***PROUD MOTHER***, a photo from West Bengal, East

Photographer's Note

I SHOT IT AT TOTOPARA IN JALPAIGURI DISTRICT.(WEST BENGAL,INDIA).LENS=135MM.Sorry for the loss of details cause its a scanned one..They were belongs to TOTO tribe...
The Toto is a primitive Indo-Bhutanese tribe residing in a small enclave called Totopara in the Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal, India. .Totopara lies 22 km from Madarihat, the entrance of the famous Jaldapara National Park. So, we can safely assume that the Totos live near the northern edges of this forest.
Anthropologists agree that the Toto culture and language is totally unique to the tribe, and is clearly distinguished from the neighbouring Rajbongshis, Koch or the Bhutanese Sharchop tribes.
Totos were nearly becoming extinct in the 1950s, but recent measures to safeguard their areas from being swamped with outsiders have helped preserved their unique heritage and also helped the population grow. In the 2001 census, they numbered about 1184 - all living in Totopara.
Totos don't generally have more than one wife living. After their wife's death, they can marry the deceased wife's younger sister, but a woman cannot marry her deceased husband's brother. On the death of a spouse, the husband or wife has to remain single for twelve months before they can remarry again. There is no custom of divorce among the Totos.
***AND ONE GOOD NEWS TO SAY THAT IN THIS YEAR ONE TOTO GIRL JUST PASSED 12TH STANDARD***
BY COURTESY;-WIKIPEDIA.

avene, Paolo, sagar, japiey, thaprem, crckt, smitha, riclopes has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Paolo (41258) 2007-09-18 6:55

Hi Subir, beautiful portraits, with excellent qulaity and beautiful colours.
good exposure and composition too.
thanks, ciao

avene (12675) 2007-09-18 6:57

I definetly like this shot - the background colours and the colour of their clothes match perfectly, while the diagonal wooden structure emphasises the woman's pose. I'm not even talking about the expression on the child's face - priceless. great shot, and thanks for sharing.
best,
Kristine

sagar (2410) 2007-09-18 8:15

Hi Subirda,
We really know so little about the tribes of our country!!!The mother looks really proud and the child so innocent!!!Lovely notes too!!Great portrait!!
Sagarneel.

japiey (10163) 2007-09-18 11:12

Dear Subir,

The news is very touching, and I remember that in, reading in another shot from you.
Here , the smile makes the day !! and the tiny kids curious looks(?)....
Good shot, and a fine note, a real study.
Salutes.

jean paul

crckt (7222) 2007-09-19 20:29

Hi,
Yes, she is a proud mother! Her look says it all. What a wonderful bond you have captured here. The wooden plank that goes diagonally through the shot provides a perfect balance for the shot.
Regards,
Shaeri

prumod (8300) 2007-09-20 2:18

hi subir...
daily of the poor! captured nicely.... i love the smile of the lady... child's expression also very attractive...
greetings...

smitha (360) 2007-09-20 4:27

Hello Subir,
Beautiful capture of the child and the mother. I especially liked the expressions on their faces- the mother proud and beaming and the child looking curiously ahead. The way you have diagonally composed the picture add more beauty to it.Nice colours and POV. You have provided very informative note too.Glad to see that measures are taken to protect their heritage and also encouragement is given for education. Thanks for sharing the picture,
Smitha.

riclopes (35577) 2007-09-20 10:25

Ol� Subir, great portrait of the mother and her son and superb diagonal on the composition. She looks proud indeed, looking at him and I love the way he is leaning over to see something that captured his attention - that made his faced with better light. The quality of the scan is quite good and I don't have any complains in that matter.
Best wishes,
ricardo

vincz (19113) 2007-09-22 6:12

Very interesting composition in this dark wood environment. i like the glance of the baby and how he he is wrapped in the back of the woman. Great tones.