In March, I posted a photo essay on the Flower Sellers at the Dadar Flower Market. These beautiful people, with little material belongings, seemed so content with their lives. That left a lasting impression.
When I visited Goa, there too I was touched by the flower sellers. We had camped at the Ramnathi Temple, Ponda. After the main puja and aarti, the temple is closed and my family settled in for a nap. I picked up my camera and snuck out. The temple surroundings were nearly deserted but for a few flower women spread out along the corridors. During this lull in the day, they were preparing for the evening rush of devotees and weaving exquisite gajras and fragrant streamers. In this pic, one is using a plant fiber vaayu to weave the gajra. As with their colleagues in Mumbai, these flower sellers have so little to call their own, yet seemed to lead so content lives. Smiling ever at all passersby. The next time you are outside a temple, pause and buy a few flowers. You will make a bigger difference than giving to any charity. Enjoy these few images.
See Other Flower Sellers:
Arun Shanbhag 