1 up!!:)

...and it is undoubtedly an emotional moment as we write this post today!

I know this shot might not be as clear as it should've been...but I guess all the emotions and smiles right from this city to all across the globe, will make up for it!

This shot was taken today evening, as we unveiled the first photo-exhibition of Bombay Clicks at the "Out of the Blue" restaurant at Carter Rd, Bandra!:) Very few know that exactly on this date, last year, Maithili and I wished to have a photo-exhibition today at this location as its our favorite restaurant in the entire city...and...here we were...setting up 12 of the best shots taken from April 2008 till March 2009 (one from each month)! Undoubtedly, it was an extremely emotional moment as we were setting up the frames and the words that essayed each photograph!

But, I must say that for me, personally, the cherry on the cake was to see the first viewers for the show to be my Mom & Dad!:)

On the ocassion of our first anniversary, we, at Bombay Clicks, take this date as a start to a new initaitive by which we would celebrate this city of love even further...

Presenting to you :

At Bombay Inspires, we bring to you weekly inspirational stories of this city, by this city...

As I keep saying...this city will never stop smiling, loving, living...

Today's day is dedicated to Alexa, Rose, Eric, Sukruta, and all the rest of the readers who are and would be a part of this journey...

For us & this city...:)

PS - Our photo-exhibition is on from today till the 1st of May at "Out of the Blue" restaurant, Carter Rd, Bandra. Feel free to walk in anytime to have a look!!:) In case we aren't around, please do leave your comments in the guestbook!!:)

sunset

This shot was taken by Maithili, again today, at Bandstand.
By now, I know all of you know that I'm very fond of sunsets and sunrises. I simply love sunsets. They mean a lot more than what can be seen.

I love a simple question that a famous Urdu poet asked in a poem of his...he asks,
"shaam hone ko hai,
hum kaha jaayenge..."
(it's evening again,
where do we intend to go...)

I'd like to thank all of you to make all the sunsets so special, everyday...

For sunsets and a lot more...

dabbas

This shot was taken by Maithili at Matunga, today.
Undoubtedly, I feel the dabbawalas of the city are one of the best management people in the country. Here are a group of people who have represented themselves in top management schools across the globe. Here are a group of people who have always proved themselves to be regular, efficient, and dedicated.

The dabbawalas have surely made a mark for themselves. It surprises me to see that every dabba reaches whomever it needs to reach so efficiently and correctly. I just wish we could learn something out of these men who deliver us the dabbas everyday. This space would be such a better place to be in, had we simply learn the best out of certain things...

For the dabbas, where all our disciplines awaits...

weighing machines

This shot was taken by Maithili at the Matunga station, today. I love this shot, simply because of what it depicts. It's probably one of the few times when I've seen a girl weighing herself in public. Now tell me, how many times would one get to watch something like this?

These weighing machines used to excite me when I was a kid...primarily because at the end of the few seconds, the small card that comes out of the machine has your weight along with your so-called horoscope! I've stopped using such things since many years now...but it's so glad to see somebody use it even now!

For the weighing machines...

rows

I took this shot from this building at IIT, Powai. The view from this building's third floor, where I was standing while taking this shot, is right in front of you.

All that I could see in front of me were these rows of huts and small houses, amidst two tall buildings, in one of which I was standing. I wonder how it would be if nobody would have to stay in such houses...if all could have spaces of their own which they could sufficiently live in...if all could simply be happy in all aspects, wherever they would be staying...

For rows, that stand still...

innocence

I took this shot at Mahim, while at a shoot, today. These kids simply stole the moment!
I was busy clicking snaps of the subjects that were being filmed as I saw these two kids standing behind me wondering what I was doing.

Sometimes, innocence says everything in its silence. I guess that is precisely the reason why innocence always has a place for itself in any crowd...

For the innocence that stays in these ages...

us

I took this shot at Mahim today. What amazed me the best about this was the look of the wall and the feel that this frame was depicting.

