Hari the Hadron

Thursday, December 09, 2004

A CORRECT PHOTOGRAPH WITH A WRONG INTERPRETATION

This is regarding the photograph published in the second page of Chennai edition of “The Hindu” today. The photographer apparently was enjoying the children bathing in the waters of the reservoir of Chembarambakkam. It was really a very relieving sight for Chennaites to see the reservoir filled with water, but I am sure, for people with some forethought, the sight of children bathing in it would definitely not be pleasurable as it indicates the first step towards contamination of the waters there which is supposed to cater to the drinking water requirements of Chennaites for the next year.

It is really unfortunate that the photographer is seen admiring the children enjoying a nice bath in the reservoir, instead of highlighting the serious possibility of contamination of the waters due to the reservoir being left open to public access.

It is a rational thinking that anything precious has to be kept under maximum security and close to our heart. For the Chennaite today there is nothing more precious than water. But looking at the photograph today, we really don’t seem to care much.

posted by hari at 11:52 AM

15 Comments:

  • Hi everybody. Please feel free to comment.Even criticism would be a compliment.

    By Blogger hari, at 10:22 PM  

  • So true. Water is so scarce all over ( leave alone Chennai ) that it is a pity that some people just waste it...and even more sad that the journalists (who are supposed to be watchdogs of the society ) are not being sensitive to it and just using such photos for their aesthetic appeal!

    By Blogger Deepak Jeswal, at 12:27 AM  

  • maybe because of the heavy rains and Amma's Veeranam water, people aren't talking about water these days.
    also the phototgrapher might have had a tired day, and hence wanted a light moment to revive his spirits, as well as others.

    By Blogger saranyan r, at 10:01 AM  

  • Hi Deepak,

    I sometimes feel whether these amateur photographers should be classified as ameteur or immature.

    By the way I just peeped into your latest story "Innocent Love?". Interesting title, I will definitely find time to read it and comment.

    By Blogger hari, at 9:38 PM  

  • Hi Saranyan,
    Definitely the photographers can have their lighter times too, but not in the second page of the Newspaper and definitely not on "Water".

    By Blogger hari, at 9:40 PM  

  • Hi Jagan,

    I did not tell these things contaminate, but they are just the first step towards contamination. Moreover only these rain drops go on to make the ocean. So we do not mind rain drops, but other kind of drops should be strictly prohibited.

    By Blogger hari, at 9:42 PM  

  • spot on hari. In future, the wars are going to be on water..

    By Blogger Chakra, at 1:46 AM  

  • Hi Hari, I liked your comment about "immature, not amateur" :) About pollution, I guess if everybody thought their "contribution" to the water in the reservoir is "only a drop", pretty soon there would be more contributions than water! :)

    By Blogger Shammi, at 2:13 AM  

  • AAAH! just been reading through your blog and have since discovered that you are a BBC-phile! AM I right? Keep up the good writing and visit me sometime at http://princessaucontraire.rediffblogs.com/

    By Anonymous Anonymous, at 2:34 PM  

  • Hi Chakra / Hi Hima,

    Thanks for your comments

    By Blogger hari, at 8:53 PM  

  • Hi Shyam,

    Very right Shyam. We in India, have a problem that we consider the system and society as different from us. We forget that we are sub-part of the same system and society, which we expect to do good for us. It is time we understand that it is our duties towards the system that gets reflected in the overall performance of the system.

    By Blogger hari, at 8:54 PM  

  • Hi Anonymous,

    Please forgive me for my ignorance or lack of knowledge, but I really do not understand the meaning of the term “BBC Phile”. As far as I know I am just an ordinary person sensitive to the burning issues happening around me, in our country and to an extent the world that I know.

    Thanks for your warm compliments and it will go a long way to inspire me into improving my writing. I will definitely visit your blog and put up my comments if I am considered competent to do so. Would very much like to have your name, than being anonymous.

    By Blogger hari, at 8:54 PM  

  • Hi Kaush,

    Thanks for your comments. I would only be too glad to be designated the last person to have seen the photograph from this disturbing angle and it would be too heartening to find the lakhs of people before me, disturbed by this photograph doing their best to highlight this looming danger.

    By Blogger hari, at 8:54 PM  

  • Hi everybody,

    I was very apprehensive about my point of view expressed in this post. But it is very heartening to receive so many comments acknowledging that after all there is some truth in it. Thanks everybody.

    By Blogger hari, at 8:58 PM  

  • Perception ... that's a beautiful word. Ain't it? Maybe, just maybe the immature amatuer photographer was really enthralled by the uncontaminated pure joy which one can see only through the eyes of a child - and so he clicks it - and well the contamination caused by these lil ones was promptly noted by ... a smart person like you - perception. And that's what it is.

    I loved reading both your work as well as the comments ... yup - hey, if it were not for that photographer, you would not have written this nice piece of work that brought to light the greater risk caused by the innocent children - so, who's gonna tell them to find another tub to bathe in? Hope you will find a diplomatic way to do it. Keep up the good work.

    O Bhoy, reading my comment - looks like a report card appraisal for one of my students - LOL !

    By Blogger Loveena Raj, at 10:26 AM  

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