Life Beyond Boredom

Phool aur Kaante

2012-03-01T22:01:00.000-08:00

Kahin door chaloon....

2012-02-29T04:56:00.000-08:00

कहीं दूर चलूँ,
जहाँ तेरा ना हो ज़िक्र,
जहाँ ना हो तेरी फ़िक्र,
जहाँ मनवा ना पुकारे तेरे को,
जहाँ ना दिख जाए तेरा चेहरा,
जहाँ बंदिश ना हो तेरे आँचल की.....

कहीं दूर चलूँ,
जहाँ मेरा सागर शांत हो,
जहाँ ना हो ये शीतल सहर,
जहाँ ना हो तेरी परछाई,
जहाँ रुके भी मुझे ना पकड़ पाएं ये रंग,
जहाँ ना हो तेरे से मिलने की उमंग.....
-----------

Kahin door chaloon,
jahan tera na ho zikar,
jahan na ho teri fikar,
jahan manwa na pukaare tereko,
jahan na dikh jaaye tera chehra,
jahan bandish na ho tere aanchal ki....

Kahin door chaloon,
jahan mera sagar shaant ho,
jahan na ho ye sheetal sehar,
jahan na ho teri parchaayi,
jahan ruke bhi mujhe na pakad paayein ye rang,
jahan na ho terese milne ki umang.....

------------

High Five!

2012-02-28T05:33:00.000-08:00

Life says high five!

Saturated

2012-02-27T22:31:00.000-08:00

The saturated skies cry out! No more! We can't take it more!

All I Can See!

2012-02-27T00:05:00.000-08:00

Sometimes all we can see is what our eyes want to show!

Do Pal...

2012-02-23T07:50:00.009-08:00

दो पल मिले थे मुझे ,
यूं ही कहीं।
दो पल मिले थे तुम,
यूं ही कहीं।

दो साल भी कभी कम लगते थे,
किसी को समझने में,
दो पल में ही तुम अपने बने,
वक़्त गुजरते ही।

शुरू होने से पहले ही ,
बिछुड़ने का समय पता था हमको।
ख़ुशी आने से पहले ही ,
दर्द का पता था हमको।

दोस्त कहते हो हमको,
तो कुछ मांग लो हमसे,
एक बार और,
दो पल ले लो मुझसे।

ख़ुशी का पर्दा गिरने से पहले ,
एक आखरी ख्वाहिश है ये तुमसे,
दो पल दे दो मुझे......

----------------------------------
Do pal mile the mujhe,
yoo he kahin.
Do pal mile the tum,
yoo he kahin.

Do saal bhi kabhi kam lagte the,
kisi ko samjhne main.
do pal main he tum apne bane,
bina waqt gujre he.

Shuru hone se pehle he,
Bichadne ka samay pata tha humko,
Khushi aane se pehle he,
Dard ka pata tha humko.

Dost kehte ho humko,
to kuch maang lo humse,
ek baar aur,
do pal le lo mujhse.

Khushi ka parda girne se pehle,
ek aakhri khawhish hai ye tumse,
do pal de do mujhe...

Dedicated to dear friend Summie who is going to leave soon!

Relax buddy!

2012-02-21T23:21:00.001-08:00

खूब हल्ला,
खूब मस्ती,
दारु भी मिली सस्ती !
बहुत किया काम,
भैया अब करो थोडा आराम !

Khoob halla,
Khoob masti,
Daaru bhi mili sasti!
Bahut kiya kaam,
Bhaiya ab karo thoda araam!

Traps

2012-02-19T21:25:00.000-08:00

Beauty of a flower,
Web of a spider....

New Decorations: House in Pondy

2012-02-16T02:38:00.002-08:00

Cotton Saree at the local market is a fabulous Curtain for the dining room

Blocks for hand printing always attract me!

A Small Jungle!

The new warm corner!

Jaipur Chanderi Print with a Pondy Pottery piece

Let the game...

begin!

Knock Knock!

2012-02-15T00:18:00.000-08:00

ये दीवारें भी गल गयीं ,
फिर भी क्यों बंद हैं ये दरवाज़े ?
ये खून भी जल गया ,
फिर भी क्यों बंद हैं ये बाहें ?

Valentine's Day

2012-02-13T21:13:00.001-08:00

When love is in the air,
I close my eyes,
I curl myself,
Bring my arms together.

In the envelope of my arms,
I smell your body,
I touch your soul,
I hear your breath.

And then, our dreams mingle,
Our feet become one,
We dance,
We dance on the beats of our loving heart....

Wishing Valentine's Day to all those who ever loved!

