Eashwer Dass

Colours of a Peacock Nestled deep in an oil palm plantation in the humble town of Maran in central West Malaysia, is a century-old Hindu temple that rears peacocks. The peacock is considered sacred because mythology has it that it is the preferred mode of transportation of Lord Subramanian, who is also the patron deity of worship in the said temple. The peacock never seems to amaze me with its awesome coat of colours that it wears, especially when it fans out its feathers in a courtship ritual. What truly inspires me from this, is to appreciate the finer details of every colour application that exists around us.  There is not a single thing in nature that is off colour or coloured in bad taste, it simply means that God has coloured everything we see meticulously with perfect design and taste. We are then, only left with the task to view, appreciate, replicate and occasionally write about it in absolution. EDit. This picture was taken during a visit to Maran Maruth...

Blondies These primates actually wore blonde hair and looked as though they had just come out of a hair salon sprucing up for a party at the Forest Reserve of the Trivandrum district in Kerala. They reminded me so much, of what we would do when we have a party. The requirement for preparation for a great party is getting dressed up, getting sloshed and lots of monkeying around  symbolising  man, ironically as the social animal. Edit. Location: Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Western Ghat mountain ranges of Pathanamthitta District, Perunad Grama Panchayat, Kerala.

An Artist’s Impression This man has made many trips to India. An artist, he calls himself and with only one thing on his mind, which is to capture her entire beauty on his easel.  He says to accomplish this, it will take an infinite number of journeys to this sub-continent and which he wishes that he can scrape off every detail of it delicately and paste it onto his canvas in the exact manner he experiences them. EDit. Location: Varkala Beach in Trivandrum District Kerala

FAITH Is to weave the perfect fabric to suit your imagination and dress your intelligence in a suit, which is meticulously cut and sewn to size A suit, stitched together by a single tensile thread of philosophy A single thread that is entwined tightly by the resilient fibres of tolerance, peace, and love   Always remember to wear your religion well.  ED .

Child Operating System The operating system of a child’s mind stands out to be more advanced compared to an older version, like a classic of the sixties just like yours truly or me. A child handles a computer, a smartphone or any other gadget with great ease just like a natural and can take on any adult at entry level. Something that makes one wonder about how these babyfaces, not even fully toilet trained and still creating unimaginable stuff in their diapers, while just armed with only a birth certificate had mastered how to manoeuvre complex devices with great dexterity, with no coaching. These newer additions to the human race seem to have some sort of ‘learn by feel’ program hardwired into their psyche giving them an edge to synchronize with interactive technologies. EDit.

Mongoose This busy little mongoose made a quick appearance before dashing back into the bush, but nevertheless, my nimble fingers ably triggered my Samsung NX300 shutters, trapping the nifty, little camera-shy creature instantly, digitalising and imprisoning its image in the secure digital confinement of an SD card. This picture was taken at the foothills of the forest reserve in Trivandrum district, Kerala, India. The Mongoose is the sworn nemesis of the cobra and will fight till either one dies if they were to ever cross each other’s path. As folklore has it, the entire world will live in total peace and harmony with no wars to fight for eternity, only if the mongoose and the snake became friends. EDit. Location: Periyar Tiger Reserve in the Western Ghat mountain ranges of Pathanamthitta District, Perunad Grama Panchayat, Kerala.

The image of an entrepreneur When you see a person like this standing in front of you with his hand held out to you and not in a gesture to shake yours, but instead requesting a token in alms or rather begging you to part with some of your money, what would come to mind? Are beggars’ losers? Or is there something else that deceives the unsuspecting donor?  Many third world countries have sad images like this painted for tourists who rather wish they did not have to deal with.  Begging is a fail-proof career because all one needs to invest is time and to look as miserable as possible. A career which is rewarding by being self-employed, while having the flexibility of choosing one's working hours with no tax man to bother about. This could either be an operation in the form of a syndicate, a private enterprise or even a family business. Now I ask you, what would come to mind if you saw a beggar again? Location: Tamil Nadu South India

Antics of a Wedding Package   Recently, while strolling along the PD beach, relishing nature’s amazing gifts, the blue ocean, fresh air and the sound of its relentless waves, I thought, I saw an angel.  Elucidating this as either a sign from God or the tremendous rush of blood to the brain caused by the shifting sands and random pebbles kneading continuously underneath my bare feet, I continued to approach her.  This beauty in a white flowing gown, with a face glistening in a concoction of perspiration and melting cosmetics that was beginning to precipitate stood orphaned under the shade of a palm tree. From a distance she resembled an angel on a stopover from heaven, taking a break on this uninhabited beach assured of total obscurity from God’s children. As I approached her, she looked just like an imagined picture of God’s angel with wings clipped, just like a one from Baywatch, but retrofitted in a different wardrobe.  She told me that she was g...

I t was official then, that the new journey had just begun. My cell phone portrayed a digital picture of my friend wearing a bleached synthetic wig. A picture of him in a black suit when all he wore before this day had always been a white garb. From the food-stained apron armour , wielding saucepan and ladles like weaponry in the hands of a mercenary and performing meticulous culinary skills to the demands of a connoisseur’s palate who feasts on it with fine dining cutlery. He is now a certified able demonstrator of the law, being the protector of those who are troubled by it or those who want it to trouble others. The recipe of persistence has concocted the sweet taste of an ambition, which finally came true and now called to order. All rise to hear the judgment on he who stands accused of this exemplary feat. Hurrah! Hurrah! Hurrah!  Was what was said before a loud thud came from the drop of the gavel.  EDit . I write this piece about a dear friend ...

This BLACK mad bad boy’s artistically exuberant presence was the most gratifying justification for my good money spent on tickets, fuel, pop-corn, coca cola, parking lot and most importantly precious time on an overrated, star-studded, huge budgeted movie where acting was visibly being slowly outsourced to the GRAPHICAL might of computer technology. Unfortunately he, my hero was crushed in the movie making the next sequel of BAHUBALI, a sure bet of watching a pirate in private.  EDit. The villain played in BAHUBALI the movie.

Settling of daylight, its last bits of rays sprinkled on the shores of Port Dickson. All boats anchored to the jetty sitting nice and pretty waiting for a new day when the sun rises again from the other end to sail out in the direction of where it last sunk. EDit.

Clouds building up a storm and soon its silver linings will burst to begin spurting water in the opposite direction of the fountainhead. KLCC lies scrapping the skies behind the Photographer Raj Gautam in this enigmatic photo.EDit.