smoke

I took this shot today morning as I was passing through Mahalaxmi station.
There happened to be this green color mosque, at the entrance of which, above the stairs, were these incense sticks lit.

In India, one lights these incense sticks in front of the deity to offer his prayers to him. I love the smell of these incense sticks and I love to wave the smoke in various directions. I love to see how smoke goes everywhere and yet to one place at the end. I just hope the end destination recognizes and acknowledges all the smoke...

For the smoke that travels...

barber

I took this shot today as I happened to see this barber shop at Lower Parel.
There are tons of such barber salons in the city and many more in this country. People go to such salons to have a quick hair-cut or a quick shave!

Talking about barbers and salons, when I heard the concept of "Billu Barber" I was pretty impressed, but after seeing the latest teasers, I don't really have much hopes from the films. But, again, I'm hoping to be proved wrong...

For the barbers...

trafiic

The traffic doesn't stop at all in this city. Especially during the mornings, afternoons, evenings and nights!;-)

But, with good music in your car and patience, it isn't that bad!

Keeping this shot, taken at BKC, short today as I'm exhausted being in traffic for around 2 hours!

For the traffic...

reflections

This is one of my favorite shots. This shot was taken by Maithili at the Welingkar lobby.

When she showed me this shot, my immediate reaction was silence! I love shots with such reflections. It shows the two faces that every person has which many a times each one of us is unable to realize. Together, we all form a crowd. When looked at, the crowd looks like a space filled with spaces but when thought into, we realize that every individual in the crowd is alone. But the question that I seek to ask is - are we ever alone?

We are like this tree who spreads its branches always and seeks to reach the sky. The tree feels it is all alone but fails to realize that it has its reflections all over which is visible to all and at times itself too.

For the reflections, that we sometimes miss...

home

I took this shot at the 7 bungalows Kamdhenu signal.
I happened to stop right next to this. I don't know whether I should call this a home or just a space where a family's belongings have been hung.

Imagine - many people in this city and many more in this country and many many more in this planet live in a space smaller than this. Can't a few of us (although all of us would be ideal) get together and do something and increase this space by a few more sq. feet? Think about it...and if you have got a slight bit of the answer, let's get to some action...

For this home for many...

clothes

I recently mentioned about the sales that are on at every store of the city! I happened to go to one of the ethnic clothes outlet today and was surprised to see such lovely colors and pieces on sale and yet not bought.

I'm not trying to promote brands but I am promoting the sales. People, please go and shop!:)

I took this shot at the Phoenix Mills Mall at Lower Parel, which is completely on sale! I shouldn't be buying but I ended up buying another shirt today! I think I need a salary hike now!;-)

For the clothes...

PS - I'm off to Hampi with Kumar for location hunting for an exciting project that happens next month! My shots are scheduled, however...keep visiting and writing...I'll get back to it all once I'm back on Monday!

shadow

I took this shot today near my office. I was waiting for Vishal to come and open the office as I observed these shadows.

It has been pretty humid despite being a winter month! The nights are slightly cool but the days are pretty sunny.

Shadows always excite me. In my childhood, I used to always play with my shadows creating all kind of shapes on the walls by switching off the lights and standing in front of a candle! It gives me a feeling of seeing somebody who is present within me, who is me, but who is also no always remembered by me. No wonder shadows never have a face...just a plain simple shape that keeps changing when we change our positions from the light.

For the shadows...

rural to urban

I have seen such cows dragging such tanks many times on the roads of the city.
It is truly fascinating to see such a sight amidst fast moving vehicles. What amazes me is the calm and peaceful look on the rider's face as he isn't bothered about the horns or the smoke or the overtaking wheels. All that he concentrates on is his cow and his journey.

I took this shot this afternoon at the Sion signal. I have been shooting in a few villages off late and have been reading a lot about the villages of India. I love this diversity that we have but what makes me all the more proud is that we are trying to bridge the gap and empower the rural as much as the urban. If I see it well, the day is not far away when the rural crowd would walk with the urban faces, not under it...