Post is part of Weekly Top Shot

Boondein

2012-02-13T06:02:00.000-08:00

हो रही थी सुबह ,

फिर वही खलबली थी ।

क्या हम फिर अधूरे रहेंगे ?

क्या बूँदें फिर कोरी रहेंगी ?

An Eclipse

2012-02-09T21:03:00.000-08:00

An Eclipse is an astronomical event that occurs when someone comes between me and my tea....

My Love: A Pencil Sketch

2012-02-08T22:24:00.000-08:00

मेरा प्यार नहीं, मेरा गुरूर है तू ।

मेरा हक नहीं, मेरा कतरा है तू ।।

This post is part of Creative Exchange.

New house in Pondy

2012-02-06T21:33:00.000-08:00

A minimalistic beginning. Ideas and suggestions are welcome :)

Eye see!

2012-02-05T21:55:00.000-08:00

A well of emotions.
A sky of thoughts.
Eye see,
A million colours,
And sometimes just dots....

Unsent messages

2012-02-02T06:06:00.000-08:00

~~I hate you!~~
~~You should be sorry!~~
~~You never understood me!~~
~~You failed me every time!~~
~~Maybe I was at fault, but I tried, you never did, not even once!~~
~~Sometimes, you did try but not wholeheartedly...~~
~~Sometimes, you did care for me.~~
~~I am so bad at times!~~
~~I am sorry!~~
I love you!

Humayun's Tomb Walk

2012-02-02T04:49:00.000-08:00

First of all thank you Blogadda for giving me a chance to be a part of the Book Review initiative!

I got the book titled "Delhi 14 Historic Walks" by Swapna Liddle, for the review, and couldn't stop myself from picking up the book and starting off with the places that I love and frequent to. Although I love Delhi but some parts of Delhi or I love to say Dilli are close to my heart! So, I started with the place that I love and will always love- Humayun's Tomb :)

Exciting, laidback- out of the rush and halla-gulla, romantic, calm, peaceful and adventurous all at the same time; Humayun's Tomb is a must visit to get one of the best Dilli experiences! On top are some of the pictures from my last visit to Humayun's Tomb.

The book nicely covers the place, taking us through the history in abridged version. The abridged history in easy words helps one to know at least something about the sightings and places. I loved the additional information provided like amenities (specially about the washrooms availability and locations), ticket prices, location with reference to metro stations and walking direction with respect to some landmarks or points that are easy to sight. The small easy to read maps are a great feature for people who are bad in map reading. The presentation style is great and again very user-friendly. The highlights of each walk makes it good for anyone who is in a hurry as well.

I also loved the fact that the book covers some very underplayed locations or locations known for different reasons, for example Mehrauli village. Even some dilliwallahs don't know the treasures hidden in this location. Likewise only a few people know that Kashmiri gate has much more than a railway station entry point. Description of such places adds the real value to this book!

And finally the size of the book is compact enough to be easily carried on walks. Many people nowadays turn to iPhones and Androids while traveling. But traveling with a book and that too of this significance has its own charm. I am sure, I will be adding hand written notes on every chapter as i go around.....

All these features, historical notes, maps and other relevant information make this book a delight for a walk enthusiast. In fact, this book is a good company for anyone who wants to experience Dilli on foot!

Now, the sad part about this book: The book has been priced at a high price - Rs. 495. The pictures in the book at this high price are all monochromatic and as if taken from our student's history books. This is a turn off :( I think, if the pictures would have been better, then this book could have been recommended to anyone wanting to have a flavour of Dilli. But, this book loses on this count. So, I would recommend this book only to those who love walking and are heading towards Dilli for a vacation!

Overall I would rate 3.5 out of 5 for this book. Happy reading!

This review is a part of the Book Reviews Program at BlogAdda.com. Participate now to get free books!

Jahan tum pass hoge....

2012-01-29T23:42:00.000-08:00

कहीं तो होगी वह शाम,

जहाँ तुम पास होगे ।

कहीं तो होगा वह किनारा

जहाँ तुम पास होगे ।

हर शाम इंतज़ार करूंगा,
हर किनारा ढूंढ लूँगा,
तुझे पाने के लिए,
मैं हर दरिया पार करूंगा ।।

Udd chala main!

2012-01-23T00:12:00.000-08:00

हवा के काँधे लो उड़ चला मैं ।

आस्मां को रंगने लो उड़ चला मैं ।

कुछ दोस्तों से दूर,

कुछ दोस्तों के पास,

आँखों में सपने लिए, लो उड़ चला में......

On the shoulders of the breeze, I take my flight.

To color the skies, I take my flight.

Far from some friends,

Close to some other,

Dreams in my eyes, I take my flight.....

