Kolam

Kudos to Pavilion KL for creating this big and beautiful kolam. I went to a few other malls and all they could come up with was a styrofoam peacock and a tiny patch of kolam.

Kolam is traditional Southern Indian folk art in which a motif is drawn on the floor of homes using coloured rice and chalk powder. It is also known as Rangoli.

This shot was trickier than I thought. It needed a very wide lens and the greeting was spelled out on the opposite end. No problem. Mounted a wide angle lens, went to the reverse side and held the camera on outstretched arms.  I later flipped the image vertically and horizontally in post 🙂

Happy Diwali ahead!

Kolam

The Parrot Astrologer

Continuing my special coverage of Deepavali 2012. Little India Klang was an explosion of colours, scents and sounds today. The narrow five-foot ways were chock-full of festive  cakes, clothes and wares spilling from the shops. Add rain to it and there were charming subjects for the camera at every turn.

Hidden by the bustle of the bazaar, were two little uncaged birds sitting on the floor. Both were unperturbed by the horde of shoppers milling around them. After an interesting chat with their palmist-owner from India, I asked permission to photograph one of the parakeets up-close. Surprisingly, the fortune-telling bird didn’t flinch even when I held the ultrawide angle lens a couple inches away. We were fated to meet 🙂

Parrot astrology is popular in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.

The Parrot Astrologer

Henna Hands

Deepavali (or Diwali) is around the corner! These two beautiful artists proudly display each other’s masterpiece in Little India Kuala Lumpur (Brickfields). The upcoming Hindu Festival of Lights is celebrated as a public holiday in Malaysia next week.

Today is the brightest, sunniest afternoon since the festive bazaar began a week ago. Photographed with the Olympus OM-D and the Panasonic Lumix 7-14mm lens.

Henna Hands