Sari Bonanza!

I have to admit that even though it's mostly my friends and family reading these posts, I like being anonymous to random readers out there in cyber space.  That's why I change names and don't post pictures with faces, but this series of pictures is just too good to not post. 

Ajima hired some local shop owners that dress up brides for their wedding to come to her house and dress me up in a series of saris and jewelry from around India.  It was very interesting to see first hand how all the saris are tied and draped but it was also a very hot being constantly poked and prodded then photographed.  I also felt like an over sized puppy dog desperate for a pat on the head as the dressers knew very little English and they used hand signals and noises to get me to cooperate appropriately and perform tricks and poses.

Hubs started out taking the photos then we switched to the photographer from our reception (so hubs could be in some pictures, but really I think he wanted to lounge around) so you will notice the background differences between our pictures (plain wall) and his (oh, just you wait!)

Tamil Nadu Bridal (State Hubs is from)

 Kerala (State West of Tamil Nadu)

 Tamil Nadu Brahman

 Bombay Bridal (city now called Mumbai)

 South Indian Village

 North Indian

 Kashmir (near Pakistan)

 Mangalore Coorg (In the state above Kerala)

 Manipuri (Near Burma)

 South Indian (ordinary wrap)

Pictures

Finally!  Some of the pictures I've taken.  I must be honest, I'm not overly impressed with my pictures.  I usually take at least a day to take photos and I like to take detailed texture shots and such, but no time with a two year old for such pictures.  Most of our pictures this trip were about family and friends and thus will never make it to this blog.

In Salem

Residential streets of Salem

Salem houses

one of the many construction sites in Salem

Roof tops of houses in Salem

example of a thatch/leaf roof

goats!

running off before Hubs eats them in Byriani

My mom loved how they used their heads to carry stuff

shrine

working amongst the coffee plants

View from Yercaud (Hill station near Salem)

More views from Yercaud

Yercaud view

Yercaud view

traffic jam

Part of what I call the "honesty" of the country

view from the highway when traveling to Chennai

part of the traffic while traveling to Chennai

When a building was in the way of expanding the highway they just tear down the offending rooms

another view of a house ripped in half to make room for the highway

Interesting tree in Chennai.  The branches would put off these shoots to the ground to add roots as it expanded.