Well ! she is happy wearing those. EOS ! end of story.
Those are not my ears, she feels good wearing them. Ah, she is blushing too. You'd like to see the close up ?? here it is !
Shaven head is fulfilling of a vow
God, give a goverment job to my son, I will offer this much of gold and this much of money to the Thitupati temple and I will shave my head after the pilgrimage. So the son gets a job and mom goes to the temple to fulfill her vow.
A man shaving his head is not a great sacrifice, a woman shaving her head is a big big sacrifice.
So gods, better pay attention to them.
Took these pictures in a temple on the banks of holy river Krishna, where people take a dip,
All rivers are holy in India, taking a religious dip is not just washing away the sins, it is part of nature worship. Where do all the sins go ? They must go somewhere. Sin is not matter, so we cannot apply laws of physics here.
Any way I am going to Banaras on the 10th, where massive washing of sins goes on, people taking a dip in the holy Ganges. Told you all rivers are holy in India. Now I am worried, where do all the sins go ? I am not going to take a dip and get back home with sins of millions sticking on to me, more over ganges is polluted, badly polluted.
I'll be back on the 18th. I'll get you pictures of big time washing of sins.
This post is not about shaving washing detergents or shaving creams. I am not trying to sell you anything. I wanted to write about Indian jewellery. I changed the title as I forgot the spelling of jewllery, jewlry ? jewelry ? one L or 2 L's ? Just pictures, wanted to write about Cotton and silk weaving. I have not been keeping well from past few days, was reckless with food on my recent trip of Andhra by road, it was so tasty and spicy a bit too spicy and too hot, so I had problems. You know what problems.
This is how women dressed in south India in the past. Please remember we have no winter here.
This is my friend Archana, she is a 2 time National award winner for acting.
This is temple Jewelry, Dances were performed only in the temples in the past. please look for 'Devadasi' tradition on the net. It is too painful to write. 'Devadasi' is a property of a temple and was not respected by the society. This tradition has disappeared thankfully. The dances are no longer restricted to temples, and the dancers are respected by the society today.
Jewelry is just to make you feel good. It adds to the beauty. Its more complicated. Sometimes people go wild. Not expensive, Feel good wearing glass or plastic jewelry.
Modern and traditional head gear.
You don't have to be rich, This is not gold. This lady is selling jewelry on the streets of Jodhpur Rajasthan.
I'll write more on Indian jewelry. there's lots of it. From head to toe. yes toes.
I'll be back on the 18th.
All my love
Blunt Knife
Wildpic
63 comments:
wow!!! beautiful!
love the jewelry. (and the pics).
wonderful, get-lost-in-them pictures, rauf. Again. as always.
the jewelry is incredible.
You are such a talent Rauf, I enjoyed looking at these pictures.
A wonderful day is wished for you
Not all of us can spare time to go around and catsh this beauty ...Many thanks for your insights
Now through your lense I have traveled to india without flying
Thanks
Nasra
In the States you would make big bucks on photographs like this. I hope you are paid well.
Are the ladies in the last photo in Jodhpur Rajasthan too? Their garments are different, not saris, and their house is painted with such interesting symbols. I've never seen bracelets like theirs in graduated sizes up the arm.
All this jewelry is beautiful and interesting, but my favorite, you can guess, is the third from last. Simple and elegant. The others are like a costume, which is what they are, I guess.
It reminds me of how I view tatoos. Once some people start, they can't stop, and soon their whole body is covered. Less would not seem beautiful enough.
My god, these women are gorgeous.
Rauf: You too me back to my school and colelge days. When I see those glass bagles, I can say I lots of collections myself.
I used to wear it right to dress colors and that sound makes me so happy. Nothing cna beat those bangles full of love and colors.
Thank you Mystic Rose
Dear Hayden, You have to see Lambadi and Banjara tribes in south India. These people have lost their lands and thrown out of their houses, hard to find them they have become nomads. Their jewelry is beautiful and exotic. I'll try to find them, I am going to Nalgonda District of Andhra pradesh after I get back from Banaras. hope you are doing fine Hayden.
Never a dull moment in India Bill, I'll write more on Indian jewelry of different areas. Thank you Bill.
Hi Nasra, You can visit India anythime of the year and you will find something intersting. Lot of festivals from september onwards.
hope you make it one day Nasra.
