101 Moments

Delhi Traditions: In the fog

2010-01-25T21:27:00.000-08:00

60 years of tradition says the morning of 26th January in Delhi will be either wet and cold or foggy. Just to make the Republic Day parade a cold, damp affair. Then as the parade ends, around mid-day, so too will the weather improve. Becoming bright and sunny by afternoon.

Well, the fogs here. after two lovely bright clear mornings. That's the lamppost about 50 yards across the road from my balcony. The houses and park behind are just slightly darker whispers of reality. Almost not there at all.

Now waiting for the sun...
Happy Republic Day folks :-)

The joys of a custom built Calendar

2010-01-14T08:19:00.000-08:00

Across northern India each season is harsh and extreme.
Summers are hot and long. Monsoons sultry and very wet. While winters (my choice for worst time of the year) are bone chillingly cold. Its pretty much a fight to somehow see through each phase of the year.

(The magestic Surya at the City Palace, Udaipur)

Luckily we have the Hindu Solar calendar for solace.
It's like having a a custom built coat. Snug where it should fit, yet loose and comfortable when u reach your arm out. The Hindu Calendar, created centuries ago, fits the changing north Indian weather as beautifully.

Yesterday was grey and cold. A miserable dark day in a string of many dark grey day. Yet in the evening people sat out around bon-fires. Celebrating Lohri. The end of winter.

The end of winter? No way! Specially when today dawned really foggy.

Then the change came by noon. It had too. Because today was Makar Shankranti, the day the sun moves into Capricorn. The winter grey had to go. And it went. Leaving us a beautiful sun lit afternoon.

:-) Warmth and light returns.
Happy Lohri People! Happy Makar Shankranti!!

Dilli mein Hauz Khas (Hauz Khas in Delhi)

2010-01-07T08:28:00.000-08:00

In the heart of what is now a upmarket residential colony and art boutiques is a large park with forests, rose gardens, a deer park and some medieval ruins. 'Hauz Khas' or the special water reservoir.
In the dark winter evening, the water tank with it's fallen trees and ducks looked far away from anything urban...

For me, this is one of the reasons why I love Delhi. It's many layers of history, present and different destinies for the future.

This water tank is one which inspires hope. As the residential colony and markets grew, the inlets to the reservoir were blocked and the lake dried up. Then in 2004 as the cities water levels sank alarmingly plans were made to revive the lost water storage systems. The Hauz (reservoir)came alive again, storm water generated at the southern ridge of Delhi behind an embankment was diverted into the lake. Other water sources were developed.

Hauz Khas ... Khas (special)also for the hope there will be other projects like this successfully implemented.

More about Hauz Khas on Wikipedia

Photography details: Carry a tripod and a torch. Tripod to hold the camera steady in low light. Torch to stay steady on your course as there are steps to climb along the way.

WOW! The new National Gallery of Modern Art, Delhi

2009-10-30T00:22:00.000-07:00

Ok I'm way late in checking out the new wing at the NGMA, Delhi. It was inaugurated much earlier in the year and yesterday was my first visit. Surprised is not the word.. proud would be more apt. The building spread across multiple floors, with lavish use of space, finally does justice to the Gallery's extensive collection and the wealth of Indian art.

It's fully disable-friendly (a rare feature in India), well lit and well catalogued. I do so like comprehensive info readily available right next to each art work!

Nicely too the warmth of the old staff remains. Another visit is due and another and another :-)

Now the reason why I actually made the trek from Gurgaon to India Gate (took me two an a half hours first by car to Dwarka , then an hour in the Metro to Central Secretariat and finally an hour's dusty walk from one end of Raj path to the other) was to see the exhibition "European Traveller Artists" put up in collaboration with the V&A, London.

The paintings were delightful. Some well known old friends by William Carpenter and the Daniels and lots of new ones to admire.Comprehensively catalogued as well. Nice little descriptions for each. Surprisingly with such frequent typos I think perhaps it was a new fanged style statement!! lol

Not whats expected from the NGMA, the V&A or the British Council that sponsored it.