Fast Pace of Life

2012-01-21T01:33:00.000-08:00

Beautiful Churches of Europe

2012-01-18T22:23:00.000-08:00

Traveling across Europe, fascinated by the cultures, places, food and much more, I saw a good number of churches along the way. Every church was unique in its own way and encapsulated a beauty within it, that radiated warmth to anyone passing by.....

Dream Falls : Under a Coconut Tree

2012-01-12T04:59:00.000-08:00

कुछ थे सपने बिखरे हुए ,
आओ समेट लें |
कुछ थी यादें बिखरी हुई ,
आओ समेट लें |

ज़िन्दगी है दो पल की ,
ना जाने कब हम चल पड़ें ,
आओ उन दो पलों का प्यार समेट लें ||

Traveler with Dreams

2012-01-10T05:37:00.000-08:00

There was once a traveler, envied by many. He never belonged to one place. Always on a move, he knew what to do and what not to do in a new place. He could speak several languages, even the sign language. He had enjoyed himself over the numerous fantasies in the world. Traveling around he made many friends- moments of closeness was all he thought was friendship. He knew the art of survival and the luxury of a golden spoon. He sometimes slept under the stars and sometimes under the colonial roof. And everywhere he went, we kept dreaming....

He dreamed, he dreamed of a life without travels. He dreamed of a home where he could go back every evening. He dreamed of a group of people called family. He dreamed of a road called, "road to his home.....

Hey bhagwaan!

2012-01-10T03:01:00.000-08:00

Shhhhhhhh.....

2012-01-02T20:44:00.000-08:00

I smell something,
I can even hear someone walking,
Shhhhhh,
There was a movement at the corner,
I saw a shadow moving,
It might be nothing,
Or it might be the end,
Either for me or for the...

Buddha - A Pencil Sketch (2)

2011-12-28T05:29:00.000-08:00

The link to the previous sketch Buddha- pencil-sketch

Dream falls!

2011-12-26T01:24:00.000-08:00

A bit of sunlight,
Couple of clothes,
Lying on my back,
I see the dream falls....

Dastak

2011-12-22T23:54:00.000-08:00

एक दिन टूटी नीद मेरी |
क्या वह दस्तक तुम्हारी थी ?

एक दिन दिल मचल उठा |
क्या वह दस्तक तुम्हारी थी ?

एक दिन सागर भी शांत हुआ |
क्या वह दस्तक तुम्हारी थी ?

एक दिन काँटा भी फूल बना |
क्या वह दस्तक तुम्हारी थी ?

एक दिन बारिश की बूंदों ने मुझे चूम लिया |
क्या वह दस्तक तुम्हारी थी ?

एक दिन चान्दिनी ने मुझे घेर लिया |
क्या वह दस्तक तुम्हारी थी ?

एक दिन मैं यूं ही हंस दिया |
क्या वह दस्तक तुम्हारी थी ?

फिर रात हुई,
फिर दिन हुआ,
कभी चंदा ने, कभी सूरज ने,
कभी घडी के हर पल ने आवाज़ मारी थी
पर क्या वह दस्तक तुम्हारी थी ?

Christmas Celebrations at Office

2011-12-22T05:31:00.000-08:00

Take a Break! (Part-2)

2011-12-20T00:21:00.000-08:00

Closed my shop,
Opened up a book,
Closed my ears,
Heard the sea,
Closed my eyes,
Entered my dreams,
Not a worry,
Joyful heart,
Excitement unlimited,
Just take a break!

Welcome home...

2011-12-14T21:32:00.000-08:00

Smell of mother's food,
Sweets from father,
Call out of friends,
Same old bed,
With warm covers,
Rustic handles,
Opening the doors to my Home!

All at the same moment!

2011-12-09T22:29:00.000-08:00

As we move in the fast lanes, little do we realize that we are missing on so many things! Destination has become so much more important than the journey for many of us. The faster we can move, the faster we can rise, the faster we can run, faster, faster, faster.......Always in a comparative world, we become far-sighted!

So, as I stood on one of the crossings, these thoughts rushed to my mind; and then, I could see so many things, all at the same moment!

An identification number for the rickshaw puller.....

Vermilion on the lady's head.....

Prayer meeting poster stuck and then torn off....

A telecom tower......

Cycles, cars, buses, people all on the crossing looking in every direction possible....

Old fort on stints...

A Burqa clad woman looking down while walking and a saree clad woman looking up while walking.....

