This image was originally uploaded by lecercle, but I came across it at tiffinbox.org which is a great photography, art and design blog.
I am reproducing it here because something in that picture arrested me. Not sure if it is the hopelessness/sadness I see in these musicians eyes, or if it is plain old fashioned nostalgia - after all, when I was a little girl there was this group of musicians that would visit our street every weekend. They'd sing for about 20 mins or so and although their repertoire consisted mainly of "Bollywood" songs, their rendition of the normally upbeat songs was so melancholic that I would feel a certain sadness enveloping me as they sang. Till today I always associate a harmonium with sad music - not the depressing kind of sad, just "those were days" sad.
This is what lecercle had to say about his photograph and subjects:
"...I took this in the Old Pune, in a neigbhourhood called Budhwar peth, Interestingly it is also to home Pune's musicians and red light district. I found these musicians on the road singing to their hearts content in exchange for alms from pedestrians. I got a feeling of dejection from them, not even a smile at the cleary visible photographer at their heels. Though the setting met the mood."
I do love the setting -the peeling walls, the neglected door with the rusty lock and the paan- stained lips of the singer.
I will occasionally bore you with more pictures that remind me of my childhood. Hope you won't mind!
