Click!

click!
Originally uploaded by aarthyr.

He stared at me while I was focusing him on my camera. On a footpath, with white bandage on his left arm, and no finger longer than the knuckle except the thumb, he sat quietly. Click! His dark skin was dry and he had blisters on his neck and perhaps on his chest as well, he wore a grey robe. Click!. He smiled finally when he realized that I just captured him on my camera. He stood up. I saw he had trouble while standing up. His left leg was swollen. He was sitting on a bag which had everything he owned. Click!. He fetched a stick that stood against the wall he was sitting in front off. Click!. He bent down and took a cloth, tied a turban and looked at me. Click!. He looked around, perhaps he was looking for someone or something. Balancing on the stick, he moved fast towards his right. I was surprised where he was going. Click!. He shook a little boy sleeping on the pavement with his foot. ‘Camera, Camera’ he shouted. The little boy didn’t move, He came back where he was sitting. His movements showed excitement that he felt, he made a noise with every step he took. Click! He stood there like a military man standing. Attention. Click! I moved close to him, and felt that his smile was getting wider and wider. His lower lip trembled as his folded hands. Click! I forwarded my hand. He looked at my hand with a surprise, his smile started to disappear. He slowly looked me. Click! And finally at my camera. I kneeled and placed a ten rupees note in the dented aluminum bowl, which had a few coins of different value. Click!


I was sipping hot Darjeeling tea when I saw a tall dark shadow elongating in my direction. I turned back and saw the beggar coming to me. He handed me the money back I had dropped in his bowl and smiled. I never thanked him for posing and perhaps he came to thank me? He made a sound with his tongue ‘Click!’