COIMBATORE: Tra Arunthavaselvan cross-checked pugmarks again and stood at Sathymangalam Tiger Reserve, waiting for the shy civet cat to show up. Everything was in place - a perfect camouflage using plants, artificially spread soil, serene moonlight, and an accurate aperture. It was a long wait. Twelve days later, this shutterbug finally caught the animal on camera, engraving an unforgettable day in his photography career.
For Thuckanaickenpalayam Ramasamy Andavan Arunthavaselvan, popularly known as TRA Arunthavaselvan, one’s love for photography cannot be confined to age barriers. At 74, this veteran wildlife photographer (one of the oldest wildlife photographers in Tamil Nadu) finds solace in clicking pictures of birds, reptiles, and insects, spending more time with nature.
While most wildlife photographers often have a story to share about what inspired their entry into the world of photographs, Arunthavaselvan somehow missed that gateway. His motivation has always been a sheer interest in capturing moments, and after getting a camera from his cousin, while in Class 9, this diligent worker got hold of his first tool.
Growing up in an agrarian family from Thuckanaickenpalayam village near Sathyamangalam, Arunthavaselvan had plenty of opportunities to observe birds and animals keenly. “During school days, I used to draw pictures of elephants and birds, and my interest later extended to photography. Subsequently, I started taking pictures of black-naped hares in Chettipalayam near Podanur. In 1965, I went to Mudumalai with my friends, and that’s when my camera captured a wild elephant for the first time,” said Arunthavaselvan, who went on to purchase a second-hand SLR camera from an Army man later.
“With the SLR camera, I took a black-and-white photograph of two goats, facing each other, ahead of engaging in a fight near the Maruthamalai temple hill. The picture got me first prize in a photography competition conducted by a Mumbai-based company,” recalled Arunthavaselvan, who has now completed over 55 years in this field.
After finishing Class 12 at Mani Higher Secondary School, Arunthavaselvan went on to pursue a BA in Politics at Government Arts College, Coimbatore in 1972. He began visiting forests in Karnataka along with TNA Perumal, a wildlife photographer, and learnt the nuances of clicking pictures of insects from another photographer K Jayaram.
“I was a regular visitor at the photographers’ club, where I learned about competitions. I won first place for a barn owl photo and an international award for a Brahminy Kite picture. But those were just stepping stones. Now, my latest photo? A scorpion, its pincers gripping a centipede, the struggle frozen forever. That’s what I call a masterpiece,” said the septuagenarian.
He uses his photography to teach students about the importance of protecting wildlife. “I will be happy if school or college students will become involved in taking wildlife pictures in the future,” he says. He encourages them to learn about wildlife behaviour using photography to advocate for the environment. He adds, “I am spreading awareness for school and college students about wildlife behaviour and how forest flora and fauna play an important role in essential requirements of water and fresh air, etc to the human beings who live outside the forest.”
So far, he has clicked pictures of as many as 530 bird species by travelling through forests across the country and bagged over 175 awards from various government and private organisations. Unlike colour photography, he says, one ought to be extra careful while taking pictures in black and white due to the use of limited exposure and shutter speed.
At present, he is meticulously engaged in writing articles about wildlife in Sangam Literature for various magazines like Sanctuary Asia, Hornbill, Better Photography, Best Photography Today, Diary On The Nesting Behaviour of Indian Birds, and others, appealing to young photographers to acquire knowledge about the behaviour of the birds, big cats, reptiles, and wild elephants before venturing into the forest.
He was one of the top 10 wildlife photographers winning cheers at the national-level photography competition organised by the India International Photography Council (IIPC), for six consecutive years (2001-06).
If not with a camera, Kunderpallam villagers often spot Arunthavadelvan rescuing and releasing snake birds and raptors, which get caught in fishing nets and fences installed by farmers to protect their crops from wild boar menace. As someone who wishes to blend with nature, this veteran photographer never misses an opportunity to befriend the avian species and capture their beauty through his camera lens, without disturbing their peace.
(Edited by Arya AJ)