Dear Ruth, I have more than 50 business managers. They tell me what a fool i have been. They teach me how to talk to clients. They don't know my problems. First visit is as a client, next visit the person becomes a friend. Making them happy, men or women, gives me more joy than receiving money. I am nearing 60 and I am still strugling to survive. I sincerely feel that if I charge every one, half the money would go to the doctors. From past 30 years I have not spent a single rupee on doctors. I love taking pictures of gorgeous ladies but I love taking pictures of villagers and tribal people more.
Yes The lady in the last picture is in Jodhpur Rajasthan. You have given me an idea to have a post on Indian dresses. Not all wear Saris here. Punjabi Shalwaar khamees has invaded everywhere, even in the south. Which was a predominantly a Sari and half sari (for teen agers)
region. Shalwar khamees is school uniform for girls in most of the schools. Coorgis, Bengalis and Gujratis wear Sari in a different styles.
Third picture from the last is Arshi, tall and elegant, any dress suits her, sweet she is, she is the mother of all my mothers, a brain eater. She looks more beautiful without make up but she never listens. I have posted her wedding pictures in january 2006.
I am against tattoos Ruth, You can't remove them. I have seen people regretting having them later in their lives.
The village house with symbols is near Jaisalmer Rajasthan. Its a desert, where these ladies have to walk for miles to get a pot of water. I don't know if the symbols have any significance. We have worli style of tiles and drawings on the houses in south. Many interior decorators follow the style.
Hyderabad is a place for Bangles Priya, I buy lots for my sisters and niece and friends. Now they have become very expensive. You should know how to bargain. I stand and pay attention to other ladies present there and follow their bargaining. I get an idea how much I should pay. Normally I buy from the pavement shops. There's such a wide variety of glass bangles, but carrying them is always a problem. They pack in cardboad boxes.
what are sins???
I just love all that jewelry and the pictures.Beautiful.
iamvisheshur, I checked up your profile, you are 15, old enough to know what sins are. Or your parents have never told you what not to do.
I know you are not ambitious, Rauf. In that you are also very like my brother. I respect that you are more concerned for the welfare of others than your own. I just hate to see my friend struggle and wish for you to be able to travel to your heart's content. Even come to the US and do that Route 66 trip. Money brings freedom too. But not if your heart prevents you from taking it. Then it would be false and a kind of bondage.
I would be most interested in seeing the types of dress for Indian women. Please.
Arshi is lovely. What do you mean she is a "brain eater"? I am intrigued.
I don't know how you keep your mind on your work with such stunning women around. But I can see why you enjoy it.
Thank you Starry nights. I'll write a couple of posts on traditional Indian dresses and jewelry mostly pictures as I know very little on the subject to write. I would be thankful if you contribute your knowledge in the comments.
Awww..Beautiful is all I can say!!
Specially the first two pictures stuck me for longtime, as those kind of jewellery's still wore by my elder's back in village.
Though I vist your blog now and then, its the first time Iam posting a comment. I will be regular from now on...:))
I took the liberty blogrolling your blog without asking for your permission. Hope you wont mind..:)
I shall wait for the next post of your about the state I come from!!!
you misunderstood i meant what is a sin according to you??
Once rented a room with a Sikh family in Hounslow near Heathrow. A casket in my room held an incredible amount of Indian Jewelry. The husband showed me my first evening after moving in - boy did they trust me! The jewelry was all 18ct+. They're still my friends today and when they're daughter married she wore loads of it at the reception. He gave Caz a gorgeous piece and said "Neil slept near this piece for 4 years now he can sleep near it for ever". Different world different culture. It's very 'gold' if you see what I mean and belonged to his mum. Caz only wears it on special occasions. Great pics mate - the girl with her arms crossed is a babe!!
Wow! Stunning pictures and awesome jewelry, Rauf. Still...guess which shot I liked the most? That's right, Lord Boo's...
I hope you're doing fine, Rauf. Haven't had much time to visit, life is a bit complicated right now. All the best for you.
How to spell "jewellery"? lol
You are not the only one (got my own dyslexic story about that!)
Dearest Rauf
(As emotional as your posts have come to be for me!)
- The woman looks beautiful,her many earrings look beautiful.
- While sins may not be matter, all our actions and words do carry an energy – that said, water and its movement carry another energy, we all feel cleansed be water.
- Apparently running water from the shower (an I imagine everywhere else were it moves)produces some sort of “reaction” in the immediate atmosphere that quiet positive…
- absolutely love you jewelry show - your actress friend is very, very attractive!