Happy Feeling

2011-12-08T22:15:00.000-08:00

Some pictures just make you smile, and some make you happy! You decide what you gonna do after watching this one :)

This post is a part of You Capture

Dance of Dreams

2011-12-07T02:30:00.000-08:00

Sun sets down,
Eyelashes hug,
Red meets the gray,
Dance of dreams is on its way......

Take a break!

2011-12-02T22:48:00.000-08:00

A long ride home- from the hustle bustle of the city to the commotion of a home. Some moments for oneself in a life of rushes and misses.......

New start

2011-12-02T01:18:00.000-08:00

A new day,
A new start,
Ride on the fuel of victories,
Learn from the mistakes of the past,
Hug friends for wishes,
Pack all the memories,
Store all the kisses.
Sometimes you will be lonely,
Sometimes you will be a loose kite,
Keep your spirits high,
It's a new start!!

Odissi : Ganesh Vandana

2011-11-18T05:43:00.000-08:00

The oldest surviving dance form of India. A treatise not just for the eyes, but for the ears and heart as well! The various Bhangas (stances) will pierce vials of energy in your soul and will leave you enthusiastic for the rest of your life!

Your hearts are still wrong!

2011-11-15T10:36:00.000-08:00

Metals are rusted,
Stones are covered with moss
Still piercing my approaching hands
Your hearts are still wrong!

A thought for introspection, "Do we have such a small life to hate someone or to love someone?!"

Peace!

एक पल को कैद कर लेना

2011-11-08T09:52:00.000-08:00

आँखों को मूँद कर ,

समेट लिया मैंने वह पल |

रुक नहीं सकता समय,

इसी लिए कैद कर लिया मैंने वह पल |

नीला सागर, नीला गगन ,

बैहक्ति वह हवा ,

दोस्तों की खिलखिलाहट ,

लोगों की चहल पहल ,

हाथों में गरम चाय का प्याला ,

चेहरे पर हल्की सी मुस्कुराहट ,

आँखों में टिमटिमाते तारे,

चुस्की वाले का पुकारना ,

लहरों की दस्तक ,

दूर पंछियों की आहट |

फिर दिल का मचल्ना,

फिर आँखों को मूँद लेना,

फिर खुद को ढूँढना,

फिर एक और पल को कैद कर लेना....

Buddha - A Pencil Sketch

2011-10-31T23:46:00.000-07:00

Simplicities of Life!

2011-10-31T04:54:00.000-07:00

A walk down the road,
Sand in my slippers,
With broken straps,
Life just raps!

Borrow a cycle,
Ride it fast,
With punctured tyre,
Life's a satire!

Neighborhood fights,
Matches every night,
Scoreline's tight,
Life is so bright!

Steal a pen,
For the next day examination,
Cheat a bit,
Life is sometimes shit!

Curse Mommy's food,
Don't know what to do,
Anyways have to eat,
Life is so sweet!

Whistling I roam,
On the dirty roads,
Drool over the dimple,
Life is so simple!

On a wonderful day, at a relaxed moment, somewhere beyond existence......

King sits down!

2011-10-29T23:27:00.000-07:00

Now, let go off my fingers!
I've lost my glory,
Lost my charm,
From green to yellow, from yellow to brown;
The season takes away my crown,
Finally the king sits down!

Happy Diwali

2011-10-25T22:57:00.000-07:00

Lights and colors fascinate me! And a house lighted up with colors and lights, emanating from candles and diyas, is a gorgeous sight; with smiles not even a moment away!

As I ventured out in Bangalore, in the search of some diyas and candles, the big stores were disappointing. Some of them not even stocking candles, which was a surprise for me! But, the long disappointing walk back from the big stores had a happy ending. I chanced upon a small shop selling these beauties, nonetheless the beauty of the small girl was invaluable!!!

A Happy Diwali to you all! Hope the day brings a smile in your lives, a smile broad enough to span the breadth of your lives, and bright enough to lighten up the lives of those around you!

Portrait of a Hand

2011-10-24T08:39:00.000-07:00

Journey Begins

2011-10-14T23:27:00.000-07:00

Next station Puducherry,

Next Station....

"When do you reach your destination?"

"This train can't take me there. It can only reach a place where my journey begins"

Dream to fly

2011-10-09T02:51:00.000-07:00

Just had my lunch. Got back to my desk. Saw a honey bee sitting on the window. I dreamed. I dreamed to fly...

I woke up with a thud. Bee was still there, dead!

Fiction in 160 words is always a challenge. The writer can only give a skeleton, around which a reader has to weave ones own story. The elasticity of thoughts, the creativity of mind, the ferocity of human behavior, everything stretches in its own freewill to complete the fiction; and give it, it's own life!

