Last Chance

I spent the last three months struggling to write a post. Just when I had almost given up, the universe sends me a sign. It literally said 'Last Chance'. That's the name of the Lens-Artist challenge for the week. So taking the chance to get it done, before December ends. How we spend our days,…

Advertisement

Doors Of Ayodhya, India.

I'm presently in Ayodhya, the city famous for temples and a particular one under construction. Judging by the massive crowds of pilgrims I see, I'd say it is growing as a major religious destination. Doorway to salvation, perhaps. Going beyond the obvious temples, Ayodhya is a treasure trove of interesting architecture, particularly doors. After all,…

From Dusk To Dawn

The Festival of Lights, Diwali 2021. India is a place where colour is doubly bright. Pinks that scald your eyes, blues you could drown in. Kiran Milwood Hargrove Circles in the sand A colour wheel that spins like crazy. Orange crush Festive decorations become a time machine. Everglow Hand painted aipan mark Goddess Lakshmi’s entry.…

Spots And Dots Of A Kumaoni Pichora

The last time we wore our ‘Kumaoni pichora’, or 'leopard spotted stoles' as my youngest insisted on calling, was for my cousin’s wedding two years ago. I took this picture of my mother around that time. She was among the few ladies who glowed in her distinctive Kumaoni nose ring. Draped on her was the…

Make A Wish At The Aeroplane Gurudwara in Punjab, India

So what connects a miniature airplane to a gurudwara (a place of worship for the Sikhs) in Jalandhar ? This particular gurudwara goes by the name of Shaheed Baba Nihal Singh Gurudwara except it is also referred to as the ‘Hawai Jahaz (aeroplane) Gurudwara’. Intriguing, right? A bit of online research and ...voila! So there…

Masked Emotions.

Recently I was called to school to update some records. You could say I was eager as my pet Sheru, featured in the header, to get out of the house. The school campus was deserted except for a few workers pottering about refusing to meet the eye. I suppose, after months of isolation and work…

Colours of Venetian Isles.

The constant Corona news doesn't let me forget Italy. I hold on to the memories of how I saw it last summer- breathtaking, bustling with life, impromptu street concerts, delicious food and wine to sign off each day. I remember evenings in Venice, shadowy inky gondolas bobbing on the dark blue Adriatic Sea, under the…

Vatican Cameos

I had a wish list of the things I had to see in Vatican. a) Sistine Chapel, specifically The creation of Adam by Michelangelo. b) The Swiss guards in their colourful pantaloons designed by Michelangelo. By the way, he didn’t! c) Bramante Staircase or the double helix spiral staircase. d) Michelangelo's Pieta. Everything else I…

FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) At Ajanta Caves!

Google Aurangabad and Ajanta Caves comes up as a must visit spot, every time! Incidentally the caves are around 110 kilometres from Aurangabad with absolutely no other historic or cultural site to see along the way. I almost missed it but the pressure of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) was tremendous! Anyway Bunker, our talkative…

Pompeii Calling

For me Pompeii always had a mystical aura around it. To think, it was obliterated when it faced the fury of the Roman god of fire, Vulcan himself. It then rose like a Phoenix from its ashes and lava to become a legend. Honestly, my imagination had run wild ever since I heard its story…