balance

I took this shot today as Meghna and I were shooting for a quick documentary project.
These kids were performing these tricks in the middle of the road to earn a few coins.

The small girl had to balance herself throughout the thin rope as her brother played the drums. I wonder as to what the need to such initiatives is...when, these should be the days of their enjoyment!

Where is the balance between what should be and what shouldn't?

For the balance that remains unanswered...

colors - shot of the week

...colors can speak it all! Be it in happiness or sadness, silence or screams, light or darkness - the strokes say it all.

I took this shot last week and honestly speaking, loved it way too much. The entire blue wall with this colorful cloth hanging by it said a hundred things, all in a moment! I recently heard a lovely dialogue from a film where a person said - "all colors together look so beautiful"... I wonder why we, humans, fail to understand the same! Why do we keep fighting over color, why do we keep working towards removing a particular color from the entire canvas?

How i wish, the canvas could be as colorful for people to watch it from every open window...

For colors...

PS - Sincere apologies for the skips in the posts. Have been terribly tied up with the edits for the film on RangDe

line up

Recently, I took this shot outside the Bandra public loo.

There was a long line to go inside due to the large crowds that turned out to attend the Bandra fair. I, personally, am not really fond of such huge crowds as they spoil the discipline of the roads and increase the traffic to unlimited heights. But, some others say that this is a religious factor for them. I choose to keep quiet at such points.

For the line up...

path

I took this shot today. This is my all time favorite place - the Taj corridor!

Whenever I walk by this path, I feel like a king. This hotel was built years ago but it still feel so grand and aristocratic! The entire building completely stands out as you reach this place.

Since it opened in 1903, The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower, Mumbai has created its own unique history. From Maharajas and Princes to various Kings, Presidents, CEOs and entertainers, the Taj has played the perfect host, supportive of their every need.

The thing that really excites me the most is simply going and sitting in the lobby of the Taj and smiling.

For the Taj...

new

And yes, today I turned 23 on the 23rd!
I feel great about it...but yes, a bit scared too that I'm one year older!
The best part is that I love birthdays completely as you can use this day to begin newly!

I plan to do so today onwards. I plan to do all the things that I couldn't but have always wanted to. I know I will...

For the new start, that you can begin anytime...

PS - I'm sorry for missing out...was tied up with edits

back to dry

After many days, we're seeing it to be dry again in the city. The roads look fresh, the trees look great, and the sky just adds to it.

I've been busy editing the film, thus, am writing this in a quick break.
I'm going to flood you guys with words, once we're done with the video.

More soon.

For the dry days that are back...

era

This shot was taken today at Malad. It somehow reminds me of the buildings at Rome. Rome has similar colors to the buildings.

They look ancient, yet they are very much in pace with today. What really amazes me is the two kinds of people that we have - one who live in the present and think of the future and the others who say they are in the future but are still stuck up in the past that they don't want to leave.

For the eras and its beauty...

PS - Here is the trailer to the film that we are currently editing for the organization www.rangde.org

sight

What a wonderful view to get from one's terrace! And yes, this is the terrace of none other than Vishal's building! I love this view, especially in the night. Many a times as I drive back, I've seen people sitting here at the terrace of this building at Dadar, chatting and watching the cars pass by on one side while on the other side, the stars just can't stop from shining.

Vishal took this lovely shot and wanted to share the space where he likes to spend most of the time when he's at home. I envy him completely for this!!

The rains have slightly paused. I hope its their end, as I need some dryness to see now.

For the sight...

bark

Took this shot at Linking Road today. It has been pouring since yesterday, which I guess has lef to this tree's bark to fall down. Scary to see this.

Will keep it short as I need to rush back to the edits of the film.

For the bark...

spirit

...and once again this lovely shot of the city was clicked by our favorite ace cinematographer, Meghna! She took this shot from an apartment of a tall building at Altamount Rd.

I simply love to see the city this way. Its really tough to know how far and where the sight of buildings and people might end as it is always so packed and unending. You should see the city when lit. It seems as though all the 12, 883, 645 people are lighting the city for the world to see their spirit!

I love this city and its spirit...the spirit that never dies...will never end...

For the city...

advtg

And, what better view can you give to others watching your building, than simple plain advertisements!

Imagine a building whose looks might keep changing every month! I took this shot at Juhu. I've seen huge hoardings but for the first time, I realized the look that the residents of this building must be getting from their windows. In fact, they don't have any use of their windows!

Publicity is a great medium, no doubt...but publicity can really reach heights!

