Anuradha Kumar and Her India

 

The wedding of the transgender woman at Koovagam festival.

Social media, when used well, is a fantastic showcase for traveling from the comfort of your own home, and for meeting extraordinary and interesting people. I love getting lost in the photographs of others and trying to understand how the world is seen and told through eyes that are not mine. If I happen to come across images that strike me deeply, then I'm going to find who the author is.

So it happened for Anuradha Kumar, whom I immediately called Anu (to her great pleasure), a truly talented photographer who was born in Chennai, South India. Her photographs, her portraits, fascinate me in a profound way. At first, they can immediately bring to mind McCurry's style, but I think they are much more similar to Olivier Föllmi.

And, it was my great pleasure to talk to Anu and know that she also loves the French photographer very much. Yes, the gentle use she makes of light, the attention to the stories behind each portrait, her sensitivity immediately reminded me of that great photographer I love and about whom I have already written here.

So, after exchanging a few words, establishing a connection and mutual respect, I decided I wanted to know more about her. So here we are, talking to Anu.

I have chosen two photographs of which I'd like her would tell to us the story. I leave two more to her choice.

Let's go to India...

 

Anuradha Kumar

Dear Anuradha, first of all, thank you for agreeing to have this chat with me. Before entering your world, tell us a little about yourself, and how your passion for photography was born. What it means to you to capture images.

Dear Stefano, firstly, thank you so much for having me over here in your blog. And thank you for your patience and your admiration for my photography.

About myself, I am a mother of two beautiful teenagers, wife of one handsome man, residing in Dubai, though from India. I have been doing photography for the last 9 years now.  My father was a retro film photographer.

I developed an interest in photography seeing him shoot. After starting my photography journey I understood why he makes us all stand in front of the door when he is photographing us. It's all about lights and shadows, people and moments. That's all I had in my mind when I started taking portraits. I have explored the nooks and crannies of various geographical landscapes in India.

Capturing people and portraits, the heart of ancient traditions, diverse cultures, and newly growing societies. I have documented the lifestyle of tribal communities and their festivals which are less recognized. 

I am very proud and happy to call myself a travel Photographer. It's like an addiction. Continuously traveling for a couple of days in extreme yet delightful climates or going for days without taking a shower or eating anything we find on the way, giving up all comfort of home, and wandering in unknown places with a camera has made me the happiest I can be.

 

The first story I ask you to tell us is about the Koovagam festival. I was really impressed to see your portraits; I didn't know there was a transgender festival in Tamil Nadu. 

Koovagam is India’s largest annual transgender festival, where thousands of transgender brides tie knots with their God Aravan! It is celebrated for 18 days long at Koothandavar temple, Tamil Nadu, India.

As per Mahabharata, Aravan the son of Arjuna had one parting wish before he sacrificed himself in the war of Kurushetra. It was for him to get married. Since no woman in her right mind would marry a man for a day, Lord Krishna took the form of Mohini (transgender woman) and married Aravan. After Aravan’s sacrifice, Mohini mourned for him in the same way a bride would. She was a “One-Day Bride”. 

Thus, every year the transgenders from various parts of India gather at the temple enacting the Mohini-Aravan tale. They tie yellow nuptial knots called Mangalsutra (Thalli) by the priest which solidifies that they are married to Aravan and the next day they become widowers and mourn for Aravan’s death. 

The process starts from the temple to the grieving yard. The priest breaks their glass bangles. The nuptial knots of marital solidification are reaped apart, symbolizing that they are no longer brides but rather widows. 

They huddle together and cry loudly enacting the tale of Mohini’s mourning after the death of Aravan. Few shed tears for the sake of the tale, others shed tears, reminiscing their own bitter memories. They bathe and change in white as per Hindu customs symbolizing widowhood. 

Though this just for a few hours and then they return to normal clothes and start their journey home. In spite of the blazing heat and humidity, nothing stopped them from wearing heavy silk sarees and bridal jewelries. 

