I often took pride of being a photographer. Life as a photographer was rather the alter ego of my life as a Manager. The rules were mine and the resulting outcome was a result of my actions. When you get the tag of a writer or a photographer, it may not always be because you understand what you create. At times it is just because that you create and leave messages behind, for someone to decode what you really wanted to communicate. I had signed contracts and took assignments for brands, events, magazines and institutions. Seldom did I spend time to look beyond the composition, colours and the subject of the photographs that I had composed. Always it was about meeting industry standards or following the rules of photography. It took me years to understand what my photography professor, Hellmuth Conz once said - "There is nothing like a good picture or a bad picture. All are photographs and it is just perspectives that matter."

Once upon a time, there was a nation. A place where in the number of rapes that happened each year outnumbered the overall sale of video games. A few years ago a shocking incident happened in the heart of the nation when a 23 year old girl boarded a bus with her boyfriend. The boy was knocked out and thrown out of the bus. The girl was raped by six men and thrown out like a ragged doll with an iron rod rammed inside her vagina, penetrating into her intestines. A human being was left to die on the road naked, wounded and deprived of any human rights. The nation proudly begs for taxes it never deserved from honest citizens towards whom it was never accountable for. Where was the protection she deserved? Still the justice has not been served. The culprits smile from behind the safety of the bars at the helplessness of her brother's fury.

Years passed and rapes became a part of our daily lives. In a nation where kids were supplied on a daily basis to its numerous red streets, was it really a question worth asking? Law and order situation in India is like cancer. It is spreading and we are becoming complacent to the pain. And in the near future Indian society will learn to accept crimes without questioning and keep focusing on the next day. But what amuse us the most, is when some individuals boast about the glory of Indian culture and heritage. To make it clear, a nation where a 6 year old girl is not safe at school doesn't have a culture. Savages and animals do have a better culture than that. When rapists and murderers were safeguarded by police and human rights activists, there exists no culture to be proud at all. If this goes any forward, the day will soon come when our children are back home late and their excuse will be that they were raped and missed the bus.

A few weeks ago a legitimate international tennis star was attacked by Indians because she wasn't aware of an entertainer who lived off the glory that belonged to Indian athletes. But when two girls were hanging from a tree instead of a swing hanging from a tree with smiling girls on it, the same folks were debating about the morality of those two girls. That is exactly the curse this nation is seeking salvation from. Indians doesn't have the same intensity of rage against rapists and murderers that they have against Maria Sharapova. What pisses me off is that the criminal who committed the crime walks free, after just three years of sentence once it was proved that he was a teenager. So concerned our legal mechanism is about the rights of teenagers, isn't it? This makes me respect those criminals in US prison system who repeatedly rape convicts incarcerated for molesting children. If they were old enough to rape then they must be old enough to face the consequences. I am sure this uproar against rapes and violence will drain when Aishwariya Rai Bacchan gets pregnant for the second or third time. All because we are puppets raped each day by our media houses, political parties or our own conscience. The irony is that during the birth of India and Pakistan, thousands were raped and murdered. We should have responded then if we had guts and culture. But never the less, the day is celebrated year after year. The day when thousands of innocent civilians were raped and murdered is now dubbed the Independence day. It is time for Indians to introspect the meaning of the word - freedom.

We feel raped when we seek justice, when we are wronged and we trust a higher authority to ensure order to our lives and that of our fellow beings. We feel raped when we are forced to pay bribes for even a passport identification or to register our house which we built brick by brick from our own sweat. We feel raped when our sister is taunted by the same masses who feel strongly against the rapes in the society and call her a "chick". The same righteous folk who have an opinion about every issue that they don't have the guts to stand up and react to. We feel bloody raped when a terrorist walks into our city and guns down every soul in his sight, just to live a life of luxury in a high security cell supplied with a gym, best food in the nation and all the protection we are deprived for generations. We feel raped twice when he dies of dengue fever!