For the bridge from the rural to the urban...

sale

It is the end-of-season sale period. Almost all the shops are packed as the sales are getting the prices of the products to an absolutely lovely price.

I took this shot at the Adidas store at Linking Rd, Bandra. Although I had no plans of buying anything and I had gone with Kumar as he wanted to buy shoes, my love for jackets and that too getting one for a low price made me buy one! I have to control my finances now...;-)

I love this time of the year when the stores are full, when people are with their families buying, enjoying themselves and smiling...

For the sales...

sleep

I took this shot as I was passing the streets of one of the localities of Andheri.
What caught my attention is what you can see here.

This man was sleeping on here amidst the traffic, the morning rush and all the hurry to reach destinations. What really amazed me was the background. There are photographs of the one above, stuck on the wall behind this man and I wonder at such times if he really is watching all of this! If he is, then why not just change the faces as soon as possible!

For the sleep and the wait...

worship

I took this shot today near a temple at Mahalaxmi. Every temple, small or big, in this city has a line of such flower stalls placed outside them.
The way these flowers are made really amaze me always. They always look so fresh and so pure in whatever color they are offered.

The people normally buy these flowers and offer them to the the deity in the temple as a form of worship. Once the flowers are offered, a coconut is always normally broken and offered to the deity, which many a times is broken into further pieces and given back to the worshiper as a prasad.

It is ironical, when thought of - these are the flowers that one takes as he walks the steps of the temple for worshiping his deity...and these are the same flowers that one is offered when he leaves this space to meet the one above!

For the worship, that forms the circle...

new fish in the bowl

Yes, I finally have two fish!
Kumar and I were to wait at Bandra to pick up a friend and we finally ended up waiting for her right in front of a store where one could buy aquariums! As soon as I saw the fish and the bowls, I somehow couldn't control myself from asking the storekeeper the costs especially because I've been wanting to buy one since a really long time!

These are the two fish that I got home with me with this small bowl. I bought them from the fish store at Linking Road, Bandra. Everybody present yesterday has gotten introduced to the two of them and I'm introducing you guys to them too. We still haven't named them, so suggestions are welcome!!

One feels so content and happy when he gets what he really wants...but, I also know that as this wish gets struck out from the list of desires, some new ones will keep getting included...

For the new fish in the bowl...

sea link

I love this place! I'm waiting for this sea link to get completed as it is surely going to be every driving lover's love!

I took this shot at Reclamation today as I was driving towards Bandra. It has been very foggy lately. However, the winter cold has still not hit the city. I'm waiting for the cold winds to wander on the streets of the city. This spot is very famous for youngsters to come and sit during the evenings.

The Bandra-Worli sea link is going to be an 8-lane, cable-stayed bridge with pre-stressed concrete viaduct appraches, which will link Bandra and the western suburbs of the city with Worli and the Central, and is the first phase of the proposed West Island Freeway system. With so much, who wouldn't be waiting for this to unleash...

For the sea link...

threads

This shot was taken by Maithili today, as she was flying kites with the 'Welingkar Gang'!!
The whole city is flying kites today celebrating Makar Sankranti!

This is a festival that signifies the beginning of the harvest season for the farmers in India. Makara Sankranti has special geo-agri-economical significance to people of Indian Sub-Continent. Makara Sankaranti is about transition of Sun into Capricorn on its celestial path. This is significant considering the winter solstice marks the beginning of the gradual increase of the duration of the day. Traditionally, this has been one of many harvest days.

Flying kites is an important part of the festival. People offer thousands of their colorful oblations to the Sun in the form of beautiful kites. The act stands as a metaphor for reaching to their beloved God, the one who represents the best. On this day, we believe that we're just a thread away from the one above...

For the threads joining the knots...

