HOME                                                                                                                 My Tirupati History   (Tirupati at work)
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These are collections of photos that are already on my main India Pictures pages, arranged partly to show changes over the years 1982 - 2015. It is also an excercise in nostalgia for me,
I first went there in 1982 to the Botany Department of Prof N.V. Naidu in Sri Venkateswara University SVU) to teach a microbial physiology course. I returned for many visits , mainly to the virology, microbiology and biochemistry departments. I always stayed in the SVU guest house.

Many pictures in other sections show people at work, especially on the Transport page. Many of these pictures on this page are of those selling - mostly - food. The earlier photos were taken with a film camera as slides which were then scanned. So as they are earlier they are perhaps more interesting but quality is poorer.

Most pictures are from Tirupati and Thumulagunta but some are from nearby places, including Mahabalipuram the fishing village 50 km south of Madras where I often started and finished my visits. Also pictures from Konanki (2000).

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    Selling peanuts at the university gate (1982)
  Just scroll down or click here for specific years:      1982   1984  1992   1993   2000   2002   2003   2004   2005   2006   2007  2008   2010   2011   2012   2013   2014   2015

  1982  
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Also at a University gate. A bicycle repair shop

 

 Clothes mending and sale of Spencer's Kickapoo Joy Juice. This is an orange fizzy drink. This was my source of safe(ish) drink near the university. Years later I visited the Kickapoo Indian reservation I was told that this was a fictional drink coined in the American comic strip Li'l Abner. Spencer's is a huge speartment store in Madras.
 
  Tailors Tea stall also selling deep fired samosas
 
1984    Watering. They were very excited to have my attention. Selling fruit (?) on Ghandi or Nethaji road
 
1992   Marina Beach, Madras. Selling balloons and a sort of popcorn Launching a Balsa wood fishing boat
 
TOP Flowers and coconuts The village washing at a stream
1993    
 
  Bike repair shop To provide offerings for god
 
  Under the Sri Govindarajaswamy temple Gopuram. The way to the temple is lined with stalls. Stainless steel. Not best quality. Old man on left is selling hair.
 
  Stone carving in Mahabalipuram which is world-famous for this and for the carved shore temples Traditional temple tat in Tirumula
 
TOP Flower sellers
2000 In 2000 I visited the village of Konanki, the home of an ex-student, Nagaraju, at the time of the chilli harvest and celecrations. Nagaraju was (remains) a very great friend.
 
  Helping with the Chilli harvest in Konank On the way home
 
  Nagaraju with parents. The red chillies seemed to be the rare ones allowed to grow for longer My home for 5 day; the part of the house on the right
 
  Nagaraju's mum at work in their village of Konanki View from where I was working - writing a paper on my laptop
 
TOP Ladies working on the street decorations for Pongal celebrations The band accompanying the god during celebrations
  2002    
 
  Mahabalipuram. Mending the nets. The boy on the right, is guarding my bag while we went for a walk Corner shop near my friend Surya's house Waiting for work
 
  Processing the sugarcane. By the track leading from main road to Thumulagunta. Cane enters at right, is crushed and the juice flows in the huge heated container.
  2003  
 
  Mahabalipuram. The two types of fishing boat. Four crew 'modern' boat
 
  Two man. Boat made by 4 logs lashed together Very light wood (like balsa). Mending nets at the end of the day
 
  Building a water tank (I think) Thumulagunta village
 
  I think this was the following year. This shows the route from crusher to var.  
 
  The boys worked very hard feeding the cane into the crusher. Very keen to stop for phots then to demonstrate their skill. The crusher looked and sounded keen to grab them; I felt very nervous.
 
  Selling street food. I felt a bit bad that I never bought any but I had been strongly advised against it. I loved the high spirits of the sellers.
 
  My favourite road (off Ghandi road) making and selling garlands For years I saw these ladies selling flowers etc by the back entrance to Govindarajaswamy temple
 
TOP In Trichanur
  2004  
 
  Mahabalipuram. Early morning sorting out last night's catch.
 
TOP Chittoor. Camp of the camel traders. They sell them for meat. Breakfast providers opposite the guest house
  2005  
 
  Govindarajaswamy temple sales street For many years this boy worked here
  2006  
 
  Mahabalipuram. Paddling home. This one has an outboard
 
  Sorting out the nets in the setting sun. The German names on the boats show they were donated after last year's Tsunami wrecked much of the Tamil Nadu coast
 
  Cuddapah (my friend Iran'shome). A flooded clay pit provided a wash place

And the discarded clay was for drying

 
  A family of duck-herders  
 
  The sugarcane crusher at Gopi's family farm
 
  Repairing or decorating the temple at the start of the road to Thumulagunta An extension to the SVU guesthouse
 
  Surya's corner shop with man ironing. My friends in 'garland street'
 
TOP My night banana stall Repairing my broken bed
  2007  
 
  Building the roof of the dining room extension in the SVU guesthouse Liz being served in Gogula stores, Ghandi road. My friend's shop. Always my first visit.
 
  They called me over a photo sir He mended a tear in my trousers
 
TOP This boy took me here to get my sandals mended Reminded me of Narayan's Painter of Signs. At the choudharies for visiting pilgrims
  2008  
 
  Mahabalipuram. Fisherman setting out for a gard night's work She had been tramping the beach all day; now night is rapidly falling
 
  Unusual flock of white goats Evening working in the fields
 
  I thought I should have one of me working. A lecture at the Vijayketanen college Good to be appreciated
 
  Building new part of the Agriculture College My local tailor
 
TOP They set up shop on the side of the main road. They lived here for a week. On ride near Surya's home. Iasked if the girl is for sale "For you YES sir". I bought 2 oranges instead
  2010  
 
  The new Agriculture college building on one of my regular morning walks
 
  Every little helps Chill Thrill for cold drinks and ice cream
 
  These boys were here minding the shop every day
 
  I now feel bad that I never bought anything from these patient ladies Hot snack stall and roadside shoe shop
 
  Two more bored children. I could not even get a smile.  Later I had a chat with the boy who said he was there for only one day. I asked did he like it. He spat on the floor
 
TOP The shoe repair shop. Also a place for social gathering. They look so serious but the had asked me to take photo as i was resting on the steps near them
  2011  
 
TOP The usual evening worker In 'garland road', he always wanted me to stop and chat. A very happy man
  2012  
 
  Repairs at the rail crossing Fruit and veg at the entrance to the dairy farm
 
  My usual evening welcoming smile At the park
 
  Competing with the new flats Clothes on Gandhi Road
 
TOP He cheered up when I showed him his photo Fruit and veg outside the cricket ground
  2013  
 
  At the dairy farm in the morning mist                                                                                                                          Eventually loaded up
 
TOP Sugarcane harvest  
  2014  
 
  Horrible contrast; goats being herded through the garbage Washing up at the house near the end of campus houses
 
  A new water pipe on residential part of campus near guest house My local iron men
 
  Evening walk home

Harvesting ?

 
  Happy planters New house (I think) with builders' tent on left
 
TOP Brickworks near the park and village The annual book festival in the town cricket ground
  2015     My last year  
 
  It seemed that all my gentle rural walks were being made into roads. Putting up a wall where I used to cut through onto the road to the Agricultrue College
 
  My local Pure N Sure Super Market.  Always so friendly and helpful. They made my life much easier.
 
  Always so friendly fruit sellers on the pavement by the guest house
 
  By the Puripalli road; They always stopped me to try out some English and ask for photo. More encroaching flats on the edge of 'my' Thumulagunta
 
  My last visit here so could not resist
 
TOP My last trip to Gandhi Road