I don't know why but it somehow reminded me of the photographs and visuals that I have seen of the India and the houses that used to be here in the Independence period. Small houses in places like Punjab, or villages of any state used to have houses with such walls and a cycle, like this, for the head of the family to travel to his farms or other work place.

Many say that we could've prospered better under the British rule...my question to them is - have you prospered under your own rule?

Our cycles await our travels, journeys, expeditions; our walls await the colors; and our ladders await us reaching the heights of the top...

What are we waiting for?

For us, the country ourselves...

look

Vishal was shooting for a documentary film on a very interesting organization, at a slum area near Curry Road, today. I took this shot while he was filming a lady who owned this petty shop in the slum.

As I walked through the slum area, I did realize the vast unbelievable difference between the people who stay there and the people who reside outside the area (statistics and definition wise)...but then, while Vishal was filming a lady in this petty shop, this young boy came and stood there staring at the lady who was being filmed. I was not able to understand whether he was wondering why the lady was being filmed...or if he was thinking when he could be the person being filmed in front of the camera, some day...

Dreams are ultimately seen irrespective of people and their surroundings...and that is what I love the best about them! Without any boundaries, borders, restrictions...things could've been so different...

For the look that we hold as we dream...

ekta

I was talking about oneness yesterday and the whole of today had me think about the topic in detail. Is it really that difficult to realize oneness? Why do we differentiate between colors, races, religions? Why do we conduct propagandas or different campaigns, which ultimately mean the same? Why do we, at times, be such hypocrites and talk about oneness but in actuality mean not even an iota of it?

That doesn't leave me out of it at all instances too. I too have had my set of flaws, but I'm glad I'm working on them. It is really heartening at times to see others around you not realize the same and still being stuck up to certain issues, but I'm hoping this patience pays off sometime, somewhere in life...

We're all a part of this same tree. We're all these branches that seem to be individual, but are indirectly connected. We're all the threads to this cloth. Then, why is it really that difficult to realize that we're one?

For ekta, the oneness within...

streets

I took this shot today as I was walking on one of these streets of Bandra. Every time that I walk on such streets that are a bit busy at times, but always filled with people from all walks of lives walking together, I truly wonder how wonderful the meaning of oneness is...

What is oneness? - all the defined colors forming a canvas or simply one white color which is a formation of all the colors?

For the streets, where everybody is one...

spaces

I took this shot from the Globas Theatres located at Hill Road, Bandra. These houses simply amazed me from the top. I love to check out houses of any kinds, and if they are independent houses, I love them even more!

For some reason, this courtyard is always closed and not many get to peek into what lies inside this prime location! I guess I should figure out more about this location soon...but I want to share, at this point, a space that I was reminded of when I clicked this shot.

Recently, when I was at Ahmedabad, I happened to go to the Sabarmati Ashram, the residence of Mahatma Gandhi. I wouldn't speak about the space as it is way beyond words and descriptions. But I would just want to say that what lies in the space is purity, silence and peace...something that we would crave for throughout...

For spaces and their expressions...

5spice

I took this shot at the 5spice restaurant that is right opposite the RBI!

5spice is undoubtedly my favorite Chinese restaurant in the city. It has 3 branches (RBI, Versova, and Pali Hill) out of which it is very difficult to say which one is the best! The most amazing part about this restaurant is the quality, quantity and at the same time the parallel that one draws with the final bill amount!

For all those who still haven't been there, you've missed out on something so amazing so far...don't waste these minutes reading further...just go and have Chinese food at 5spice!

For 5spice...

history

I took this shot at Churchgate (as you can see)! The whole of Churchgate completely gives a different feeling to the city.

Churchgate is an area in downtown South of the city. The station gets its name from the Churchgate street (now Veer Nariman Road) which lines on the immediate south of the station. During the 18th and up to the mid 19th century, Bombay was a walled city. The city walls had three gates, and Churchgate, named after St. Thomas Cathedral was one of the gates. The gate is situated near the present day location of Flora Fountain. In the mid 19th century, the city walls were torn down to aid in the expansion program.

