see pigeons being fed grains and crushed corn by bird enthusiasts and morning walkers.
But if you spot hundreds of pigeons fluttering around one particular man, it's not because of 'something special' that he's feeding them. He's the man responsible for quenching their thirst. For 52 year old Shivalinge Gowda, this act of his is not just therapeutic, it's something he says has changed his life.
Gowda places little clay water bowls on the premises of the High Court lawns and fills them with water to feed the pigeons during his morning walk.
That he's surrounded by so many birds every time he walks there is proof that they are thirsty too. It all began three years ago, when Gowda - at that time an emotionally broken man - accidentally took a stroll through the High Court lawns and was surprised to see many people feeding the doves, but not quenching their thirst.

"Feeding is a good form of charity, but leaving them without water does not complete the circle of charity. I decided to take up the task, providing them with water. It makes me feel good that they don't feel thirsty," Gowda Says. Gowda's novel form of charity begins at 7:15 am every day and continues for over an hour. "I have bought a plastic pot and clay water bowls and personally carry water to feed these birds," he explained. This philanthropic work has brought its own rewards, said Gowda. "I don't know how, but I have regained my lost happiness and I have become stronger emotionally and mentally."