Avenue Road and KR Market lie adjacent to each other and are amongst the busiest places in Bangalore, India. Avenue Road hosts a variety of small industry businesses. The lanes lay plagued with numerous merchants, like vegetable sellers, flower sellers, daily used utensils etc. The road leads to KR Market which is the biggest flower market in Asia. The place is full of life. A mere stroll through the lanes would experience every human emotion imaginable. The images show some of the glimpses of the everyday life of these lane dwellers. Life is very hard for them, but they embrace it with gratitude and contentment. These are some of the moments we experience on the streets often, but we tend to ignore them in our monotony. This is my endeavour, to capture those moments, trying to expose those subtle nuances which actually show the beauty in what they do.
The daily market..
The image shows a glimpse of the daily morning market hustle. I wanted to take a shot that would speak of the atmosphere around this place. The number of people treading the lanes is huge, it gets really overwhelming to manage walking through the crowd. I knew, i had to stand on high grounds in order to get my shot. Finding the place was a bit of struggle, since the building is too old, and its sustenance is questionable. Hence, i had to think twice before climbing over any wall which seem to be a possibility. Finally, I could find a broken parapet, which had a satisfactory view for my frame.
The mid-day chat!
As the noon approaches, the activity recedes to a considerable extent. The scorching sun is intimidating especially in the summers. I have been visiting this place for more than a year now and have captured numerous images of the life around. The image shows the farmers, taking a breather, talking about their transactions for the day. I remember the first time, when i had pointed the camera at them, some smiled, some ridiculed. It was not a very enjoyable experience for me. I was even driven away at instances. They were reluctant, and wanted to understand, as to what was so beautiful about them being photographed. Gradually, after number of visits, i was accepted. This for me was an achievement. Its my firm belief that good photographs can only be made when one is given the opportunity, however, the creation of that opportunity can totally be devised by us.
The chicken seller!
I have been walking these lanes for a very long time now. The sudden appearance of interesting subjects in the narrow alleys of Avenue Road is no wonder. It was a Sunday morning at around 645 am. I had taken my turn to this alley, when suddenly this guy appeared in front of me. I had not even set up my camera. I generally shoot in manual with AUTO ISO on. Luckily i had the 50mm on, also the shutter speed was optimal. i didn't want to miss the shot, held the camera to my eye, fired few frames. He was surprised as well! He smiled and told me that he was going to the nearby market, to deliver the chickens to the shop. This is one of my favourite shots of Avenue Road!
Life!
I still remember this day, when i first visited the part of the city. I had heard from many that this place has life, one needs the eye to see it! The making of this image was not a very pleasant experience. I came to an isle, where there were lines of wheel barrow parked. The place was dirty, filthy and not very exciting to be. I found the kids playing amidst the barrows. I tried having a conversation with them, just then i lifted my camera. I heard a couple yelling, they became louder as moment passed. They were the parents, and apparently they didn't like the idea of the kids getting pictured. I explained to them, that my intention was not negative. The poor family, thanked me, exclaimed, "How could someone photograph them given the circumstances?" I answered, beauty lies in the eye of the beholder!
The flower sellers...
Entering into the market building, located centrally is the flower market. The entire market complex is 2 storeyed, predominantly filled with flower sellers. Every time i visit KR Market, i tried taking many perspectives picturing the activity inside. During this visit of mine, i thought to try something other than portraits. Searching for a perspective, i climbed to the top floor and stood by the metal rails to get this view. An idea struck me. The issue was, i needed a tripod to execute my thought. Even if I had, it wasn't possible to mount a tripod in such a crowded location. Nevertheless, I held the camera tight, with the straps elongated from my neck, balanced it on the rails. After a few attempts, i was able to make this one!
The Board game!
Some days we get lucky when the frame in our mind turns into reality. This was one of those days. Divya, the little girl in green, says hi to me every time i walk by her lane where she dwells. I greet her, sometimes, i sit by a local tea shop and see these kids play around by the corner. They teach a lot about life to me. They don't complain, but live happily with the bare minimum they get. When kids, of their age demand for variety of chocolates, Divya jumps with excitement for a full plate of meal. Life for them is harsh, but they have embraced it with love and happiness. I have taken numerous pictures of her, since that brings a smile on her face. However, i wanted a frame of her which showed the mundane, yet interesting.
Colours of life!
I was strolling through the market, when the scene caught my eye. I loved how the colours lit as the sun rays passed through the polythene ladden roofs. Just then, this guy appeared in front of me carrying cauliflowers. He was going to his shop to start his daily business. I liked how everything fell in place to make this image. This is another frame from the market place, adding to the dynamics of this series.
The daily news!
Once again on my early morning walks on the lanes of Avenue Road, i came across this scene. As the day starts, when the shutters on the shops aren't open, people sit down on the pavements reading news and enjoying their early morning tea. I found this person interesting with his getup, as he sat by the corner reading his newspaper.
Two
I clicked this image in one of the peak hours of daily business in Avenue Road. I loved the site of the mother rearing her kid and handling her transactions in the same time. She was selling vegetables by the lane. This is a common sight, however does say a lot about their lives and the hardships they take up to survive. Despite the daily struggle, they still manage to wear a smile on their face. This image holds a very important place in my heart.
Love your work!