A while back we stayed in the city of Kolhapur in Maharashtra, India for a few weeks. with a population around 650,000 it is not a large city but it is growing and has a long history. While the city is undergoing rapid modernization, quite a few of the old parts have not seen much change in the last fifty or more years. these are the neighborhoods i love to roam without any goal.
the first thing to do is get off the main roads
it doesn't take long, just a block up a side street is often enough.
It is like walking back in time.
the pace of life slows down in just a few hundred meters.
and there is plenty of vibrant, living history. more than any museum could ever convey
Kolhapur has lots of big old trees, even the modernized areas are green with plenty of trees. many of the older houses have never been renovated and on some plots nature is attempting to take back what once belonged to her.
but just because some things have been abandoned does not mean the city is dying. on the contrary
there is plenty going on and the streets are full of it
street vendors wheel their carts with fruits and vegetables or whatever else they are hawking
some festival is going on at a small temple. there are thousands of guests.
huge pots of food cooked over open fires or portable gas stoves have been provided. here the meal is finished and all that is left is the cleaning up
in the warm climate much of life is spent outside the houses.
they may not have running water inside so washing clothes, washing up after meals, and even bathing is done outside. but many other activities can be done outside.
of course children are playing in the street and are very curious to talk with me. this part of town is not listed in any tourist guide and i never saw any other foreigners on these streets, so i received a lot of positive attention walking with my camera. people generally wanted to have their photo taken and they loved seeing it on the camera viewing screen. especially children, they naturally lined up and posed full of smiles.
a few more houses along the residential streets
where the clothes were hanging out to dry
and i came into a more industrial area
small factories making auto parts and machine parts, lots of steel work and welding
the workers were as curious about me as the children were. some knew enough english to carry on a conversation, and of course i was offered a cup of chai and we asked each other questions before they asked to have their photo taken. it is such a pleasure to oblige as they were as eager as kids to see their photos on the screen. but they were at work so when their curiousity was satisfied the boss subtly signaled that the break was over
i always feel so welcome in places like these that appear to be a little rundown and ready for renewal. while i am sure modernization will eventually reach them i hope they are able to maintain the warmth and friendliness they have at present. unfortunately, my experience is otherwise, which is why i am so keen on visiting them while i have the chance.
i have taken all these photos on several walks with my lumix fz300