My favourite photograph

This photograph is a picture of two Indians, at a bus stop, in a remote village outside of Mysore. What I love about this photograph is the colours. There is a sense of balance between the clay colored rooftops in the background and the soil under the barefeet of the people. The photo also has juxtaposition between the brick mortar buildings and the organic, rural shack. The tree itself is a symbol of the Indian social mores because it separates man and woman into their assigned positions in society. The red on its bark suggests an inbred, internal and intense symbol of what runs through the veins of accepted behaviour. The woman is crouching behind the tree in the shadows, showing her modesty. The man is in a relaxed posed, but thinking hard about his responsibilities to his family and community. Both are wondering when the bus is going to arrive...

Cultural Interest:
In certain parts of southern India, women are highly protected. If you were to take a public bus from village to village, you would see a separate section for women to sit on the bus. If she happens to board the bus with her husband, it is understood that she must leave his side and join the other women. You see this more so in rural villages than in major cities, where people are more conservative and have less interaction with the liberalities of western influence.