My recommendations: Definitely go see it if you're in Delhi or read up more at
http://ngmaindia.gov.in/sh-european-india.asp

Photography tip: none really. The one photograph I did take (above) was discreet with my camera phone and I oh-so-do-not condone a flash being used in museums. Paintings are best experienced in original :-)
I do have an earlier photograph of the building taken from outside...

7 days in Ladakh: Tso Moriri

2009-10-12T10:35:00.000-07:00

Very isolated. Very basic, Very beautiful.

That's Tso Moriri.

If nomads call any place home, for Ladakhi nomads it would be the wild open spaces around this lake. We got there at September end, when the wild grass was already golden. Large herds of sheep, goats, yaks and horses quickly munching away as much as they can before the snows come down.

(a pretty lake along the way shunned by locals for it's 'rotten water')

Getting to the lake is not a problem. A pleasant drive from Leh on a very pretty almost empty road along the Indus, that is till the last 20 kilometers. When the 'road' is tyre marks from the previous vehicle across open grasslands or stones.

(Golden Marmots are easy to spot right on the roadside)

Accomodation is however extremely basic. Our original booking almost made us head back to Leh immediately. Luckily we managed to get two cottages at a newly opened tent and cottage setup instead.

(Livestock has right of way pretty much all the time)

As the sun disappeared behind the western mountains, the cold winds made being outdoors almost impossible. Sunset photography was through the windscreen of our Qualis.

Don't know what it was that made the sky alight in rosy bands. That too behind the eastern mountains.

:-) Very strange. Very un-understandable. Very stunning
That's Tso Moriri.

Photography tip: Select a comfortable spot where you can wait however long it takes to get your shots. If with non-photographer companions carry snacks and drinks to keep them happy as you wait!

Best Buy Souvenir: The 101 Moments CD Ladakh, endless discoveries containing interactive tours of this beautiful land. The CD is available online and through select bookstores.

Back to Ladakh

2009-09-22T06:17:00.000-07:00

I'm off for a week's holiday in Ladakh. Taking my mum and sister to see why I loved it so much :-) AND I get to visit Nubra Valley and Tso Moriri which I missed last time. PLUS we're flying this time so hope to get some good shots of the Himalayas. All in all lots to look forward to.

Maybe the personal quest for peace will find some solace there in the mountains and the monasteries as well :-)

On the photography front, this time I'm much better kitted out. A better camera, and finally a Manfrotto tripod. Talking about tripods, what expensive beasts they are! But better an expensive one than a cheap Chinese product that disintegrated into it's various screws and plastic bits after just about 4 months and one airline trip.
Most people specially beginners make the mistake of saving on this essential piece of equipment. I know I did and learnt my lesson :-)

Dear Mr Man-Frotto, don't let me down!

Freedom and an activity called democracy

2009-08-14T20:52:00.000-07:00

Rashtrapati Bhawan, New Delhi

62 years since independence. 62 years of a democracy.
Has there every been a democracy like this ever before in the history of humans? Seeking to find a common denominator across people so diverse? In this diversity we are best compared to the European Union, however in voting numbers the Indian electorate is more than double, in other resources maybe half.

It's easy to find fault with just about everything Indian. The politicians, the bureaucracy, the rich and their attitudes, the middle classes and their attitudes and even the poor and their attitudes!

In all this whining and moaning however we know for sure our democracy has succeeded. Unlike other countries who gained sovereignty at around the same time as us, we take for granted an apolitical military, an election commission that has held 15 general elections and a political system that has not denied this right to be tested by the people.

When China or Pakistan plots to divide us by creating dissent, perhaps it does not realise that it's this right to dissent that we hold dear. It is this freedom to voice our views at any gathering that is the true unity that ties India together.

