My Flickr Pictures...

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You are welcome at Chai Ki Dukaan

Monday, December 29, 2008

Milwaukee Diaries : Benches in a Park

Knee Deep Snow and a sunny day, perfect for walking around and feeling the chill in the air !

Friday, December 26, 2008

My Life is a Glass wall !

The people in it are the water drops on it...

Everyone has their own space in it,
Everyone stays and goes, some longer and some for short times,
Some evaporate and some trickle down,
While all of this happens life stays !

Monday, December 22, 2008

Every smile I see

adds a few minutes to my life !

She was the elder daughter of our boatman in Vrindavan...

p.s. need B/W conversion tips, lessons. Please feel free to rubbish this photo if need be, however do tell me how you feel the presentation can be improved

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Friday, December 19, 2008

I was just wondering !!!

If its ok to look at myself with just one open eye

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Having Fun...

doing what I do is on the top of my list these days !!!

Saturday, December 13, 2008

One Of Us...

Its easier to be with people when you don't behave like an outsider !

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

K(not)

At times a stronger rope is NOT what we need,
What we need is a stronger knot !

Thursday, December 04, 2008

Chail Bihari

He manages a small space where people can park their vehicles near the Ghats in Vrindavan.. is dressed in Khakis with a whistle to help people park !

Another one of the happy souls that I met on my roadtrip !

p.s. I think the image is darker than I would like it to be, but any more light and the parts on his face would feel burnt... Help please !

Monday, December 01, 2008

KrishnaKant

Happy in his own world, people like Krishnakant force one to think if the things they are running after day and night are really worth it or not... The more I meet people, the more satisfaction and happiness I see at various levels.

Had a strong urge to do the usual presentation here, but it would have taken the Chandan (Sandalwood) colors away from the picture, so decided not to !

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Once upon a time..

The Arms which work hard to earn, were called arms !

And today?

Monday, November 24, 2008

Delicate Threads Strong Faith

This just proves how small things can keep our faith firm !

These are the threads that people tied around the Marble windows in Fatehpur Sikri at the Mazaar of Khwaja Saleem Chishti when they pray for something!

Customs like this are popular at various other places as well in India...

e.g. In Uttarakhand there are temples where people tie bells in the temple compound when they wish for something. In two temples in Uttarakhand (Golu Devta Temple in Bhowali, near Bhimtal and another one at Chitai) people even write letters and leave them in the temple compound !

There might not be a scientific explanation to all this, but when the mind really believes something will happen, small things like tying a thread or writing a letter can make it happen !!!

Hope everyone has a very positive Monday and a week/year/decade and so on :)

God Bless !!!

Sunday, November 23, 2008

Some Metal and some Luck

These are Horseshoe's nailed on the Wooden Door of Buland Darwaza... Horse shoes are said to bring Good luck in many cultures around the world, and they should not be brand new ones... they have to be used.

Mostly I have seen they are nailed in the shape of a U. Probably saying Good luck to "YOU" :) I don't know really...

p.s. I do not think this is a good picture in terms of composition. This completely fails in capturing the amount of horseshoes that were there on the doors, but still posting it as this is the only picture I took of them !

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Perfection : Not a brick less not a stone more!

I think this was the motto of the craftsmen who worked at Fatehpur Sikri and 100s of similar other sites !

Seen above is the ceiling once you enter the Dargah of Salim Chishti through Buland Darwaza (Previous photograph)

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Buland Darwaza @ Fatehpur Sikri

The Buland Darwaza ( or the Great Gate), the world's largest gateway, is approx 54m high and 35m wide.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

On The Other Side..

You've moved on to the other side friend, I cannot see you clearly enough... but I know you will be around somewhere !

Dedicated to one of my very dear friends, who passed away yesterday... I somehow don't believe it yet, and am still hoping someone is just playing a prank !!!

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Saw some green felt some blues !

Not sure what he was thinking sitting there in Fatehpur Sikri when the world around him was busy moving !!! I guess he just took a time out to think !