Bookshelf accessories

2011-10-03T08:37:00.000-07:00

In one of my earlier posts, I showed what my bookshelf was like. As I roamed around in space and time, here is what I have collected to adorn the top of my bookshelf....

The Fine Balance

2011-09-30T23:25:00.000-07:00

Light and darkness,

In a fine balance,

At odds with each other.

But, in a state of non-chalance.

Love and hate,

In a fine balance,

Every moment is lively,

With their presence.

Truth and lies,

In a fine balance,

Hard to swallow,

They yearn for silence.

Birth and death,

In a fine balance,

With great certainty,

We get trapped in their instance.....

Eyes and Time and Me

2011-09-24T22:23:00.000-07:00

Eyes are the sculpture shaped by time. The stone washed and carved by the waves of situations, that time brings upon a man.
You said smile, I smiled.
You said cry, I cried.
You said burn in anger, I burnt in anger.
You said be happy, I was happy.
You said feel the weight of chains around you, I felt every ounce of it.
You said fly, I took a flight.
You said fall back to the ground, I fell back...and it hurt a lot.
You said feel hurt, I was hurt to my core.
You said die, and I died.......

You are time, you are my bound,
I follow, only your sound!

My thought is mightier!

2011-09-13T09:49:00.000-07:00

Wading through the waters,
A bubble of desire,
Chained to the ground,
Rose a ball of fire!

Once more it rose,
Only to sink down the same day,
Who's more powerful?
Who is the creator, who is the clay?

Shining an armor of gold,
All ready to fight all odds,
At times can't even see eye to eye,
So, you are one of the gods?

Bound by a rope,
You come every day,
If the power is with you,
Why don't you come from a different way?

My thought is mightier!
It has its own say,
No matter how small,
It comes! No matter, what may!!

Mysore Palace

2011-09-07T09:44:00.000-07:00

Alas I made it to Mysore! And the city did not disappoint my high expectations. It fulfilled all the sensations: food (from Mysore Pak to Mysore Masala Dosa to Mysore Bonda), sounds (Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations around the city), smell (sandalwood scented incense sticks from a temple on every nook and corner), touch (the touch of the quaint town and streets) and finally the vision of the great Mysore Palace.

It might not be the grandest, not the most beautiful, or the most ornamental, but as I said, somewhere, earlier, "Grandeur is not in the place or the objects, it is in the moment and the thoughts!"

Lighted up Palace at 7:15pm on 3rd of September 2011

Palace at 6:30pm on 3rd of September 2011

A break in rush hour!

2011-08-31T02:15:00.000-07:00

Running, walking, walking fast,
Life says, "You are noone, if you come last!"

I sit down to have a cup of coffee,
And I say, "I don't want that trophy!"

Winner survives, loser dies,
This seems to be a game of big lies!

Life is beautiful in slow pace,
Give happiness also some space.......

Image is taken using my phone camera. And it's not as bad as I thought it is! :)

Speechless moments!

2011-08-20T07:00:00.000-07:00

Different views

2011-08-18T23:36:00.000-07:00

So many views!!

Vibrancy shouting aloud,
How to get out of this clout?

We are blinded by our eyes,
Everywhere we see mirages, arise!

My view is different from yours,
Is that reason enough for no cures?

Stand at, where I am standing,
But, how do we put 2 men at the same landing?

Personal biases are the culprit,
Even the saints are a colored bit!

How to put an end to this?
Think of what all do you miss!

But, will it be enough?
At least, it will be a start, though rough....

The post is also part of Blue Bells' Short-story-slam-week 8

Home is where..

2011-08-06T22:04:00.000-07:00

Home is where...

Mornings are our own,
Evenings are shared with loved ones.
Tea tastes best no matter how it is made,
Even bread makes a wonderful dinner.
Laughters are aplenty,
Spills even more.
Every corner teases you,
Every corner becomes a lazy one.
You dance on your own,
Music is in the creaks of the cupboards too.
Dirt might settle down on everything,
Yet nothing can be more pure.
A moment you may jump with joy,
Another moment you may cry.
Summer heats can't enter,
Winters are even better.
No pause in life,
Home is always alive!!

Inspired by the play I saw last night: "Harlesden High Street" at Rangashankara, Bangalore.

मेरा दोस्त : My friend

2011-07-25T10:46:00.000-07:00

तू कुछ न बोला ,

फिर भी मैं सब समझ गया |

तू जब दर्द में तड़पा,

तो में आंसूं की धार बन गया |

तू कभी खुश होता ,

तो मेरा दिल मचल उढ़ता |

तेरी आँखें थी तेरे दिल का दर्पण ,

दर्पण बिना खरोंच का |

अब बस यादें हैं तेरी मेरे पास ,

और यादों में चेहरा मेरे दोस्त का ||

Out in wilderness!