Long live freedom and many voices voicing out their many views.
Happy Independence Day. :-)

Photography tip: Late evenings make for interesting 'night' photographs when the sky has some colour but the lights are on as well.

Lake Palace floats again

2009-07-30T02:34:00.000-07:00

Lake Palace, Udaipur this morning

The summer was long this year. Lake Pichola, the soul of Udaipur city rapidly lost water.

Normal everyday life continued. Births and marriages, exams and business deals. Marble was quarried, cut and carved. Puppets were made, fabric embroidered.

But there was little water in the lake and that reflected in the eyes of every local. Rare is a city so united. So in tune with it's environs.

Then on Hariyali Amavasya, (the moonless night of the Shravan month), which marks the beginning of the monsoons, it rained!
Water flowed down the mountains through the rivers and poured into the lake. A collective sigh sounded across the city.

All boats headed towards Jagmandir, a palace on the Lake Pichola, Udaipur this morning

Pichola fills, Jagmandir and Lake Palace float again. The western windows of the City Palace offer their timeless views of blue waters and green mountains

God's in his heaven and water's in the lake.

Lake Palace and the City Palace complex, from Jagmandir

Visit Udaipur, the world's top destination, this year for your personal moments of bliss.

Photography tip: Sometimes the light quality is bad but if the shot tells a story, it's well worth clicking anyway.

Best Buy Souvenir: The 101 Moments CD Udaipur, a city unforgettable containing interactive tours of this beautiful land. The CD is available online and through select bookstores.

The journey

2009-07-27T11:07:00.000-07:00

Finally the rains came down in Delhi in the afternoon. After we had all joked about the accuracy of met office rain predictions and the clear skies since morning.

Arrived at the swanky new Delhi airport much earlier then normal. Was keeping additional time since I'd been warned, chaos now rules there like never before. I found it to be quite organised, though still way too small for the years to come.

Then just as my flight was announced the rain too started. In a solid downpour that somehow reached the boarding gates ensuring no one left the building without getting wet.

What use swankiness when it cant even ensure safe, dry and easy transit of passengers from the building to the plane? My luggage too got wet. (It hangs to dry in my room now)

Once in the plane, as we lift off, the small ATR struggled bravely to fly out above the cloud cover. In places where there were gaps in the clouds, the green landscape below seemed like some magic land from a fairy tale.

Finally we were through. Flying above grey clouds under a blue sky.
Took some interesting lessons in photographing the propellers at slow speeds. And so all the way to Udaipur. Well taken care of by the Jet Airlines staff.

At Udaipur the recently installed statue of Maharana Pratap.

Now tomorrow is a working day

Photography tip: Slow shutter speeds are great for fast moving objects.

Best Buy Souvenir: The 101 Moments CD Udaipur, a city unforgettable containing interactive tours of this beautiful land. The CD is available online and through select bookstores.

Oh Udaipur

2009-07-19T08:54:00.000-07:00

delicate at sunrise

Going to Udaipur tomorrow for a couple of days. Excited!
Even though I get an opportunity to travel there fairly regular., each visit brings a sense of wonder. An mesmerising new play of light.

No wonder the city enchants everyone who visits. And got voted top destination in the World's Best awards '09 by Travel +Leisure magazine.
It would get my vote pretty much every year. But then I'm biased! :-)

dramatic at sunset

Photography tip: Don't be rushed. They say the Taj Mahal changes it's mood every hour of the day. So it is with the beautiful white palaces and blue lakes of Udaipur.

Best Buy Souvenir: The 101 Moments CD Udaipur, a city unforgettable containing interactive tours of this beautiful land. The CD is available online and through select bookstores.

Hello Nano

2009-03-23T21:57:00.000-07:00

In true bollywood style, but is she a hero or a villain?

From the January 2008 prototype to the big launch yesterday. The Nano story is truely 'filmy'.

