Sunday, September 20, 2009

Student, Private School, Virat Nagar, Rajasthan, India, 2006

She is asked to be photographed before her classes begin. A few minutes ago, she was seated on the roof of her school reciting with the rest of the children Hindu prayers. Along with a few friends, they step to my little area and we make their portraits.

Her name is Rekha.

My chance to photograph her came as a result of my friend's insistence that we do something. We were waiting for the rest of the team to arrive at the offices of Humana People to People India in Virat Nagar. We noted that a private school rested above the office and we ventured upstairs to watch. The principal welcomed us nicely and we talked for a few minutes before he gave us his permission to photograph about six girls, Rekha was one of them.

The following two years we visited the school and missed her. The first year, she was missing from the school due to her family's inability to afford the humble school fees. The second year, she was enrolled in a school just a few minutes away, with the teachers offering to take us to her.

This time around, I will seek her out, I will take the time to find her family and to make her portrait once again.


2 comments:

  1. Wow, this picture really took me by surprise and I had to study it over and over. You see, at first sight, I didnt see a young girl from India, but instead, a young boy I used to teach.
    He was a beautiful, quiet, and androgynous child, that I was almost convinced this was him.
    What makes it all more incredible, is this boy I speak of, was of First Nations (aka Native Canadian Indian) descent and from a small reservation in central Canada.
    Its amazing how some individuals "look" can transcend ethnicity, location, and gender. This girls beauty and the boy I speak of, are examples of this.
    Beautiful picture.

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  2. Your comment is remarkable actually. After looking at the image once again, my eyes readjusted themselves and the young girl took on a Native Canadian Indian ancestry.

    Androgynous subjects attract my lens in many instances and our subject above certainly has that in common with your student from the past. We are both fortunate to have met such souls and I am fortunate to have received your most generous message.

    Your words honor the subject and my work.

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