Sri Lankan Male: Reconstruction of the Male Physique

I readily admit that many (perhaps most) of the images found in this blog are not my own.

I cannot take credit as photographer for very many of them.

The Real Men of Chennai, Edition 10
(Eds. 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1)

Male au naturel in Chennai

That does not prevent me, however, from recasting some of the images through framing, cropping or other digital effects to show the men in their best light--or shadow, as the case may be.

The images presented here are from a set of photos by aspiring Chennai bodybuilder VC Vinoth Kumar.

Credit goes to Vinoth for taking the images and sharing them on the Net. My own contribution is to reinterpret the images and present them to the wider Sri Lankan Male audience.

There's No Place Like--சென்னை--Chennai

...for finding the best that South Asia can offer in the male physique. It is an opinion I am sure I share with many.

Of most enviable physique,
bodybuilders of Chennai gather outdoors at a regional meet.

It is a color thing, really.
BLACK is so BEAUTIFUL!

Every morning in the deep woods of the concrete jungle
With my near and dear ones I sing a coarse musical,
Humans raise from their good night sleep with a frown of unpalatable
They call me ‘Crow’ and express their acerbity with a scowl...

Black is Beautiful

And so is brawn...
These MEN ARE MAGNIFICENT, seen at their brawny best!

An idol in the making, here is a man to be held in high regard.

It is both a COLOR THING and a FLESH THING--their darkened skin glistens in the rays of the sun. The mixture of sweat and the oil applied to their skin for posing creates a lustrous sheen.

Of Thomas and Vasco De Gama

The rise and rips of muscular tissue turn these ordinary men into idols upon whom the ordinary gaze--in want for their turn to achieve such levels of fitness. More still, the audience entertain the hope of getting their chance to someday hold an idol such as these within their own embrace.

A re-incarnation of the martyr Sebastian or the saint Thomas?
The men of Chennai and the rest of southern India make up the full spectrum of coffee blends, from espresso black to the light froth of the cappuccino. This all comes from a mixture of heritages: Syrian-Christian, Portuguese, Middle Eastern and native. This is the source of the beauty that is the South Indian male.

Each competitor shows off the body he has laboriously crafted.

Others wait their turn in anticipation. The men in waiting and their admirers assemble together on the grounds.

What factors go into the judges' mix of criteria?
Muscular size and tone--of course--but what about good looks, smooth skin and lustrious complexion?

Singled Out

Some stand out especially for their nicely toned physiques.

Others make the grade on the basis of both an exquisite physique and a youthfulness that betrays an enviable measure of virility.

A Cut Above the Rest

This champion (below) deserves one more adoring look at for the splendor of a perfectly formed physique and a stunning dark complexion. His look is emblematic of that Real Man of Chennai.

My choice (↑) for Man of the Meet
All of the men of Chennai are champions when represented by the likes of these.

The images in this post were obtained from a variety of sources and no claims of ownership are being made by this author. Many of the images have, however, been digitally modified for artistic purposes in accordance with the theme of this post.
	Real Man ↑ Who isn't by now sold on the notion of the REAL MEN of CHENNAI?