PS - Hardik, sorry for posting you without informing!!;-) Happy Makar Sankranti to all!!:)

kites

I took this shot at Bandra today. This is the look of the city as far as the small stores are concerned, these days. Everybody is busy selling kites on the occasion of Makar Sankranti that comes tomorrow.

I've always wanted to learn to fly kites. As a kid, I was always fond of kites and used to buy a pair of kites every year during this time, although I never used to know how to fly them. After a point, I started admiring the kites flying in the air more than making attempts to get mine to fly...

Sometimes, when I look at these kites, it simply reminds me of us and our emotions. Both keep flying in a particular direction only to realize that the wind could change everything. But we still try to get things in place and help our kites rise higher...is it the love for our emotions or simply the emotion of love?

For the kites...

dhobi ghat

Picking today's post was difficult! I thought selecting one out of the 135 shots that I took yesterday would be simple, but I was absolutely wrong. However, I zeroed down on this shot as it somehow gives an idea of what this place is all about.

This shot was taken at the very famous Dhobi Ghat located at Mahalaxmi. A dhobi is a traditional laundryman who will wash your clothes and deliver them back to your doorstep. The laundries are called ghats : row upon row of concrete wash pens, each fitted with its own flogging stone. The clothes are soaked in sudsy water, thrashed on the flogging stones, then tossed into huge vats of boiling starch and hung out to dry. Next, they are ironed and piled into neat bundles.

This is the most famous of the dhobi ghats where almost two hundred dhobis and their families work together in what has always been a hereditary occupation! This is one of the most famous locations of the city and is also a favorite spot for many film crews to film sequences!

Having stayed in the city for years, I always knew about this place but this was my first visit inside. Trust me, it is surely a must visit just to experience the ambiance...

For dhobi ghat...

PS - We are getting ready for a lovely Makar Sankranti Festival!!;-) Do share your comments on the new look...all courtesy to our rockstar, Meghna!!:)

a start

A few months ago, I happened to meet Sejal (aka energy 100%) and we were discussing ideas wherein we could merge the enthusiasm of photography and the love for the city! We immediately decided to start the Bombay Photo Club through which photography enthusiasts could meet up once a month and share, discuss and talk photography! As we got talking further, Kumar, myself and Sejal decided that we would initiate a photo-walk once a month. The idea was simple - photography lovers would walk through a locality of the city and click anything that they feel like...

...and yes, today we had our first photo-walk! When we left Bandra Station at 6:45am, we were just five of us (including Kumar, Sejal and myself) but by the end of our photo-walk, we were five of us plus around 500+ photographs! The experience was absolutely brilliant! I was, once again, reassured that there cannot be any better pleasure than clicking a moment and capturing it as it is! Now, I'm really looking forward to our next month's photo-walk as the place selected is one of my favorites...keep guessing!!;-)

For a start, that will grow...

PS - The location of today's photo-walk would be featured tomorrow...I'm still trying to figure out my favorite shot out of the ones taken today!;-)

hiding

I took this shot today at Matunga. I was waiting for a friend as I saw the sun hiding behind these huge branches and it really excited me!

Matunga is filled with such lovely small roads with big tall trees on either sides, keeping the entire environment so quiet! In the mornings, when the temples begin their early chants, it is a moment of bliss! I love the time when the sun is about to knock at the door of each day and when it is about to leave. It is very close to these times, that one can see such moments, like these, when the sun is hiding...or, trying to hide! It surely looks so lovely when it tries to hide itself but is still a bit innocent and is yet to realize that its rays can never hide!

For the hiding, that we all seek...

togetherness

I took this shot at the Andheri flyover today. This tempo, as they call this mini-truck, completely amazed me with the number of passengers it had. Well, I wanted to count how many I could see but trust me, I completely lost my numbers...

