Thursday, January 31, 2008

Ataxia


Ataxia
Originally uploaded by Shubh M Singh
Ataxia From Greek α- (used as a negative prefix) + -τάξις (order), meaning "lack of order". It is a neurological sign and symptom consisting of gross in coordination of muscle movements. Ataxia is an aspecific clinical manifestation implying dysfunction of parts of the nervous system that coordinate movement, such as the cerebellum.

I was in Mcleodganj a couple of days back for a weekend trip and beyond the usual irritations, the weather was fine, the back was holding up and life seemed good. Even photography did not seem important, life did for a change. And it did not look fantastic. Not all of it anyway.
I was sitting in the bright sunshine one afternoon at the tshuglagkhang or the main temple, and watching the bands that the shadows on the railings made on the floor. The 1000 prostrations lady carried on as usual, gave me a glare to make sure that I do not photograph her and Mcleodganj looked again the place where everything seems right with the world.
Then this guy walked by, beat up, rundown, staggering gait and beyond the obvious ataxia lay a story, heroic maybe, a walk across the Himalayas maybe. Or was it just too much booze?
The next time he walked across, I knew he would be back to make some more circumambulations.
And the next time, i was ready and i took his picture.
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