Beauty is Skin Deep

A Photographic Essay by  Krishnanand Kamat 
First Online: August 06, 2002 
Page Last Updated: June 13, 2013

The Handicapped Children of Melukote

In the year 1983, my father visited the home of Mr. and Mrs. Koulagi in the town of Melukote (a.k.a. Melkote) of  Karnataka and discovered that the couple cared for a number of handicapped children in their home. The Koulagis were not very wealthy, but the entire family (and the adopted children) pitched-in for the daily errands in a way that my father would remember forever. A boy without hands, washing clothes with his foot, children walking on their hands, because they had no feet, disabled children playing Cricket are some of the most memorable images from our collection. The stills are very inspiring, and every time we run into them, my father would exclaim "beauty that we know is skin-deep; the real human beauty is inside!"

Update: In the year 2007, by chance I met Mr. and Mrs. Koulagi at Melkote, and I happened to have this images with me. The Koulagis were delighted to see these pictures -- for us they are just beautiful pictures, but for the Koulagis these were pictures of their children! They named each child and informed me of their whereabouts -- many were no more.

-Vikas Kamat

On the Four Handicapped Boy walks on all his four limbs. The town of Melukote.

Handicapped Boy Cleaning Washing Stone Melukode

On All the Fours Handicapped Boy at Melukote Home

Handicapped Children Studying The hostel of Jana Seva Trust, Melukote

The One Legged Washing Machine A handicap boy washes buckets at the Melukote home for the disabled

See Also:

• The Children of India - Photo Exhibition
• Children of Asphalt -- Population experts are worried about the children of India. Not them! Pictures of happy children growing up on the streets of India.
• Town of Melkote

Kamat's Potpourri Timeless Theater People of India Children