” Do not speak — unless it improves on the silence. “  

  ~ Buddhist saying  

During a quiet road trip recently to Bylakuppe — an exceptionally peacelful Tibetan settlement in the Coorg district, South of India, there seemed to be a myriad of invigorating Reds in the air, water and the earth . . .The deeply reflective quality of the color Red drew me in. The wetness of the Monsoon pronounced it further.

 

The color red is auspicious in Tibetan culture. It is a sacred color, one of the colors of the five Buddhas and the color of the monk’s garments. It is believed to have protective qualities and is therefore often used to paint sacred buildings. Red, throughout the development of civilization has had connotations with life and things considered sacred in some way.

 

On a separate note : I find that the colors of a landscape are so much more intense and pure during/before/after the rains. The clouds allow for the clean, even light and the rain water brings so much texture and freshness to everything. I so enjoy photographing in the rain and the Indian monsoon has always been a muse of mine, despite the fact that she’s a paradox–She takes as generously as she gives. Exploring her various facets and studying color have been on my mind lately. I was thinking I’d tie both the explorations together and see what happens. It could potentially grow into a series of sorts . . . I’ll start posting color captures of the monsoon along with some notes, from the places that touch my life, as these wet months go by and in the monsoons to come . . . these posts can be found under the category called Monsoon Colors in this blog. Do stay tuned . . . !

These mountains have a special place  in my heart in a nostalgic way and also as a matter of concern as to how best their fragile eco systems and natural beauty can be preserved. We all have places that we love, that soothe our souls and comfort those aching nerves. This place is one such to me. The mountains of the Nilgiris. This is my attempt at bringing the place closer to you all through these personal visual notes I make as I see and feel the place. I hope these notes convey the love, the tenderness and an ethereal quality that exists in the spirit of these hills. And it is a beginning of sorts for me in this endeavor of spreading a message. Please click on the image below to view the complete(continuing) story.

 

 “A lifetime of showers moistens the soul.” ~ Anonymous

” Here was blue, here was yellow, here was green, sky and river, woods and mountains, all beautiful, all mysterious and enchanting, and in the midst of it, he, Siddhartha, the awakened one, on the way to himself. All this, yellow and blue, river and wood, passed for the first time across Siddhartha’s eyes. 

It was no longer the magic of Mara, it was no more the veil of Maya, it was no longer meaningless… “

~ From Siddhartha by Herman Hesse