This is my entry in @juliank’s Portrait Photography contest.
I met this charming young girl and several of her friends in southern India, in the state of Kerala.
A cup of chai, and several new friends
Behind the beach house where we stayed ran a quiet dusty road. It was lined with the homes and shops of local people. Each morning, I would go to the shop operated by this girl’s family, and they’d serve me a cup of chai. Soon, I was befriended by this girl, her family, and a bunch of her friends.
After a few days, the kids guided me on an extensive tour of their little village, on the other side of the road. They introduced me to many of their neighbours and relatives. Most of them lived in rudimentary wooden homes, but those who were a bit better off lived in newer concrete houses. While all those people may have been relatively poor, they seemed quite content, and in no way did they seem repressed or troubled.
A relaxed life
Kerala is known for being politically stable, and the population of Kerala has a reputation as being both well-educated and politically aware. From my interactions with this girl and the other people in her town, that was more than evident. I can honestly say that they were kind, engaging, intelligent, well-rounded, and genuinely decent people.
In a way, I even envied their simple yet relaxed and quite comfortable life. (That’s not something I would feel about the people in certain other regions of India.)