- love those colorful bangles, we can but a handful for about $5.00
dollars...
Raufie dear, take good care of yourself and have a good trip - hope you have recovered and I caught you in time to wish well.
Lots of love and hugs!
Ruth, What a chatter box Arshi is, she doesn't give me a chance to open my mouth, eats my brain, incredibly sweet she is. Looks hundred times more beautiful in the mornings when she wakes up, with no make up. Not just beauty, she is very intelligent, head is full of stuff, knowledge and information, mostly useless and very well read. Always with a book in her hand, of course reading it.
She is lucky to have a wonderful husband Kaz, very soft and gentle and caring, very respectful, though a British natioal he is very much at home with Indian culture and traditions. They are a happy couple Ruth. I wish them all the joyy in the world. But she is a mad man sometimes ( Phoebe, Holden Caulfield's sister )
I am a frog in the well Ruth, no one knows me here. Only friends and friend's friends come to get themselves photographed. So the atmosphere is always relaxed. I hardly get strangers. My attitude has been very unprofessional, never made a portfolio of my work and approached any agency. When ever people need me I am not here.
I have fought over money many times Ruth. Some times I am desperate for money. But most of my work is free for friends. I can travel only when I have money, I don't live in a dream world. Spending time in the forests and villages is my priority. Within an hour of getting some money I am in the queue at the Railway station to book ticket to go somewhere. I have absolutely no savings, no insurance. Love of my family and friends is my insurance.
I did not misunderstand iamvisheshur, Its a complicated question. What is sin to you may not be a sin to me.
Let us go back to the cave man when there was no religion and we had not created any god yet.
Cave man A hunts and gathers food for himself, his woman and children, Cave man B is lazy, He clubs cave man A and takes away his food. Cave man A reports to the chief. Cave man B says I was hungry and I took the food. The chief says that is stealing and it is wrong. Cave man B says what is wrong ? He does not know what is right and what is wrong. Now you have to make him understand what is good and what is bad. Stealing is not wrong according to cave man B. Best way to make him understand is by telling him a story. Story grabs every ones attention. Good business (movies) Tell him a story that some one stole food and lightning struck him and he lost both his arms. Add masala make it dramatic. This story became religion. Take any holy book, Ramayan Maahabharat, Bible khurraan, Torah, they are filled with stories and stories within stories. They have a purpose. To make you understand what is right and what is wrong, what is good and what is evil. Ram is good Ravan is evil. You would like to identify yourself only with Ram and avoid any acts of evil. If you are intelligent, if you have a healthy mind, you don't need these stories and the ten commandments to guide you. You can become a good human being without any guidance.
The Chief had to create god to answer embarassing questions.
Who made the trees ?
God made.
Who made the sun ?
God made.
So God made every thing ?
Yes.
Who made God ?
The chief scratches his head and says I am busy now I will tell you tomorrow.
The chief who created God was an ordinary chief with very little imagination. But the chief who created devil was a genius. Without devil God has no value. You have to know evil to know what is good.
Crossing a yellow line may not be a sin to you or a crossing a red traffic light in the night when no one is on the road. You would be a man of integrity if you stop at a red light even if there is no one on the road. I would not stop. I have violated traffic rules because it is not a sin to me.
I don't speak the truth always. If I speak the truth always I would be left with no friends and I would be alone, a pain to the society. So when my friend asks how do I look in this shirt, I always say it looks beautiful on you. Actually I am lying here. i can't afford to be brutally frank. People who claim that they are very frank are actually lying. You cannot afford to be very frank to live in this world. You can be frank sometimes but not always.
Small fish survies on eating worms. Big fish survies on eating small fish. A leapord survies on killing and eating a deer. Nature is perfectly balanced. Eating chicken or mutton is not a sin for me, it is a sin for many. I do this for my survival. I am a carnivorous animal. My system is designed to be a carnivore. When I bite a tomato i am biting life. I cannot survive on eating stones. Life is life. elephant or a mosquito or an apple. They are alive. An apple is as alive as a chicken. We eat life to survive. If every one on this planet turns a vegetarian, there would not be a single leaf left in ten years. It would be an environmental disaster.
i have written about this in my environmental series SPEED 1 to SPEED 13.