For the advertisements...

memories - shot of the week

Of the distances traveled and the ones yet to be reached…

The shores that would have been reached for the first time in the times of the long sea voyages and of thunder and lighting!

Of all the memories that the rains and cloudy dark skies are made of… from the grandeur of the thunder to the humbleness of the smell of wet mud.

For only monsoon and mornings like these, with the clouds blindfolding the sun, preventing its single ray reaching the earth evoke that sense of life! Where the sky, rain, clouds, thunder and lighting seem to be dancing in a parallel universe. It's like watching a black and white film of the golden era being featured on the widest screen of them all!

Rejuvenating one with all those brilliant moments that life's' offered and even to those that weren't offered. Cause the sky is screaming out loud saying only one thing 'This is it'! This is life!

And the cup of morning garam masala chai is on its way…

Where - From my balcony, near Radio club, Colaba . With the bit of radio club, the naval dock pier in the distance with a few of the elephanta fairies and a host of fishermen boats scattered across the Arabian Sea off Gateway of India

When - 7.00 a.m. 9^th Sep '08

Photographers - Neha Trivedi & Raunak Parikh

black saturday

I guess the 13th did turn out to be unlucky today! Today, will be known as the Black Saturday in the country. But, when I come to think of it, aren't we used to this now?

Today's post is not related to this city but our capital, New Delhi! Today, there were a series of bomb blasts in Delhi killing around 23 and hurting around 110, and disturbing a billion or maybe more.

I wonder...whoever is doing this, what is he getting? I always wonder - does he have the same emotions as the ones he killed instantly with the blast and the remaining millions whom he left to die and watch themselves dying everyday. I wonder - the Satin I used to read about in stories has still not died. But, above all this, I wonder - why?

For all who were killed...

welcome

I took this shot as I got back from Nagpur, at the airport, today. I love to see the arrival terminal at the airport! I love to see the anxious faces waiting to welcome somebody...waiting for somebody to run to them...waiting for the hugs, the smiles, waiting to stop the wait.

The city's domestic airport has recently gone through a major re-vamp and trust me, it is looking very good! It is way more organized and cleaner! Maybe that is also one of the reasons why the smiles are intact...

For the smiles that welcome...

moonlight

On a quiet, lonely night,
When you are walking and feel all right,
I will come accompany you and be your sight,
says my companion, my friend - O Moonlight...

I loved the moon today. It was hiding behind the clouds and showing its face in regular intervals. And, the best part were these leaves which seemed to be covering the moon and giving it some more color.

Who doesn't like the moonlight walks, the moonlight dinners, the moonlight through your windows! In this city, what I really love is the smile that everybody gets on their faces when they see the moon like this. People compare beauty to the moon...at such times, you really understand why...

For the moonlight...

cobbler

Work is work...be it a millionaire or a cobbler!

This man here is a cobbler working outside Welingkar College, Matunga. It is always amazing to see him work on his shoes, umbrellas, bags and other products with the same amount of enthusiasm, spirit and dedication! When you give him something to stitch or repair, he would get completely engrossed in the same and wouldn't look up until his work is done. And trust me, you would not realize when he is ready.

Maithili took this shot today outside her college and she was telling me that this man wouldn't take an extra tip to his work at any cost! Some people are simply dedicated to their work and wouldn't want anything out of what they earn.

For the cobbler...

travel

This really amazed me when I saw it. This shot was taken by Meghna as she was heading towards the office. She was caught up in traffic near Malad Link Road, as she saw this lovely vehicle standing for the red signal to turn green!

Isn't it amazing to see a totally different side to life standing right next to you. When you think of it, this was how it was earlier! We keep traveling but we tend to forget the journey. I say, its important to remember the journey as much as the travel. Because, the memories of journeys would lead us to the next step, ultimately...

For the travels and journeys...

sleep

...and when you are in a world where all thoughts seem pure, all goals seem reachable, all worlds look loved, the moment would be the one you would want to live in.

I took this shot as I was getting back home today. Everybody were worried and furious in their vehicles due to the traffic at the Juhu circle as this young girl was in her own world of dreams, in peace, seemingly.

Life can show you frames in the extremes, isn't it?

For the sleep...

celebrations

Yes, so we started off with our weekly mailers last week, where we mentioned about the "shot of the week" concept! But, we hardly got any entries...in fact, mine was the only entry!:)
So, yes dear readers, I'm very happy to present to you our first "shot of the week" with the theme - celebrations!

