Sriram Janak
As a person who likes to spend time in solitude, I keep frequenting the hillocks around Madurai to find inner peace. The ancient Thirtankaras dominated by the “living rocks” take the center stage for aperfect frame. I keep revisiting them, to capture them in their different moods. I enjoy the dramatic rock formations and the silhouettes they make when captured in a camera. Samanatham Lake, with its Zen like setting, is another place I love to frequent, These places offer me the opportunity to create photos that gratify my soul.
Guna Amuthan
Every time, I ride over the AV Bridge, I gape in awe at the old rickety ‘Maiyya mandapam’ standing still in the centre of a parched Vaigai. I have heard old people recollect about the Masi festival of Meenakshi Temple that used to be conducted at this Mandapam. Luckily, this year the Ganesh Chaturthi immersion was conducted near the Mandapam and I got a chance to click it in moonlight. Though the mandapam looks dark and dilapidated from a distance, the architectural beauty of its pillars is captivating when observed closely. I believe such lesser-known monuments also add to the antiquity of the city.
George Varghese Kodiyatt
Madurai for me is a city that has an inherent rural aspect to it. It is impossible to describe Madurai without its rustic countryside and the colourful people. I captured this picture at the flower market, where old women from surrounding villages gather to sell flowers. And many of these women wear this typical earring called ‘Thandatti’ or ‘pambadam’. A chunky gold earring is worn on elongated ear lobes and the ornament represents the tribal nature of people, the ethnicity and tradition that they have preserved. It also reflects the beauty and sensibilities of the olden days.
Senthil Kumaran
Sometime last week I got a sudden call from a friend about this big herd of cattle moving on the TPK Road. Immediately I rushed and found them near the Taj Hotel in Pasumalai. To see a huge number of native cows in a cityscape can probably happen only in Madurai. The city has a strong agriculture base and cattle are an integral part of the lifestyle of farmers. Madurai is one city that still holds on to such cultural and traditional elements even in the globalization era of 21st century. I also see this picture as a document, as we may lose our native breeds (keda maadu) in future.
