I couldn’t help but ask about this photograph. I studied with these lovely men and was curious to know what brought them together on a boat on a balmy evening. Here’s what one of them told me about this get-together:
We meet once a year and talk about college festivals, old teachers, outlets we frequented decades ago—like Harris’s eatery, Sugam Soft Drink Centre, Chettiyar’s shop where we enjoyed the best rice crepes. We also talk about globalization, and how some of our favorite places are being replaced by ones that don’t seem as welcoming. Needless to say, we drink too to get the conversation going!
This particular photograph was taken at Kumarakom, a village on Lake Vembanad in the backwaters of Kerala in South India. We missed a friend who couldn’t make it; the five of us were a close-knit group in college.
The setting sun and the company of friends—what more could a man want?
Here’s to male friendships and the glory of the setting sun!
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Photo: Sreenath Ramakrishnan