Category: Photography

A Moment of Contemplation

Still in Behrang, I walked into a vintage Indian grocery shop to get a soda. Met a friendly and sweet old lady there. She’s the proprietor, is in her seventies and operates the shop by herself.

The surroundings seemed deserted and she appeared delighted to see a new customer. Delighted not so much for the sale but for a chance to talk, I guess.

After the initial chat, I asked if I can photograph her as we speak and she agreed. Glad I asked because she was very natural in front of the camera. Depending on the subject we broached on, her facial expressions changed quickly from that of amusement, fear, excitement to sadness.

We spoke about the decline of Behrang town, the floods that hit her shop and life in a small town. I asked about her children. She turned her eyes away and paused for a little contemplation.

With a heavy sigh, she explained they left for the city a long time ago and no longer stay in touch.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 1600, f4, 1/250 sec.

Thinking About Life

At a coffee shop in Behrang, two polite gentlemen asked to share my table. We introduced ourselves, chatted and ended up becoming friends; exchanging phone numbers and all. They even invited me to their village to eat durians.

They are Orang Asli of the Semai tribe (aboriginal people) from nearby Kuala Slim. Sal (left) was busy writing lottery numbers to place bets on. I asked him if I can go to his village to ask for lottery numbers from the tree spirits. The Orang Asli are traditionally animists.

Mon (right) told me to drink up and the numbers will come. Haha. The Cap Rusa (Deer Brand) Chinese ‘Rose Road’ herbal liquor is potent stuff with alcohol content stated as 20%. Not clear if it is measured by proof or volume.

At extreme left, is waitress Vivian originally from Surabaya in Indonesia. It was her cooking that lured me into this shop. I caught whiffs of enticing ‘mee hoon kueh’ boiling when I was on the street outside.

Such wonderful and friendly people, all of them. Listening to their life struggles, stories and beliefs is humbling and enriching at the same time.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 2000, f4, 1/60 sec.

The Quintessential Small Town Coffee Shop

A sepia rendition of an old kopitiam in Main Street, Behrang. This is a typical coffee shop found on many one-street towns along the ‘old road’ or Federal Route 1.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f6.3, 1/250 sec.

Behrang The Unlikely Fishing Town

Life’s a beach when the nearest beach is some 100 kilometers away. Behrang, as I was to find out, is an angler’s paradise. Assorted fishing hobbyists, from near and far, congregate here before fishing at the nearby confluence of tributaries.

The principal river, Sungai Bernam, flows from Mount Liang Timur on the Titiwangsa Main Range to the Straits of Malacca . Upstream, at the mountain peak, is also the point where the borders of the three states of Pahang, Perak and Selangor meet.

A local ‘bait and tackle’ shop worker told me the prized catch here are Pak So Kung (Ikan Baung or Mystus catfish), Ikan Kelah (Mahseer) and Temoleh (Jullien’s Carp).

The catch must be so good to make people buy a RM 800 boat on location. It is nice to see a leisure activity drawing business to eateries and other shops in this forgotten town.

Sony Alpha a7R, ISO 100, f8, 1/250 sec.