At the AutoExpo 2008, she was the darling of the crowds. Later in the year she achieved even greater histrionics. With two waring political parties fighting over her. Much like an arranged marriage proposal. The great Bengal bhadralok family first accepted the match, then when evil scheming auntie made a scene, cast her aside.

Finally little Nano went on to earn a fallen hero position for her fond daddy, the company chairman, when he endorsed the villainous Gujarat chief minister.

From start, the debate has been on the environmental / urban planning /traffic safety impact. Now with her entry into the 'real world'. Where potholes will count, flyovers will challenge, the arguments will hot up, as her effect is seen on the roads.

Finally it's the aam janta, the Indian public that will decide her box office fate.

Photography: at Auto Expo 2008, New Delhi

Birds birds birds

2009-02-27T04:34:00.000-08:00

The last month was excitingly different. A group of us, all interested in photography made two trips to the Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary. With it's easy proximity to Delhi, it was much simpler getting there for a day outing than the more famous Bharatpur.

Photographying birds is tough on all counts.
1. They stay away
2. Move fast and randomly
3. Most of their activities happen at times when the light is poor

To add to this, in Sultanpur unfortunately the walkways were not well planned for photography. The birds were always between us and the sun.
My 300mm zoom was made to work hard yet most times all I got was a blur.

Photography lessons learn't: Set the shutter speed to 1/1000 sec or more. apperture closed as much as possible at that speed. Focus manually to infinity then track the birds as they move and shoot. Hopefully the large DOF will ensure the birds in focus and the high shutter speed will prevent blurring.
Problem with this was that the ISO had to be maxed up .. and that made the images grainy

Some other solution had to be found...

And the singer sang his merry song

2009-02-10T07:41:00.000-08:00

The annual Suraj Kund Crafts Mela

Yesterday we went to the annual Suraj Kund Crafts Mela. Mum, my sister and I. We thought we were being smart bunking on a Monday afternoon. If we were, the crowds must have been phenomenal over the weekend!

When I took out my camera after a few minutes, I was deserted by my loving parent and sibling. (Photographers are not fun company. :-) ) Which left me free to crawl my way right to the front through the crowds around this merry gentleman and his pretty crazy group of performers.

The drum he used was simple. A flat wooden bowl, even cracked almost across. His fingers had these big joints, knobbled by the intensity of the force he beats the drum with.

His eyes blazed an amazing shine. Well matched to his ultra bright costume and strong rhythmic music.

Photography tip: In crowds, a shallow dof will isolate your subject and blur out distracting backgrounds.

For more about the Suraj Kund mela Read up here

Yantra Mantra: a modern experience of a medieval marvel

2009-01-24T21:25:00.001-08:00

Invite: Yantra Mantra: Windmill Gallery
Originally uploaded by IndiPix Images / Sanjay Nanda

Yesterday I went to see an exhibition of works by Delhi photographer Sanjay Nanda. He'd been spending time exploring the medieval observatory, the Jantar Mantar, as it's more popularly known, in the heart of Delhi.

Sanjay saw it differently then most of us do. While we see the hugh strangely shaped buildings the exhibition shares Sanjay's discovery of a world of textures and colours.

The Exhibition is on till February 14th at Windmill Gallery. Windmill Gallery, Windmill Place, Ayanagar Village, New Delhi

The venue is a lovely building set in one of Delhi's many villages. Where as we chatted the neighbours geese provided an interesting soundtrack and when I strolled out to my car I saw not one but two mongoose. :-D
I wish I'd carried my camera with me!!