2011-07-25T07:17:00.000-07:00

It's not everyday, that we walk alone, in the wilderness. Out from our comfort zones, there are voices that we hear from everywhere around us. Thoughts also run wild, within us! We don't want to blink our eyes, we don't want miss a moment; the unknowns are too many and we have just one life!

Thoughts

2011-07-24T00:02:00.000-07:00

In the darkest of nights,
There is always a light!

Warmth of your thoughts,
Keeps my hope, bright!

Most Beautiful Door

2011-07-15T11:41:00.000-07:00

"The most beautiful door is not the one with intricate carvings, expensive handles, ornamental decorations or rich colours. It is the one which opens a world of freedom to our thoughts and expressions."

Illusions of life

2011-07-04T00:38:00.000-07:00

Saw the sun going towards the west,
Thought life there is the best,
Kept enough for food,
Gave boatman the rest....

Opened my eyes to see sun rise in the east!!
Thought life in West was a feast?!
But, I am so sad dude,
Alas the illusions of life have ceased to exist....

Lady in Red

2011-06-21T09:13:00.000-07:00

Freedom!! : An ode to Jyotirmoy Dey & Maqbool Fida Husain

2011-06-13T09:04:00.000-07:00

Within a short span of time, two shocking news rocked the sense of freedom in me. Ironically, both the persons were in some way attached to the city of Mumbai, which is, according to some intellectuals the city of freedom!

Flights of freedom without a fear,
But the pain brings out my tear;
No shoulder to cry on,
No warmth of hugs,
I ran away wearing just rugs....

I stopped, I turned,
My heart burned;
A cage! a leash!!
No matter you were my love,
I always saw a knife killing the dove....

Color of fire

2011-06-09T08:27:00.000-07:00

Angst of the day,
Patience for long
Pregnant thoughts
Unkempt desire
Down and broken
Can only show the color of fire!

What does real beauty mean to me?

2011-05-22T20:36:00.000-07:00

Reckless, restless,
Pure but Piercing,
Ordinary yet Opulent,
Simple and distinct...

Beauty is beyond beautiful,
Beauty is in the beast,
Beauty is in the ugliness,
Beauty can never be seen....

Post is part of Yahoo! Real Beauty Contest

Hanging by Hope

2011-05-20T21:58:00.000-07:00

Beautiful as I see,
The world at the edge of life,
I am full of ecstasy,
Now I want to just dive,

Hanging by hope,
I could not enjoy,
Time to leave the rope,
And find all the joys....

Post is part of Live Every Moment and Fabulous Friday

A lifetime of Love!

2011-05-13T22:15:00.000-07:00

No yesterdays, no tomorrows,
I gotta find the joy beyond the sorrows!

No ifs, no buts,
I gotta find my lover's hut!

No stopping no slowing,
Every moment my emotions are growing!

No darkness, no light,
I am in a never ending flight!

No right, no wrong,
I need to be heartstrong!

Post is part of Sunday Best , Black and White Wednesday , Creative Exchange and Simple as That!

Sea of Thoughts

2011-05-10T23:10:00.000-07:00

Sea of thoughts....

Calm for a moment,
Repulsive in the next!
Millions at a time,
Sometimes evil, sometime divine!

Post is part of Black and white Wednesday and You Capture

Time

2011-05-08T23:03:00.000-07:00

Streams of time,
down on my face,
making their ways,
running at a pace!

Colours of time,
made their own vine,
standing at the edge of time-line,
waiting for me to recline....

Post is part of Creative Exchange and Mellow Yellow Monday

Myriad Colors

2011-05-07T00:13:00.000-07:00

Myriad colors,

Vibrant memories,

Hand around you,

Fingers hugging in the breeze.

Please come back soon,

Under the moon,

Jingling the bangles,

I’ll play the same old tune...

Can't wait anymore!

2011-05-06T03:21:00.000-07:00

Chatted around,
Had my tea,
Ate the snacks at the last station and station before that,
People came in,
People went out,
Explored every vendor,
Cried around every corner,
Can't wait anymore!

Hour's hand was ticking,
Minute's hand started to crawl,
Seconds' hand gave up the hope long ago,
Can't wait anymore....

Posted under Outdoor Wednesday and Black and White Wednesday

My New Bookshelf

2011-05-03T08:57:00.000-07:00

Got my new bookshelf recently. Painted green, it contrasts the blue colour of the walls nicely. I am super happy with it :)

Right to Childhood

2011-05-02T04:02:00.000-07:00

On many of my travels across India, it is not surprising to see children working. The law about child labour does not hold good when one comes out on the streets. Rather, it is the law of the "city-jungle" that becomes a reality. But, it was a pleasant surprise to see these girls playing.