Our soul is murdered politicians break into the funeral of patriots like Maj. Sandeep Unnikrishnan and create a scene than shut up and pay respect that the man deserves. Our conscience is mutilated when politically motivated groups force us to speak some stupid language which we do not speak, to stay in a city even after paying all the rents and taxes. We are tortured when the price of petrol is raised each day just because "the oil companies" need to be rescued. It is us who are raped when we wait in lines to give our sweet little children the best education possible even though after paying fee, donation and whatever, but still their security is not guaranteed at a time when this nation promises free and quality education. Then we are further cornered when we expect fair medical treatment and gets the surprise of my life waiting in hospital corridors without hope. We are a generation of slaves who accepted every torture upon us and kept going forward with our lives. Our dreams were murdered each time when we think about the future this world holds for our children. We are raped throughout our lives either physically or psychologically or financially. Rapes will not end by holding protests. It is time for people of this nation to take a stand against such heinous crimes that threat the foundations of our existence. Let our nation rise to the moment, than let a deep fear run wild so that one day it is anarchy.

I was honoured and privileged to accompany a wonderful group of artists during the past few days. The project was close to my heart because it was a warm invitation from a group of artists that I have known since my childhood. Located in the heart of Irinjalakuda, Chachu Chakyar Smaraka Gurukulam is the cradle that nourished Koodiyattam to its present day glory. The epic rise to glory of this ancient art form could be attributed to selfless dedication and struggle undertook by the artists mentored by Dr. Ammannur Madhava Chakyar. In 2001, Koodiyattam was officially recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. The recognition had elevated the status of the art form and helped the artists to gain a global platform. As I followed the ensemble it was clear to me that I have noticed a treasure of cultural heritage through the view finder. 

Koodiyattam is one of the earliest living theatre traditions in the world. The initial form of the art is estimated to be 2000 years old. The performance takes place in Sanskrit language or an early form of Prakrit, which predates Sanskrit. This itself is an indicator that this could be a predecessor of most forms of theatre existing in the modern world. The art form have significantly influenced other forms of theatre from different parts of the world. For instance Kathakali, that emphasized symbolism, dance and music which predominantly uses Malayalam rather than Sanskrit has its origins from Koodiyattam. The characters, narration and representation in Kathakali have strong resemblance to that of Koodiyattam. While I was discussing about my latest project to a group of friends, one of them who was a professional wrestler was eager to point of some aspects which were really interesting. He pointed out the striking resemblance of this art form with modern day professional wrestling in terms of character development, improvising the story line by the performer, use of stage, narratives and the interaction of 'Vidooshaka' with the audience (fourth wall). Koodiyattam have contributed more than just aesthetics and theatrics to the modern world.

The venue of the performance or the 'koothambalam' is an elaborately decorated zone with plantain trees, bunches of tender coconut and coconut leaves. This is one of the first models of a stage designed to engage the audience. The basis of construction of a Koothambalam is according to Natyasastra, which is renowned as the fifth Veda. Many aspects of the performance is meticulously followed for centuries with a little or no alteration. The salient aspect of the theatre halls are that they effectively highlight the illumination and acoustics to enhance the performance. The theatrics include use of props and fire to increase the artistic value and signify the thematic representation.

However there exists neither the required number of academic research nor proper funding for this Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. This art form requires immense dedication and practice for years to master and to perform. It was only in the recent past, the Government of India took measures to ensure scholarships to deserving students. Though the art form have received international acclaim, in a regional front the art form is still suffering from negligence by the regional bodies and the state government. Most artists who I came across during this project nurtured their passion for this art after spending years of dedicated training. Since there is less scope of earning a livelihood from this art form, most artists work on various professions to fund their passion for this art. Like a Samurai who is lost in modern day Tokyo, they exist among us, disciplined and unwavered by the changes that passed by. According to many of the artists, the times are changing after their revered art form won the recognition from UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Dr. Ammannur Madhava Chakyar (May 13, 1917 – July 2, 2008) became one of the first Koodiyattam performers to present to an international audience. He had visited France, England, Switzerland, Netherlands and Japan to promote and to perform the art. In 2001, he was awarded - Padma Bhushan by the Government of India. Along with more international attention, there is a widened scope of audience and higher scope for research.

