I saw this cheerful boy at the bus stop and it brought memories of my childhood.
The boy was swinging as he walked holding his mother's and grandmother's hands. It was like a sign. I was standing just a few minutes away from what use to be "Nanny's house". (Nani Ka Ghar)
I'm not happy with the frame but it was the best I could get without letting them know.
The building and the activity around still appeared to be the same. It was like time had never moved ahead.
As I entered the building, I could see glimpses of history beneath the present. A middle age man who was an employee of the hotel beside sat in this passage cutting onions all day. He would perenially have a bandaged finger and would smile as I passed by him.
I played a lot of these staircases with my brother, cousins and children from the building. I would run up and down the stairs to go to houses of people in the building. I don't remember names but one family had a parrot, another a cat and some had children who became friends.
I got to the place where 'Nanny's house' was. I couldn't recognise it. It appeared smaller and cluttered. I felt like a part had been cut out. I went out and looked from outside whether there was any division but no. I went back in and started asking people.
There used to be open spaces outside each door. The members of the first house could interact with the last. Now there were walls and that open space was taken inside to make another room.
In the end, I found some children playing in the building compound. Though the games had changed, there was still something like the good old days.
The boy was swinging as he walked holding his mother's and grandmother's hands. It was like a sign. I was standing just a few minutes away from what use to be "Nanny's house". (Nani Ka Ghar)
I'm not happy with the frame but it was the best I could get without letting them know.
The building and the activity around still appeared to be the same. It was like time had never moved ahead.
As I entered the building, I could see glimpses of history beneath the present. A middle age man who was an employee of the hotel beside sat in this passage cutting onions all day. He would perenially have a bandaged finger and would smile as I passed by him.
I played a lot of these staircases with my brother, cousins and children from the building. I would run up and down the stairs to go to houses of people in the building. I don't remember names but one family had a parrot, another a cat and some had children who became friends.
I got to the place where 'Nanny's house' was. I couldn't recognise it. It appeared smaller and cluttered. I felt like a part had been cut out. I went out and looked from outside whether there was any division but no. I went back in and started asking people.
There used to be open spaces outside each door. The members of the first house could interact with the last. Now there were walls and that open space was taken inside to make another room.
The new residents had shut the door. In a way they were saying, "This is my house now." I still managed too peep inside. It had changed completely. The long marble bench where Nanny sat, fed us fruits and told us stories was gone. And of course, Nanny was gone.
In the end, I found some children playing in the building compound. Though the games had changed, there was still something like the good old days.
6 comments:
Hey,
I like how all the images are placed in a progressive sequence to tell a story. I like that some of the frames are vertical and that give a feeling of a crunch in space of the building.
I loved the picture where you show that dingy space with a boy's silhouette. It makes me feel that you are talking about a memory.
Brenna:
Your post certainly feels like we've undertaken this journey with you. But did you need eight photographs? And, did you need the boy to trigger off the memories of childhood? And, if you are not happy with the frame, would you still include it in the post? My favourite is the fourth - the silhouetted figure of the boy against the bright orange light worked well to communicate a sense of past and nostalgia.
Did you read my comment about your self-portrait?
- ajay
Thanks for your feedback Aparna and Tejaswi
Ajay Sir - I knew the 8 pictures weren't necessary and are not great pieces of art either. Since they mean a lot to me I couldn't stop myself from posting them. I would need to learn to use restrain while editing.
I shared these photos with my family members and they were all smiling. And that made me think about the different versions of the same story for different target audience.
OK I know I'm thinking too much.
My favourite is also the 4th because I think I managed to do something different there. It was by pure accident it turned out the way it did but I learnt a technique.
I did read the comments on the self portrait? Will get back on it soon.
I have posted my response on the self portrait post.
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