Jantar Mantar Observatory, New Delhi, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, India
Originally uploaded by thepooldiariesvisuals

Jantar Mantar Observatory,
New Delhi, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, India
by Thepooldiariesvisual S on Flickr

Remembering Dirty Happy Wild

2008-11-06T01:18:00.000-08:00

He lived on the street. Much beloved of the neighborhood.
Then he got scabies and a viral infection
The local animal shelter tried to treat him to no avail

Sheer brilliance

2008-10-08T20:47:00.000-07:00

Straying away from my normal posts here. Sitting far away from the USA I'm pretty unaffected by the elections there. Except for the highly entertaining news stories that float over the globe

This marketing gimmick though is brilliant.
I quote from the Logobama site
"Logobama, a place for you to create your own custom Obama logo and use it wherever you want. As Obama says, “we are the change we have been waiting for.” That’s what Obama is representing... someone who wants all of us to participate in changing the world. And together, we can make this change, one logo at a time."

Will Mr Obama be a good president or not? I don't know.
That his tenure will be highly entertaining and we'll all learn a lot of marketing, branding lessons from him ... guaranteed :-)

want your own logo? Go here

Lunar musings

2008-09-15T04:56:00.000-07:00

Now that the monsoons are over and the skies washed clean each moonrise is rather special. Specially a full moon.

This pretty pink moon was shyly tip toeing between the clouds, well aware that she was being photographed from my window :-)

And as I read up on the moon I came across an interesting site that even gave tips on how to tend to your garden based on lunar phases ....Sow when new, transplant when full.
Something to do with how sap rises and water levels

A lot of festivals in India are based on the lunar calendar. It cuts across faiths... Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh... Muslim.

I wonder what it would have been like if the earth too had many moons. Would our loyalties be divided?
This is the Hindu Moon ... follow it's path.
This is our Muslim moon... all you faithful keep track of it's phases!

....how rather sad that sounds

Photography tip: Keep the aperture wide open, then experiment with shutter speeds. Expose well below the reading your camera gives to get the details on the moon.
Do I need to say you'll need a tripod or some other support?

Intrigued by Lunar gardens? Read up here

Varanasi: a slideshow

2008-09-13T23:17:00.000-07:00

Here's a recent slideshow of one day in Varanasi. It traces a day in the immortal city from sunrise to night fall...
Click on the photograph above to view show. It will open in new window

If you want a copy of this Photo show, leave me a line and I'll be happy to mail it to you :-)

An ageless recipe

2008-09-10T22:29:00.000-07:00

When things are really tough.. the tough get going.
And when this young man got going he reached a busy crossroad... literally

On a traffic light on the edge of Delhi he found an opportunity to establish a business. As cars stopped for the signal, he offered the travellers some of the latest bestsellers. A varied selection of topics and tastes, attractively displayed on his outstretched arms to show each product he had on offer clearly and boldly.

Can he read what he sells? .. No. Though he does know how to keep his accounts in hindi.

And he knows businessmen lounging on the back seat of their Lexus might be interested in the John Grishim. they don't need the self-help books. Self-help books are more for the young man in a beaten up Mariti Alto or Santro.
And for the ladies in their Santros and Swifts, Sun-Signs are an eternal favourite.

He has 2 minutes to make his sale before the traffic light changes and the other side of the road is not his territory. But if you're really interested he'll race along with your car to the opposite side to complete his sale.

He earns 10-15 rupees for each book he sells and sells about 20 on a good day.

The books are cheap pirated copies, an equally non-english speaking man will supply him late in the evening. Inventory maintained is minimum. Accounts all purely memory and word of mouth.

In a world of intellectual copyright he's a criminal.
In the harsh world of 'living' .. maybe not
And his hard work in the baking sun... an ageless recipe for success

Night out in Varanasi

2008-09-03T20:58:00.001-07:00

By the time the sun sets in Varanasi all roads lead to ghats once again.
This time it's for the most happening event in Varanasi's night life... the Ganga aarti on Dashashvamedh Ghat.

Crowds gather. A colourful, excited, eclectic mixture of locals, domestic and foreign tourists.

The steps leading to the ghat become the 'stands' while on the last step stand a row of young priests in bright yellow silk kutas. In carefully orchestrated moves they swing into the rituals of the aarti.