This reminds me of the famous Fevicol Ad that I had seen in my childhood. Some advertisements just remain with you. The best part about these travelers in the tempo was that they were not feeling bugged or irritated about this situation. All that one could see on their faces were smiles and excitement! Now, that is surely something that we need to learn...what say?

I love the feeling of togetherness with smiles...how I wish we could always achieve it!

For togetherness...

run

Extreme apologies for not being prompt in posting lately.
Vishal and I were in Kozhikode shooting a documentary film for the Payyoli Express - P.T.Usha.
We're really excited about this project. I was never really too keen in sports, but after meeting her, I've realized that these are the people who surely need much more than what they are getting! P.T.Usha was the star of the nation, even before I was born. Today when I hear all those stories of stardom and look at her current struggle, I feel like questioning this system, this psyche, and this thinking that all of us are a part of.

Here is a lady who gave so much to this country. Here is a lady who ran for not just herself, but also for her nation. And now, here is a lady who wants to run for a different cause, but needs the support, which she is sure to get someday...

P.T.Usha is now running for a different cause. She has started the Usha ScHool of Atheltics where she trains girls from poor backgrounds to compete on the global race tracks. Tintu and Shilpa, two of the seniors in the school of 16 girls, are already International winners. Tintu aims to win the 2012 Olympics medal, which P.T.Usha lost in 1984 by 1/100th of a second! Shilpa, aged 18, is confident that she will take her nation to a next step by winning not just one Olympics medal, but many more prestigious awards.

With such a generation determined to win, I think it is our duty and responsibility to support them and people like P.T.Usha who have dedicated their lives to such dreams!

For the run, which we need to support...

PS - I took this shot at a new Reebok store that opened in Hiranandani Gardens. During the shoot, when I asked Ushaji what her favorite brand of shoes were, she smiled and said she doesn't want to endorse any by zeroing down on one! But, she loves...;-)

tracks

I took this shot at the railway tracks between Kurla and Vidyavihar!

These tracks look never-ending when looked at and they always used to amaze me when I used to look at them from the train! No wonder, they are used to symbolize time and phases in many screenplays of films!

I've stopped traveling by trains but I'm sure that many of the commuters surely connect with the tracks in a similar way. It gives a feeling of allowing us to reach our destinations soon...and sometimes, lets us walk away from where we are...

For the tracks that we travel on...

stack

I took this shot at one of the raddi-wallahs today. A raddi-wallah is a person who collects the old newspapers from everybody and pays them as per the weights of the newspapers!

I particularly took this shot because, for a second when I saw this, I hoped that the terrible news that had been published all throughout the previous year from across the globe would get sold out with these stacks and this year we would have news of only love, peace, joy, and oneness! I wish there would be no need for remembering, experiencing, and reading news of terror but instead read dialogues of togetherness.

For these stacks that, I wish, would never slip out...

blossom

I wait till I would blossom
To spread the aroma of myself
I want to see the smiles and love all over
Without the need of any powers of an elf...

Yes, this is by our best photographer, Kumar, once again! I simply love his sense of shooting and capturing nature! He took this shot at a garden in Bandra where this flower had a few of its petals plucked but was still looking as fresh and lovely as ever. Flowers, when fresh, look so perfect...so peaceful...so pure!! No wonder these flowers are used at the times of sealing a new relationship while the same flowers are also used to bid a final goodbye! I guess, they might just be understanding the meanings of life and death better...

For the blossoms...

journey

...and we've begun again! A new year has opened its doors for us to walk through its moments and live our lives thoroughly in this journey!

This shot was taken by Kumar at the Nariman Point...I'll be more specific! This is the first shot that Kumar had taken that prompted him to take up photography! I couldn't think beyond posting this shot, today! We've all once again set our journeys and have our desires dressed up...to realize fresh surprises all through our walks.

May all be happy and make others happy! As, we're all alone in this vast sea...let's try joining hands and not let the sea die out of emptiness!

For our journeys...

PS - Happy New Year!!:)