The feet of India

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“And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare feet and the winds long to play with your hair”. – Khalil Gibran 

For some reason, when I was in India I became rather obsessed with photographing feet. Feet were everywhere and on full display. Perhaps it was the insanely high temperatures that scorched the skin like fire that lead so many to simply remove their shoes. Or else the Indian custom of removing ones shoes before entering a building or a temple, which unveiled so many glorious, diverse bare feet. Whatever the reason, I became mesmerized by all the variations of beautiful feet I saw in one of the most fascinating countries in the world.

Here are my feet sweltering on the burning carpets leading to a temple. It was 120 degrees out and the pain to walk barefoot on this rug was real. Yet I had to take a photo to remember how it felt.

For me, feet are mysterious and similar to a puzzle. Feet offer a small yet insightful look into the personality and individuality of a stranger yet continually stirs the imagination to keep wandering who that person really is. A pure mystery that bewitches us.

“But I, being poor, have only my dreams; I have spread my dreams under your feet; Tread softly because you tread on my dreams”. – William Butler Yeats 

“Heaven is under our feet as well as over our heads”. – Henry David Thoreau  

“Where we love is home – home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts”. – Oliver Wendell Holmes 

 

“Keep your eyes on the stars, and your feet on the ground”. – Theodore Roosevelt 

Oh the feet of the future are so beautiful and full of hope.

22 thoughts on “The feet of India”

    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks! 🙂

      Reply ↓
  2. loca4motion – Phuket, Thailand – Travel feeds my soul. The kick of living in foreign cultures keeps me awake. Photography, writing and the great outdoors are my passions.
    loca4motion on said:

    Beautiful feet photos and quotes, Nicole! I especially love the Khalil Gibran quote. I too, love photographing feet!

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    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks Lucy! I wish I had more time there to take pictures. It was such a short trip only five days in country and packed with meetings. No wonder it took me so long to adjust to jet lag. I am finally feeling normal again. A little too much travel the past six weeks!

      Reply ↓
      • loca4motion – Phuket, Thailand – Travel feeds my soul. The kick of living in foreign cultures keeps me awake. Photography, writing and the great outdoors are my passions.
        loca4motion on said:

        Five days isn’t long that’s for sure and it looks like you were very busy. When I came back to Thailand it took me a long while to get over jet lag too. I hope you get to relax for a while now Nicole and enjoy being with your kids.

      • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
        thirdeyemom on said:

        Thanks Lucy! I will. But you know me…I like to move! 🙂

  3. The Wanderlust Gene – Sixtyish female, no attachments. Have been visiting and living in Paradise - Sri Lanka - for twenty years, but now it's almost time to go home to Australia.
    The Wanderlust Gene on said:

    Oh, the agony of walking bare foot to the temple! it never gets as hot here, thank goodness, but we never have carpet. Sand, if we’re lucky, rock if not … I look at feet (and hands!), but rarely shoot them – this is super Nicole, especially the woman in white. 🙂

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    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks! Yes it was so insanely hot there and the barefoot walking was the tipping point. My feet just burned so bad. I have never been in such heat before. I’ve been in Arizona in the summer but it just didn’t feel as bad as India.

      Reply ↓

  4. YIKES! I can relate your experience walking on the mat to walking barefoot on our black sand beach. It really is agonizing. I love your perspective of feet! The painted feet are gorgeous. Imagine the time it takes to do that. I wonder how long the paint lasts before they have to be repainted.

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    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Yes, those feet have henna on them. I got it done while I was in Morocco and it lasts on the skin for almost a month! Beautiful isn’t it.

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  5. annesture – Victoria BC – I am a psychodynamic therapist, have a bachelor degree in psychomotoric therapy and I am trained as a gourmet chef. Inspiring balanced living is my mission.
    annesturetucker on said:

    Beautiful post Nicole _ love your thoughts on feet and the beautiful photos of them 🙂

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks Anne!

      Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks! That is the best part of traveling with someone isn’t it. I’ve thought the same of many of your photos too Jennifer! 🙂

      Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      🙂

      Reply ↓
  8. anotherjennifer – Brunswick, Maine – Jennifer Iacovelli is an author, blogger and nonprofit unicorn. Based in Brunswick, Maine, she’s a proud single mom of two boys and two Siberian huskies. Her books include The Mother Of All Meltdowns and Simple Giving: Easy Ways to Give Every Day. Her work has been featured on HuffPost Divorce, Maria Shriver, GOOD, BlogHer, ONE, USAID Impact, Feed the Future, PSI Impact blog and more. Her passions are writing, philanthropy, her awesome kids, bacon and lifting heavy objects, though not necessarily in that order.
    anotherjennifer on said:

    Love this perspective. So fun. The photos are great.

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks Jennifer! 🙂

      Reply ↓

  9. a creative point of view!
    (we are always bare feet at home!)

    Reply ↓
    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks! It was so hot there that the poor feet burned against the stone but I view of all the bare feet. I love to go barefooted in the summertime!

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    • thirdeyemom – Writer, traveler, hiker and global humanitarian traveling the world and doing good. Member of Impact Travel Alliance Media Network. 40+ countries and still wandering sharing my journey along the way.
      thirdeyemom on said:

      Thanks!

      Reply ↓

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