TTL Photowalk at Mawa, Munshiganj, Bangladesh
it was more like a walk in the rain than a photowalk.... it rained.... it really did... I don't remember a single moment when the rain actually stopped!!.... but it surely was fun... we enjoyed the splash of water and also enjoyed the rain-soaked countryside....
there was little shooting for some like me.... I was more content watching it rain.... it was a nice break from the life in the cities.... just seeing that open space under the endless skies fills the heart.... but I ended up collecting some sample images as an evidence of participation in the event!!
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| From Mawa Photowalk, Jul 2011 |
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| From Mawa Photowalk, Jul 2011 |
Mawa is a "ghat" or a small river port.... its where vehicles ferry across to the south, crossing the mighty Padma... not far from here, a bridge across the river is planned... probably the activities around this place will change forever then.... I remember such changes happening at Daudkandi after the two bridge across the river Meghna got completed.... Mawa is not that busy though.... most of the vehicles cross the Padma from Paturia.... but Mawa is still a place for fishing.... the fish market here is quite active.... we were a bit too late getting a glimpse of that market.... the market usually closes before sunrise.... so, it all looked deserted under the persistent drizzle.... some lonely bystanders and domestic birds made sure that the place was not lifeless.....
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| From Mawa Photowalk, Jul 2011 |
it was also a nice experience watching people's lives around the fish market.... you shouldn't expect that everyone living around the market would be dependent on fishing or fish trade.... we ended up in front of a family that was actually dependent on business around utensil trade.... and that too wasn't based at Mawa; rather far away at Chittagong.... the head of the family is usually away from the house for 20-25 days to run that business..... but we arrived at that lucky moment when we found him in the kitchen with his wife.... chicken was in today's menu, indicating at sort of a feast!..... but the big surprise was inside that kitchen, where there were two more "inhabitants"..... this is right in the middle of monsoon.... and the cattle don't have a dry space for them.... and thus they end up in the kitchen!!..... quite oblivious to the health hazards of this, this portrays their love for these animals, whom they consider as part of their family.... maintaining their six children isn't an easy job for them..... but they have got used to it and for them, life has to go on whether it rains or not....
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| From Mawa Photowalk, Jul 2011 |
we also spent some time at another house where Faisal Bhai, Kamrul, Khalid Bhai and others found some interesting subjects.... I tried to assist others and was content with having a feel of the rain-soaked environment... the inhabitants of the house seemed to be a bit on the edge when talking about their patience and tolerance.... anyway, we were able to come out without any incidence....
the whole tour was cut short by at least 2-3 hours because of the weather..... there was no indication that the rain would actually stop.... so, it didn't look like worth staying there soaking under the relentless rain..... around 35 people participated in the event.... probably a lot more would've come out had it not rained the way it did.... but the rain-walk would remain in memory as one of the most wet!!
