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Two Happy Men of Thanedar / Himachal Pradesh / Tripolia-Exploring India-Arun Gaur’s Indian Landscape Images

Thanedar:

One late evening in May 2009 we met these two men—the genial spirits of mountains.
A350. All shots with beercan.

 

Nineteen years ago I had also visited Thanedar. Then the road was strewn with stones--small and sharp and loose. Now the road is pucca, though still narrow. That old visit was a different story. Then we could manage to get hold of the guest house which was without power with huge flames burning in the kitchen on the ground floor. That encounter, I would relate at another place of my site. For the time being, I would tell of this little encounter with the two men whom we came across in Thanedar. We reached Thanedar by our scooter in the evening. We were sure we would get accommodation in the same bhoot-bungalow where we had stayed nineteen years ago. So we tarried a lot on the interior road that meandered around numerous orchards. I was struck at one place by the simple elegance of these two men. They were just preparing to leave after the completion of the day-work of repairing/construction of the road. The slant of the evening light fell on them and produced remarkable effect on their facial features and figures. They were genial. Though they did not understand exactly why I was snapping them up, yet the brave souls were all accommodating, a bit shy and a bit smiling.

 

 

Two Happy Men of Thanedar-1A:

They are busy with their fingers fumbling in the carrying bag.

Two Happy Men of Thanedar-1B:

Two Happy Men of Thanedar-2A:

One gives a side-long glance. It is just a mild enquiry--what do you propose?

Two Happy Men of Thanedar-2B

Two Happy Men of Thanedar-3A:

Still too busy in winding up their day's business. Their movement of the hands is deliberate, relaxed and poised.

Two Happy Men of Thanedar-3B:

Two Happy Men of Thanedar-4A:

They again look at me. The sun fills up the furrows and displays the facial details. The lips have parted.

Two Happy Men of Thanedar-4B

Two Happy Men of Thanedar-5A:

The other one seems to be more reserved, more deliberate in movements. A little smile is hovering in the face. His lips have become parted too.

Two Happy Men of Thanedar-5B

Two Happy Men of Thanedar-5C

Two Happy Men of Thanedar-6A:

He is also my friend. The smile is visible now. Quite visible, but subtle.How expressive is the poise of the hold of his curling fingers. Slow and deliberate.

Two Happy Men of Thanedar-7A:

His smile was transitory. He has to go. I could see in the bag an umbrella and water-bottles.

Two Happy Men of Thanedar-8A:

It is a wonderful congenial pair. Venerable men of the mountains. Now they have become my friends.

Two Happy Men of Thanedar-9A:

How expressive their still profile is! Even his smile would seem to come after a great crossing over of the vast mountain ranges.

Two Happy Men of Thanedar-10A:

He has smiled again. However, it is not a full smile. It is just the beginning of the smile and the end of the smile.

Two Happy Men of Thanedar-11B:

They are my friends now. They look away and still go on smiling. It is a sure sign that they are my friends.

Two Happy Men of Thanedar-12A:

The day business is over. Very much ready to go. But there is enough time for one pose, although I may never happen to see the photograph.

Two Happy Men of Thanedar-13A:

The other one also picks up the strap of the bag. More firmly now.All ready to go with smiles.

Two Happy Men of Thanedar-14A:

So friend, we would meet again perhaps.