Sometimes at such places, one can just relive history!

For the history, that always remains...

life

I took this shot as I was heading back home from my meeting at Nariman Point, again!

The sun, the people, the taxi, the board, the leaves just gave me a reason bright enough to capture this moment! I love to see life traveling like this. I love to see the evening bidding goodbye as the night comes to give us sleep...to give us rest...to give us peace! I love to see the early morning sunrise, which warmly welcomes everybody to a new day of their life!

Life...can be so beautiful, if you want it to be so...

For life...

necklace

I took this shot today evening, just as the lights turned on at the Marine Drive!

Marine Drive, in the night, has been clicked by tons of photographers. I always used to wonder why...but I guess the reason stands right in front of you! On any evening, one would find tons of dreamers sitting on the pavement staring at the lights of this necklace. Every ambitious man surely has this one thought that he could / can never answer - How much would this necklace cost?

For the queen's necklace, that is priceless...

sleep

I took this shot at the Bandra Terminus today.

This young boy was sleeping on the floor near the stairs that lead to the platform. It really touched my heart to see this young boy sleeping amidst footsteps hurrying their way to reach their destinations, car horns which scream for space, and a wide area next to him which people observe but don't do anything about.

What followed this moment calmed me down, though. A young man quietly placed a blanket over this kid and left.

In sleep, one really doesn't realize all that is happening in the real world as we crave for peace...

For the sleep, in which we seek to find peace...

hindustan ambassador

I took this shot as I driving at Nariman Point to reach a meeting near this area. I suddenly realized this vehicle (the Hindustan Ambassador) in front of me which wasn't any taxi or a private cab but was an actual personal vehicle owned by an individual. Ambassadors are somehow considered to be the Indians' car!

The Hindustan Ambassador is a car manufactured by Hindustan Motors in India. It is being produced since 1957 and is based on the Morris Oxford mdoel first made by the Morris Motor Company at Cowley, Oxford in the UK.

Despite its British origins, the Ambassador is considered the definite Indian car. It was once the most popular car in India as it was perceived to be the best suited to the harsh Indian terrain. Its iconic status was helped by the fact that it was the preferred means of conveyance of India's political leadership, including the Prime Minister of India, before they moved on to other luxury cars and SUVs. In 2002, then-Indian PM, Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee started traveling in an armored BMW 7 series vehicle for security reasons. However, some prominent Indian politicians, such as Sonia Gandhi, continue with their preference for the Hindustan Ambassador.

For the Hindustan Ambassador...

coffee etc

No guesses for figuring out where I took this shot -- yes, at my favorite location - Candies, Pali Hill!

Today's set up of the chocolates, deserts and coffee was extremely beautiful and attractive! I love being at this place. I feel hungry even if I am not really in the mood to eat anything! I know I promote Candies a lot in this space...but guys, it is so worth it all!

To every person in the city - please go visit Candies!

For coffee etc available at its best at Candies...

rest

I took this shot, once again, at the spot where I always end up capturing moments -- the Andheri flyover signal!

I get to observe so many people while I wait at the traffic signal, which easily lasts for a good fifteen-twenty minutes! What amazed me about this shot was the way this worker was resting sitting under some shade, resting his leg and chatting with his colleague. At such times of heat and traffic, moments like these do make you smile!

It is a different feeling to rest even in chaos, isn't it?

For rest, that avoids almost everything...

college

I took this shot today at SIES, Sion!
This used to be my junior college / high school! I went here after around six years and it felt awesome! It felt as though I went back to those same years again!

It's an amazing feeling to live, when you travel back your memory. It feels really inspiring to see yourself stand where you are and turn around and look at all those moments that you have lived before, which stand right there staring at you, smiling, and telling you to remember them well but yet, walk ahead and live all the further moments to the fullest.

I'm enjoying my walk...

For college, that makes us walk through it all...