#incredible india
Tucked away in the middle of the dry lands of Tamil Nadu are the grand mansions of Chettinad. Built with Burmese teak wood, Italian marbles, and eggshell-whitened walls, the houses reek of grandeur and (disappearing) glory.
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The kids of Tamil Nadu. Vellagavi Village, India.
Photo taken at remote self sustained village near Kodai Kanal, South India. This village has no cars or electricity, or roads closest town is 3 hours walk. There are about 40 people living here, there is a small school that teaches 8 kids the Tamil dialect and also some basic english.
They grow there own food, and for extra money for sustaining the village they sell cotton, coffee and host trekkers. <3 India
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Growing up Indian
The first time I knew of a religion other than Islam and Hinduism was when I was 11. I used to go to summer camps every summer break to put my creative side to use.
“Are you a Hindu?” asked a girl from another.
“No.” she said
“Are you a Muslim then?”
“No.” she said again
“Oh then what are you?”
“…”
Something I tried to listen but couldn’t, or maybe never understood.
I went home the same day and asked my mother what could it have been, she told me that the girl could be a Christian, or a Sikh, a Buddhist, or a Parsi, or a Jew. That broadened my perspective of things a little bit. I grew up to find out that the human species follow different faiths, where all teach the same - love, respect and acceptance. Love towards all, respect towards all and acceptance of the existence and practice of other faiths.
I was never taught to discriminate. Neither on the basis of religion nor on caste, colour or creed. I was brought up secular. I had a normal childhood, wherein I studied in a classroom with all kinds of faiths. We’d share stories, homeworks and our lunchboxes - the food brought us closer on most occasions.
I have shared delicacies of Eid with my friends, shared gifts on Christmas, and watched fireworks on DussehraandDeepawali. I have been smeared with colours on Holi and danced around bonfire on LohriandBaisakhi. I have been to temples and mosques, gurdwaras and churches. I have tasted langar on the streets of my country. I have heard the pooja, and attended a mass, all while I knelt my knees in prayer on a Ja'namaz.
This is the country I grew up in, this is what being Indian has always meant to me. This is the fabric of my country and it’s being torn apart. I hope we find our way back to our roots - to being a secular nation. Our fight isn’t against each other - it’s against tyranny.
The government is by the people, of the people and for the people - and the government is forgetting it.