Chopping a tree is not a sin according to any religion. but it is a sin to any right thinking man or a woman. so we make our own values. Some twist these values to their best advantage and you see wars and bloodshed. Killing innocent people dropping bombs and causing destruction is not a sin for some people of this world. They are convinced that they are right. So sin is relative.
You can make your own values without the help of cock and bull stories to guide you and become a good human being iamvisheshur.
iamvisheshur, leaving for Banaras today, I'll come back in a week and read your blog. Welcome to daylight again. Hope you are fine.
When are your exams. Please focus on your studies first and get back to your blogging and reading other bloggers once your exams are over.
Very touching story Neil, No gold no wedding. Sikh Hindu Muslim or christian, we Indians are crazy about gold, believe me You have to wait your turn to enter gold showrooms here, they issue tokens and they have chairs outside for you to sit and wait. And people sit and wait. I know you are laughing Neil.
feel guilty of not visiting my favourite blogs, been traveling and was a bit reckless on food, was sick for a few days. How is Caz and Jax ? Please give my love to them.
sin a virtue developed by man-isn't it?? yet people fall down and pray in front of a statue-are they not strong enough to frame their own rules?
Thank you Claudia, Lord Boo landed with husband giving us a big surprise, was here only for 2 weeks
Brought a laptop for me, I am high tech now. Ruth liked the same picture.
This is just a tip of the iceberg. There's lots of tribal and villge jewelry. Hope to post those pictures soon. You've got 2 little adorable daughters, what complications would you have ?
Hope you Michel and children are doing fine.
Dearest Angel,
Leaving for Banaras in another half an hour, been running around. Friends came. Long journey takes 2 and a half days. different atmosphere different culture, have to cross many languages on the way.
for five dollars you can buy the whole jewelry shop here.
I'll be back in a week Angel.
Lots of love anf Hugs
Oh sure Contended. Most welcome, daylight here. Are you from Andhra ? I'll be going to Nalgonda dist. Pochampalli next.
hope to catch some dresses jewelry, lombadis and Banjaaras.
Leaving now for Banaras in another half an hour.
Thank you so much contended.
iamvisheshur, its left to the individual. You'll find highly educated people falling at the feet of gurus and swamys. Everything is developed by man, good and evil. Hell and heaven are here. We can make our lives a paradise or make it a living hell. Its up to us.
My dear Friends
leaving for Banaras Allahbad, its a 2 day journey by train. I'll be back in a week hopefully.
All my love
Rauf
Rauf, I know you're not there, but you'll see this when you get back.
So Arshi is Lord Boo. Ah. She is terribly lovely. It's good for you that she eats your brain. Somebody has to.
You must be SO excited about this trip. Have you been there before? I am just reading up on Varanasi in wiki, and I would be SO geeked to go there. All those temples and people and history beyond history. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE WHAT YOU POST, and I'll be ready for 8 kazillion photos, even if it takes me a week to load them. ;) Oh to be a mouse in your pocket.
Your section on jewellery is so amazing..The way u have captured the pics is sensual..My favorites still would be the ones with your friend archana.One with head gear is WOW as well.I think I have seen few of them before in one of ur posts.Is it??.But gold is soo damn expensive nowadays..We can wish and doo all ooh aah's thanks to ur pics :-) I love bangles,though I am more of a fan of glass ones than metal one..Glass glow can't be captured in metal one but a lot more fancy design in there nowadays..Still nothing can beat the the old simple glass ones..Phew such a long comment ;-)
Waiting for ur next section and enjoy the trip
beautiful pics indeed with wonderful captions! loved it!
have a great trip!
safe travels Rauf and great photos, looking forward to seeing more, especially jewelry of the toes!
Hope you are doing great Rauf and enjoying/enjoyed your trip.
All the earings on the lady with the shaven head are gorgeous.She makes quite a unique style statement with the way she looks although I am quite sure she never intended to.
Glass bangles are fabulous.Love them.Parents bought me a whole lot during a trip to Hyd once.
Since you have been to Kerala so many times you must be aware of mallu's weird obsession for gold jewelry. All the huge stores selling gold,gold and more gold. Heard there is a whole sale gold shop now.
amazing displays of different colors...and as well as decorations of jewelries...picture perfect! ;;)
heylooo!!i am back!!!long time since i came here!!and as usual they are so beautiful!!!
and i always tell my mom..when i get married..plz plz..plz...dnt make my girl wear too much gold!!!i hate it!!!
