He's so vain

Back in Rameswaram, I caught this face in the middle of the crowd (remember this and this?).

His gaze never reached my lense, but I wonder whether he knew that I was watching. As the moment stretched on for what seemed like an eternity, I snapped away. I love this little sequence.

Palm trees & water

  And more palm trees. And more water. As far as the eyes can see.

Coconuts

Kerala, God's own country

From Madurai, we crossed over into Kerala, "God's own country". So green, so lush.

The thin strip of land that borders the Arabian Sea is mostly built up. But when you move inland, into the Backwaters, you enter into a maze of endless canals with the most dense palm tree forests. Nature in all its glory.

Madurai skyline

Outtakes from Tamil Nadu

Sarees drying in the sun, Mamallapuram

Woman's skirt detail, Thanjavur Temple

An lonesome sand dune, Rameswaram

Rameswaram from a boat

Shiva festival scenes, Rameswaram

Fishermen at work, Rameswaram

Religious scenes, Thanjavur Temple

Madurai skyline

Red (6)

Red (5)

Detail, Madurai Temple

Detail, Madurai Temple

A slice of watermelon

Rameswaram gentlemen

 A few portraits I managed to collect (or steal) amid the chaos of the Shiva festival in Rameswaram.

Seaside scenes, Rameswaram

 It's no secret that I love the sea. But in Rameswaram, it feels different. There's no escaping from it. It's everywhere.

Black, Rameswaram

Madurai Temple

 A visual overdose of colours and details, as you find only in India.

Madurai Temple is the largest temple in southern India. The grounds are huge and every last corner is covered with these extraordinarily dramatic statues.

Fisherman, Rameswaram

Smiles, Rameswaram

Twigs