The Aarti is an offering of thanks to the river. The most scared according to the Hindus. The ceremony honours the 5 elements Akash (space), Vayu (air), Tej (light), Jal (water) and Prithvi (earth).

Tourism has perhaps diluted the purity of ritual and sentiment. On the other hand it's lead to greater cleanliness around the ghats and economic welbeing for the city dwellers who live off them.

The health and well being of this beautiful river is unfortunately still under grave threat.

Photography tip: Avoid using the flash to capture the true ambiance of the ceremony.

Best Buy Souvenir: Copper pots containing the holy Ganga jal, Colourful kurtas printed with traditional vedic chants, beautifully delicate Benarasi sarees

Some moments from 101 Moments

Another sunrise in the Immortal City

2008-09-02T11:46:00.000-07:00

Kashi, Benaras, Varanasi... a city with many names

One of the 'things to do' when in Varanasi is to catch the sunrise on the river Ganga.

The whole river front is alive much before first light. Boatmen getting their boats ready for the daily groups of tourists. Shop keepers with their chai ready for locals and visitors. And little kids selling flowers and diyas.

The glorious sun is worth the effort of having got up so early.

Photography tip: A nice quiet spot on the ghats is often better to shoot from then the rocking boats.

Best Buy Souvenir: Copper pots containing the holy Ganga jal, Colourful kurtas printed with traditional vedic chants

Some moments from 101 Moments

A shrine in every view

2007-10-25T03:32:00.001-07:00

The Chortens of Ladakh

(Chortens near Stok Palace)

Small stupas housing holy relics either of the Buddha himself or a learned monk., Chortens are predominantly a feature of Tibetan Buddhism. In Ladakh you can see them scattered all over the countryside. Often with people happily living in houses that share a common wall with a chorten.

(An imposing example at the Changla Pass. Still venerated)

Shapes and sizes of Chortens varies from a humble four-brick structure simply whitewashed, (or not even that), to large imposing ones with multicolour decorations embossed on them and golden spires.

(Chortens field near Shey Gompa)

A short distance from Leh, near the monastery at Shey is what might possibly be the largest collection of Chortens in one place. Literarly hundreds of them spread across a large otherwise barren ground. These are very old constructions, many just crumbling mounds of mud.

Photography tip:Reach here late in the afternoon to get them looking their best as the sunlight turns golden before evening falls.

Best Buy Souvenir: The 101 Moments CD Ladakh, endless discoveries containing interactive tours of this beautiful land. The CD is available online and through select bookstores.

Waiting for Polo

2007-10-21T09:38:00.000-07:00

Chandani (Moonlight) graces the stables at the Shikarbadi Stables in Udaipur. Part of the Polo team, she waits the long summer out till it's winter again. That's when the Polo season is on in North/Western India and she can run with the others in an exciting match.

Polo came to India with the Mughals but got it's real form and popularity from the British Tea Planters. Then Indian royals with their passion for horses and champion horsemanship took it up speedily from there.
After Independence the Indian Army, specially the 61st Cavalry, continued the Polo tradition, keeping the game alive through periods when the royal families were in a decline and could not afford the expensive sport.

Today the Polo season spans from September to April. The teams belong to the Army, corporate houses, erstwhile royal families and also individuals with a passion for the sport.

Photography tip: Give the animals time to get used to your presence before you start clicking.

Best Buy Souvenir: The 101 Moments CD Udaipur, a city unforgettable containing interactive tours of this beautiful land. The CD is available online and through select bookstores.

Purifying with incense

2007-10-13T23:50:00.000-07:00

After the house has been cleaned and the morning bath before I sit to work I light some incense in the centre of my home.
For most Indians it's part of their daily worship. In shops and offices even in taxis and auto-rickshaws, the owners will light the customary incense stick, quickly mumble their morning prayer and only then, get started at work.

A moment from 101 Moments