Each bride was uniquely dressed with makeup and Gajra (flower garland) the way they desired. They are ungendered almost everywhere, yet this festival is the only thing where they are happy about their true self with smiles fluttering everywhere!

Each one-day bride (Transgender) has an untold story. Few heartwarming stories:

He just started transitioning, he is different from other boys. His mother said he likes to be dressed as a girl but gets bullied by his friends. A defamed society it is!

His family told him to just get married and it will all go away, that was their perceived wisdom. But nothing changed for him. His wife told him to go and live his day with his trans community. He wailed in guilt saying he loves her so much but couldn't be true to her or HIS-self!

Love is sorrowful! The transgender here was abandoned by his family for being trans. Photograph of a mother hugging her transgender son tightly in pain. They met each other after years in this temple. It was very painful to hear his words, “Why did you leave me? What's my fault? Where will I go? At the end of the ceremony everyone will go home, But Amma, (Mother) where will I go?”

All they need is support and validation and normal life like everyone on the Planet! 

As a second choice, I can only ask you about the sweet granny from Aruchanal Pradesh. I saw that you have met her several times and that she is part of the Apatani ethnic group. Surely, she hides a story with her that is worth listening to. Tell us... 

The Beautified!

The Apatanis or, as they call themselves the Tanis, trace their origin as a migratory tribe in the Apatani tribal land. They are settled in the Ziro Valley, Arunachal Pradesh, in India. The history goes that the women of this tribe are extremely pretty and used to be abducted by men of neighboring tribes for their glorious beauty. In order to stop this from happening, the elders decided to start tattooing the faces of the women and inserting nose plugs from a very young age to make them look less appealing.

We all have wrinkles, lines, and spots. It’s a natural part of life that we must, unfortunately, come to terms with. But these women have more, they have lines tattooed on their faces for a lifetime. They all are stepping into their childhood again with their beautiful wrinkles and toothless grin!

Shot at Dree Festival of Apatanis tribe in Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh, India.

When they were on a break!

Blessed Together! A love story of the eldest Apatani tribal couple. They are above ninety years of age and living alone in their hut. She works all day in a paddy field for their living and returns home before dark with her walking stick, hunching her back. They live alone and she is the couple’s breadwinner. Her husband is very old, he cannot hear and doesn't speak.

Low light photography shot without flash!

My sweet angry bird! An Apatani tribal women from Ziro, Arunachal Pradesh, India

Finally, I leave the choice of two photo stories to you. Take us with you to the far corners of your India and its immense cultural wealth.

The cry of the prayer! This is “Haldi”, the Hindu festival where the whole place is drenched in turmeric. Devotees gather at Pattan Kodoli a village in Maharashtra, India for this festival. It wasn’t the best experience for me, the burning sensation of turmeric in my eyes, the hard smell of turmeric making breathing very difficult, I literally don’t know yet how I managed that day. But to the thousands of devotees praying in utter devotion without being bothered by any hindrance was magnificent and astonishing to witness. The Yellow Man!

People consider that the Haldi festival and rituals would bring good fortune. This image was shot in the huge mist of Turmeric/Haldi after waiting for a few hours in the glorious festival.

THE DANCE OF SANCTITY!

The story behind this image is of Shri Vittal Birdev Baba dancing with the sword among 1000 of his devotees from Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka at Pattan Kodoli village in Kolhapur, India. It is celebrated to offer prayers to the community deity of the shepherds.

They worship Baba as an incarnation of Lord Shiva. People consider that the festival and rituals would bring good fortune. This image was shot in the huge mist of Turmeric/Haldi after waiting for a few hours in the glorious festival.

Before saying goodbye, write where we can see your photographs. Thanks again... 

I am on Instagram with the handle @anumeena.

It was my pleasure. Good day, dear friend!

 

All photos belong to Anuradha Kumar