I took this shot when I was coming back home from this small colony where they were preparing for the immersions of Lord Ganesha's idols from their house. They were just about getting ready to have the music in place, the sweets all ready to be distributed and the smiles not leaving their faces at any cost. It felt nice. What I simply love about this colony is that all the people believe in unity. Even the lights put up here are all the works of the residents of the colony together. When everybody comes together, light has to glow, isn't it?

I don't know the name of this colony but its right behind the Hotel Ramada near Vihar Lake.
I'm sure I'll be taking more shots of this place in the near future...

For celebrations, that get us together...

lonely road

I couldn't ever imagine such a road being present in this city! However, it totally does in the Aarey Milk Colony here in the city! It was a nice drive from work to home via this road today! What caught my attention in the middle was this diversion that was completely lonely, which leads up to the Aarey Dairy Farm!

When I see such lonely roads, I remember this one line that a famous Urdu poet said, which I'm translating and quoting -
"When you see, you feel its a crowd filled with faces,
When you think, they are all nothing but lonely..."

So simply said and so true at times! I like the feeling of lonely at times as much as I crave for companionship at the other moments! I like this needs swaying from time to time as its this change in the needs that keeps all of us alive!

For the lonely road, that leads to companionship...

morya!!

And today is finally a day which is celebrated thoroughly in this city. Today is a day when people visit each other's houses and seek the blessings of the Lord. Today is a day when Lord Ganesha, the son of Lord Shiva is believed to come to Earth to be with his devotees. Today is the Ganesh Chaturthi, the birthday of Lord Ganesha!

Lord Ganesha is considered to be the supreme lord of wisdom, prosperity, and good fortune. It is celebrated throughout the country but especially for this city, its a very important and dear day. Lord Ganesha, as mentioned earlier, always strikes a personal chord with his devotees and followers. Lord Ganesha is considered more of a friend than a deity.

This shot was taken at our neighbor's from work. They got this idol and would keep them for a few days until they go and immerse the idol in the water, as per the traditions. I went to their office for the first time, but it was amazing to see the mood of all the people present there! They welcomed me as though I was known to them since a long time!

We keep counting the over-flow of festivals in our country but to be honest, I don't mind it at all as its during these days that everybody become one and behave as one! Meghna told me that on Monday, she saw a bunch of people providing water outside a Dargah (a holy place for worship for the Muslims) to the people who were planning to walk it up to the Siddhivinayak Temple (known to be the most famous temple for Lord Ganesha)! And guess what, all the people who were providing the bottles of water were Muslims! I wonder where all these feelings of unity disappear post these festivals! It isn't a co-incidence that majority of both the religion's festivals lie close to each other. It probably is just for us to celebrate them all...together!

I really hope all of us would keep providing love as we walk ahead together...not for us being Hindus or Muslims or Christians or Jews but only because we all belong to one religion - humanity!

For humanity and the festivals...

coffee

Its coffee that I need to make me smile! A cup of hot cappuccino with chocolate cookies is completely brilliant, for me! We don't have Starbucks here in India (very unfortunately) except for a very tiny counter of the same at Fame Theatres, Andheri, which sells horrible versions of the original! Barista and Cafe Coffee Day are the two most famous joints out of which I completely love Barista!

I think its been a few months since Costa Coffee has started its outlets and trust me, the cappuccino here is strictly ok! The Costa Coffee outlet at Mulund got shut recently as they were getting in losses. This is the Juhu outlet, which is pretty famous for two reasons - one, its in the main road of Juhu gully and second, its very famous among all the students of the nearby colleges. For them, its more of a dating/impressing joint!

However, for me, Barista still stands out. But yes, the moment Starbucks hits the Indian streets, I'll very happily bid goodbye to Barista and welcome my favorite coffee brand ever!

For coffee, my drug...

stands out

I was driving back home today when this shot was taken. There are big banners of Lord Ganesha all over the billboards of the city as the Ganesh Chaturthi is just around the corner. This is a very important festival in India and is celebrated all over the country with equal amount of passion but in this city, I feel it stands out! The people of the city consider the Lord to be a part of their house and welcome his idols and treat him with love, compassion and respect.

Lord Ganesha is one of the favorite Lords among people. No wonder, amidst the fast moving cars and crowds of the city, the Lord always stands out and is visible to all! Isn't it true that the one who is loved by all, always stands out...for a reason, known by all yet we fail to complete the circle always! But, what I love about all of us is that we still keep trying...hoping that some day we will...

By the way, I'm awaiting the visits to people's houses during the 10-day festival and eat all the delicious sweets! Don't worry...I'm going to keep you updated...

For the one who stands out...

PS - How is the new look?