There toys were simple pieces of rock. I stood there and watched them play for quiet some time. Then I thought about my own childhood games and the toys that my father used to bring along from his trips, or the toys that I used to buy on every weekend outing. I had loads of fun too. I played in the comforts of carpets and air conditioners. I played with toys that were recommended for "kids".

I realized, that these kids were missing something. They were missing their right to childhood. Probably, they will start working in another year or so, but at least they deserve the right to play with toys, and know what childhood is about and enjoy it to the fullest.

How easy it is for us to throw away our old ones, our broken ones?! Can't we share the joy with these unprivileged children by giving them even our discarded toys? Can't we give them their right to childhood?!

Activity: Toybank, a non-profit organization has been set up with the aim of providing toys to children who come from a weak socio-economic background.
Details: Goals:
To ensure that children from under privileged backgrounds receive toys through collection and distributions.
To bridge the gap between children from different backgrounds by creative play/group events/community events.
To make play space available for children through-- Toy libraries in available infrastructures; reclaim open public spaces for children.
To design and thus provide toys that will be context specific, by having toys made in local languages as well.
Support: Children, Right to Play, Right to Leisure, non-formal education, toys.
Note: We are looking for volunteer coordinators in Pune and Bangalore. We are looking for NGOs working on education of children in Delhi/NCR.

Post is also part of Creative Exchange

Some perceptions

2011-04-30T02:50:00.000-07:00

Berlin wall was an unforgettable experience. As I walked along every inch of it, it felt as if from the history books every page came alive on the wall. This work on one of the parts of the wall specially got me wondering for a couple of minutes, or maybe hours. The creation was even more spectacular as it was covered by a wire mesh to restrain people from touching it. Here are a few lines that come to my mind every time I visit it in my photograph gallery:

Some crying,
Some laughing,
Some smiling,
Some in pain,
Some complaining,
Some playing,
Some happy,
Some sad,
But, everyone is living in a cage,
Freedom is bound by the mesh,
Ruthless,
Indifferent to the colour of flesh!

Build the mighty walls,
Cages within a cage,
When do we stop this rage?
Let's read the last history page......

Make a Choice!

2011-04-28T02:09:00.000-07:00

They say the first hour is the toughest! And after that it is sheer will power that takes one forward. One may start counting the number of steps left, some may be happy to see the small rainbow on the bottom right and others may just use the stairs as another sitting stone. But only a few would see a person leading, and strive to become that person in life.... Make a choice!

Post is part of Outdoor Wednesday

An ode to love....

2011-04-24T21:31:00.000-07:00

Boy, "I can't see life beyond you!"
Girl, "Don't fool me. Everyone says that. But life will go on, even when I will not be there."
Boy, "Probably life will go on, but I won't be living it."
Girl, "What's the difference?!"
Boy, "It will take time, will tell you sometime else."
Girl, "No, now or never!"
Boy, "Do you know what I see in your eyes? I see myself. I see myself smiling, and then I know that I will be happy with you. I smile. And seeing me smile, there is always a smile on your face. Then, I realize, that our happiness will be unbound by the situations around us. If you won't be there, I will live on. But what a worthless life will it be! I can live without my eye's vision, without a sense of smell, without a sense of touch or taste, but what will it be without a sense of you being around me. I can't even imagine that. I can't think beyond you."
Girl, "...."

Tears of joy rolling down her cheeks, each precious one an ode to their love...

Post is part of Blue Monday , ABCWednesday , You-Capture and Creative Exchange

Memories

2011-04-22T22:40:00.000-07:00

Bright open skies,
Blue waters to jump into,
Friends all around me,
Such memories are always as fresh as dew :)

Constellation of dancing buds

2011-04-21T02:44:00.000-07:00

Constellation of dancing buds,
Scattering the rays around,
Blues and Pinks trickling down,
Shadows & Halos playing round and round...

Post is part of Thursday Challenge and Exploring with Camera

Never at Rest.....

2011-04-19T22:50:00.000-07:00

रात भर करवटें लेता रहा मैं ,
बादल बरस्ते रहे |
अब क्या करूँ इन सुनसान राहों में ,
ये बूँदें भी तेरी परछाई दिखाते रहे ||

Originally composed by me in Hindi, the literal translation in English loses its charm but nevertheless it is as follows:
All night I was rolling on bed,
And it rained all night.
What do I do in these lonely streets,
These rain drops also show your shadow.