As a rule of nature, art cannot be negated or erased. As long as passion remains, world will keep the spark within their hearts and let it glow to become a flame that shines through the darkness. Fortunately Koodiyattam is safe from the tentacles of marketing and business oriented consumerism at the moment. All I hope is that the art will remain immaculate in the safe hands of a group of dedicated artists who had repeatedly proved that they could overcome the tides of time. Let them set sail into a bright future with the intangible heritage of humanity safe in their hearts.

Buildings always fascinated me. Each building throw a taste and emotion into the minds of the viewer. Some buildings evoke an emotion even if they are falling apart or primitive. A charm that could never be explained. These buildings and monuments have something that soothe us and inspire us. It happened that one day I was walking about in a small town and ended up among some newly built structures. It felt like a quick transition of time. Among the newly built houses, just a few had made me comfortable and astonished. The remaining buildings had always been a copy of a copy of a copy. Huge structures were made to impress, but one thing in common with these structures were, they were just buildings. May it be Kerala or Goa or Delhi, most of them were built to sell than built to live.

Olympians, the major deities who ruled the world and soul of all existence had indeed left an everlasting mark in the face of the planet. Age of Olympians are gone, but they have not vanished completely. They exist among us, inspiring us and challenging us to excel and exceed. World is your canvas and each person no matter who he is, paints an everlasting portrait with his life for generations to cherish. A few portraits stand apart, emerging themselves as standards for generations yet to come. They spread the power of colours beyond the canvas and into the hearts of other portraits to make a definitive change. A change that transforms the world around them and continue to inspire generations. What separates a champion from a celebrity is how they reflect upon the society. While most focus upon their reflection upon the world and maintain the focus to themselves, a champion shatters the wall that separates them from the crowd. He shares his success and his tale of sweat with the crowd that cheered him and shared his tears. Only a person with conviction and conscience can implement such change, while keeping the focus still on what they do the best. 

BodyPower India was a venue that brought the Olympians among the demigods waiting for a spark of inspiration to light a revolution. A photograph or an autograph with someone from fitness industry is not as hard to get, compared to that from film industry. I felt like writing this because I was often asked by surprised fans about the peaceful and calm nature of bodybuilders who were patient to meet every fan with the same enthusiasm of greeting the first person they shook hands with. The mantra boils down to a single word - "Character". Fitness is more than business or entertainment. It is a lifestyle that intends to add more value to life. A strong character cannot be built without the foundation of respect. Despite being successful actors or businessmen these athletes spend hours, just to make the individuals who appreciate them leave with a smile. More than publicity it is the outcome of their dedication. Hours of work at the gym, at the kitchen and during deep sleep is not worthwhile unless appreciated by the ones who respect and look up to the Olympians. This tradition is way older than the internet age. Back in the 80's it was bodybuilders who happily acknowledged their fans to pose with them and walked away with a smile. It is respect that shaped this industry and respect is the ultimate standard by which an individual is measured in the fitness industry. Indeed these small actions make a huge difference. Inspiration is a spark and once ignited, could be a powerful driving force that can shape revolutions. Though many of the athletes remain to be multimillionaires and famous who had transcended into film industry, politics, business or fitness itself, most of them are approachable and soak upon the warmth of the crowd who loves them. 

In my opinion no one had explained this better than Arnold Schwarzenegger. During USC Commencement Address of 2009 he stated the 6th Rule of Success - "it's about giving back" "Whatever path that you take in your lives, you must always find time to give something back, something back to your community, give something back to your state or to your country." 

The highlight was not just about being physically superior or stealing the highlight of the event. But also about how much one could give back to the world that appreciated the sweat and guts during the journey to the top. This comes from the inherent understanding that your life is your statement to the world. A statement that proves your intensity and integrity that transformed not just your existence but how it influenced the world around you. Not just in fitness industry but throughout life it’s not about where you are in life, but who you have by your side that makes a difference.

Beyond Madness