St Theresa's Tender Loving Care Home

The sunrise today was just magnificent. The gentle slanting orange rays penetrating a curtain of mist created a serene and rather mystical beginning. Yesterday seemed like a memory from long ago. Wonder when I'll get to shoot mornings like these.

Joined Adda and the Foundation to visit St Theresa's home for orphan girls. It was an exceptionally maintained facility, perhaps the best orphanage I have visited in Hyderabad. The large garden and park around the home was neat and welcoming. The Sister in charge was a stern matronly woman who looked and sounded like a strict disciplinarian. And despite her sternness, the children were a free and happy bunch who were ready to make friends very easily. Hardly any of them seemed withdrawn; they had a good time and so did we. A balance of discipline and freedom is not easy to achieve, and from whatever little we saw, I thought they were very close indeed.

But as far as photos go, the indoor light was clearly insufficient to shoot these dynamic ones. As it often happens, there were innumerable requests for portraits too. I'm feeling too lazy to look at the others shots now. I chose this particular one since it depicts their enthusiasm and joy.

More than the photography, it was great watching them as a group, trying to understand the dynamics, watching some of the naughty ones pulling pranks. Once upon a time, we were part of a class like this too. Where our little world almost began and ended with our fellow students, where our ideas of "good" and "evil" found expression among the very same bunch as well.