Jungle Trekkers

Trekkers find their way to their destination with the help of a map and a forest guide. Bandipur forests and the other forest reserves in Karnataka, are excellent trekking havens for those interested in trekking and hiking.

Weeding the Fields

The farmers in India depend on the monsoons to a great extent. Here, in Somnathpur, Karnataka, the River Cauvery flows supplying water for cultivation. In this picture, you see the farm workers de-weeding the fields.

Elephant and its Mahout

The relationship between the elephant and its mahout can last a life time. Here, at the Dubare Elephant Camp in Coorg, Karnataka, a mahout has brought his elephant to River Cauvery for its daily bath.

Fire Walking

Devotees walk on burning coal to prove their devotion to the local deities. This is practiced in many parts of South India and is a ritual done to appease Goddess Durga, Lord Ayappa and Lord Subramanya. I went for this Ayappa Puja that was organized close to my residence in Chennai. I knew that people are going to walk on burning coal. I thought there would be just about 10 people doing it, to my surprise..there were more than 100 devotees in all. All the devotees had a cold water bath, and lined up for the fire walking. They walked one behind the other…..and no one was hurt. One of the devotees walked with a child on his hands.