PS: i was in blore..and i was buying water from a shop...and i saw the name of the prop of the shop as "M.A.Rauf"....i thought abt ya then!1
Rauf,
Amazing Pictures,they are so very unique just like you.I am using all your pictures for my communication training classes.Keep good health.....Soni
welcome back :)!
Ruth, oh yes Arshi is sweet.
Got back home yesterday, mail gave me a heart attack. couldn't do anything just slept over it. Still sleeping, 2 days in the train. Long journey, Both the journey and the destination was exciting. Been there two times already, first time with digital. Went to Allahbad, Lucknow Banaras. I'll post pictures tomorrow. Still sorting out the pictures
Sangita you know better. This is not even a fraction of Indian traditional jewelry. I'll gather some more and have another post. Saw some lovely jewelry in Lucknow. All less than 100 rupees.
Thank you MagicEye, had some great moments, got back yesterday with some very pleasant memories.
Sure HER INDOORS, I'll have a couple of more posts on Indian Jewelry, traditional and modern. Toes ? Yes I have collected a few pictures.
e2dees, yes glass bangles makes a woman more feminine. I love the sound, ' Kaanch ki choodiyon ki khanak' there are many poems on the subject. Going to Hyderabad in 2 days. Have to finish my travels this month as it gets unbearably hot. Had some good time in Banaras Lucknow and Allahbad.
More than the gold showrooms in kerala it is the huge jewelry billboards ruining the landscape bothers me e2dees. Wanted to write about it for a long time.
haha Breathless ! that is really sweet of you and you have such a sweet page full of fun and goodies.
Thanks so much. I love your page.
Hi Vinay,
Been away, been away fro blogging too, just sleeping.
Nobody is going to listen to you vinay. We are gold crazy people. No gold no wedding. People consider it as a safe investment.
wow the women are beautiful! I've been not a good blogger here lately...i need to catch up. Have fun travels Rauf, it must be nice to move around like you do! :)
Love & hugs,
Kathy
Hi Soni, that indeed is a great compliment. I talk to the walls and
I talk to my friends. Here in this blog I tell my friends how I feel. I do not know anything about communication techniques. Its plain talking. I would be too glad to give you my pictures in a CD for any presentation.
Going to Hyderabad on 19th be back on 24th. Hope you are doing fine Soni, I'll see you soon after I come back from Hyderabad.
Lots of love
Sweet Mystic Rose !
where did I go ?
I know you have responsibilities dear Kathy, I am going pretty slow too. I have been depressed in the past hoping for miracles when my mom was dying. I did not let her feel the pain. That is the best I could do.
I just wish you, Richard and Marcey all the peace of mind Kathy.
Love and Hugs
Nice to have you back dear Raufie
Love and hugs
Hello Rauf, I followed a link on Ruth's comments and came to your blog. I am glad I did.
You have very nice , colorful photos here, liked them very much.
Will be back.
Greetings from Istanbul
wow...template changed! niceee!!!
You in Andhra now??
Have a good time!!!
Beautiful photos of beautiful and strong women, but I just dropped in to check on you, Rauf.
American newspapers are full of stories of troubles in India - Maoists violence in Central States and the farmers fighting the governament in the Eastern Parts. With all your travels, it is worrisome...Please take care and try to avoid all conflicts...I'll be thinking about you until your safe return!
Hi Angel, going again. Have to travel this month and try to go to as many places as I can. Its gets too hot by April. Going to Hyderabad today, back on 24th. Wanted to go there a couple of weeks ago but we went to Vizag instead.
Lots of love and Hugs
Hi Oya, welcome to Daylight again.
Oh ! Ruth loves Istanbul, she spent some time there. Thank you so much Oya. Have seen too many movies shot in Istanbul. Love the place.
Mystic rose. I have to make some changes. I'll come back from Hyderabad and do it.
No contended. Went to Banaras Lucknow and Allahbad. i was in andhra a couple of weeks ago. Vijayawada Guntur vizag. Today I am leaving for Hyderabad, then to Nalgonda dist.
Its so sweet of you Isabella. I am living here and I am getting the local news from Naples Florida. I never knew about these disturbances. I don't read newspapers and watch TV. I am leaving for Hyderabad today. I'll be very careful Isabella. Thank you so much for checking and informing me.
Arshi is the most beautiful of muses. I hope she's doing alright in the UK, that she doesn't miss India as much as I miss Portugal. I've got a lot of catching up to do on your blog, Rauf.
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