Of Life Of Death

Some under the weight after death, some carrying it when they are still around !

Thursday, November 13, 2008

Deewane Khas @ Fatehpur Sikri

This is where Emperor Akbar used to have the meetings with his important personal...

I wish I could see one meeting in progress, what grandness, what royalty !


p.s. This small size picture is not doing justice to the place at all !!!

Saturday, November 08, 2008

Pillars @ The Fatehpur Sikri

Pillars make an important part of the architecture at Fatehpur Sikri... What you see here is the place from where Mughal Emperor Akbar used to see the performances of his Musicians

Thursday, November 06, 2008

A Reflection Man Made !

One of the many mirrored corners at Fateh Pur Sikri.

Wednesday, November 05, 2008

Saturday, November 01, 2008

Mountains...

are the God's way of telling us "I AM" and taking pictures of them is our way of acknowledging :)

Friday, October 31, 2008

Dream !

seen from the NH 58 just after an hours drive from Rishikesh towards DevPrayag!

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Simplicity

is a function of Character...

Monday, October 27, 2008

Shubh Deepawali

This Deepawali, hope you find a reason and a way to light up the dark corners all around !

God Bless !

Wishing a happy, and a well lit Deepawali and life to everyone !

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Rough Lives...

Someone from the streets of Shri Badrinath. The rope that you see on his shoulder is used to tie the goods that he carries on his back, from one place to the other. Needless to say, this is one of the toughest things to do on hills. Every rupee that he earns is a result of very very hard work!

God Bless !

Friday, October 24, 2008

Listen

when no one is speaking !

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Street Stylist

One of the makeshift Barber shops in Shri Badrinath. A haircut here would cost just about half a dollar!

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Triangles

One of the flags at Shri Badrinath Temple.

Why are a lot of flags associated with religion triagular?

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Door to Spaces

Known and unknown !

The entry of the Shri Badrinath Temple in Uttarakhand India.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Pressure (potato) Cooker !

Potatoes getting boiled in a pressure cooker for Paranthas (Indian stuffed Bread)

Monday, October 13, 2008

Fire Power !

Just one of the many ways to warm up a diesel engine before starting your car on an ultra chilly morning :)

Taken in Badrinath, and I am not going to try this EVER on my car :)

Friday, October 10, 2008

The Glow

from the first Kiss !

Thursday, October 09, 2008

St Paul Cathedral

The St. Paul Cathedral in St. Paul Minneapolis Twin Cities

Monday, October 06, 2008

Couple !

p.s. I am going to be away from the Internet/Phone/Laptop etc for the next 4-5 days !

Take good care till then ! God Bless !

Friday, October 03, 2008

Thursday, October 02, 2008

Still !



p.s... this image is also a good example of "what not to do" while taking pictures !! the right top corner has something which was there on the lens and has messed up the picture !!! something to look out for, when you can take a second picture !!! i did not, and ended up with this as my final image !!!

Toad(aly) Wooden !

And yes, the colors are coming back slowly :) Thank you everyone for a very encouraging September with the B/Ws !!!

These toads are handcrafted somewhere in Thailand, and when a wooden stick is moved on the groves on the top, it makes a sound which is unbelievably similar to the croaking of a toad !!!

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Monday, September 29, 2008

Delhi Diaries - Smiles from the streets

One of the many smiles that I managed to captured in the daily flower market in the Fatehpuri/Khari Bhaoli Area in Chandni Chawk.

Bit less sharp than how I would have liked it, but I still like it for the smile that I managed from a complete stranger !

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Where do I go? Who do I ask?

When would you stop killing people who have done nothing bad to you?

Angry and Helpless on yet another bomb blast in Delhi!!!

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Naughty

and happy about it :)

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Falling in Love...

is easy when you don't have much on your mind !!!

Wish I could fall in love like a child again !

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Let's enjoy ! Shall We?

I bet once you are on the swing, you cannot think about anything else but just live the moment !!!

Saturday, September 20, 2008

Shelter

I wish no one in this world stays without one !!!

Amen !