Post is part of Weekend Reflections, Black and White Wednesdays , You Capture and ABCwednesday

Language of Body: Dance

2011-04-19T03:09:00.000-07:00

You are lost for words, lost in another world. You become speechless, there is so much to say but you are stunned. Blink of the eye is prohibited, there will be too much to lose.

This is Language of the Body defined as Dance!

This post is part of Creative Every Day.

Life at Snail's Pace

2011-04-18T02:52:00.000-07:00

"No more!"
"What were you doing before?!"
"Sleeping without a snore!"
"Get out of the door!"

"Oh! Mondays are so bore!!"

Post if part of Creative Exchange and Outdoor Wednesday

Feeling of Love

2011-04-16T23:51:00.000-07:00

If it ever happens,
Me & you together, forever;
My soul will dance to the tune of your heartbeats, till eternity.
Else, I will burn in an eternal fire of emotions.

Post is part of Sunday 160 Challenge and Weekend Reflections (I was trying to write "Love" in a way that when reflected on a mirror it shows in this readable format. The effort was worth it. I loved every moment of this exercise!)

Joy Forever

2011-04-14T21:40:00.000-07:00

The beauty of a place does not end at the turn of the road.
Rather,
It starts to get better when we start to ruminate about it,
Just after the turn.....

The post is part of Whimsical-wednesday

Hands

2011-04-13T03:21:00.000-07:00

Not for everyone....

The dust blinded me for a moment, but the photographer in me was too anxious to close my eyes, so many glorious subjects, so less a time.

“Which lens would be perfect? What angles shall I use on this assignment? I will surely go for the shot from above. I will look for the highest point and use my new fish eye lens for that perfect capture!”

As the dust was settling down, my eyes pained to see through, and could see only the outlines of what looked like a heap of debris.

“Getting on top of this debris will be tough…”

I took my first step towards the debris and blinked once to clear my eyes. I don’t remember closing my eyes after that. As I adjusted the aperture setting and looked ahead I was startled by the sight. The road seemed to be made up of red limestone. And the banks of the road were strewn with hands, just hands. The bodies were lying a little far away in that pile of what I thought was debris. The stairs to the top were countless heads and the legs were the railings to support the faint hearted.

Someone shouted behind me,

“Start clicking, we got to be out of here in an hour. We don’t want to risk exposures beyond that point!”

“Goosnargh”

The soldiers are trained to look for dangers to life, doctors are trained to look for life, forensic experts are trained to look for reasons for death, but I, a photographer, am trained to look for details in everything from life to death and beyond. The pain for me spans the whole spectrum. How cursed I am, how dejected I felt!

My eyes zeroed down on the small hand, probably of an infant, clinging on to a leg, as if the leg, probably of a mother or a father could save the child from every calamity known. How could the child know that even their mothers and fathers never imagined something of such monstrosity? They didn’t even have their parents to cling on to; all they could think of was to cover their children with a hand, as if a hand is enough to save someone from the forces of destruction.

But, wasn’t it a hand that caused this collapse of a fragment of civilization? There must be a reason strong enough to go to such an extent. Or were they unaware of the consequences? Can’t we do something more than ad hominem attacks on the evils responsible? Then, will we be someway different from them?

How I wished, the dust would have never settled down…

(This post if part of 3-word-week)

In between

2011-04-12T22:22:00.000-07:00

Right or wrong,
Left or right,
Every choice seems bright!

Nothing to choose,
Everything to loose,
I am at the crossroads of life,
I am neither black nor white!

Oh what a day,
In between Saturday and Sunday,
This is Wednesday!!

This post is also part of Outdoor Wednesday

Boredom and Loneliness

2011-04-11T21:20:00.000-07:00

Boredom and Loneliness,
difficult to kill easily,
but easily the greatest of the killers.....

Part of Creativeeveryday

Train to catch

2011-04-10T23:49:00.000-07:00

I got a train to catch,
Train to catch the memories somewhere back.........................

Post is part of black and white wednesdays , photofriday and Black and White Weekend

Why now?

2011-04-10T02:00:00.000-07:00

"Why?Why now?"
"It ends like this, everything takes its own time"
"What happens to me?"
"Flowers on the side were left by the tree, ask them what happens next..."

Pic also part of SOOC Sunday and Thrusday Challenge

Temples of India

2011-04-08T01:33:00.000-07:00

India is not just the land of snake charmers, elephants and IT, it is also the land of Gods and Goddesses. Almost every nook and corner has a temple of worship for all religions. Here are 3 beautiful temples from my journey around India.

Playing Around

2011-04-06T22:07:00.000-07:00

Whenever I see candies I feel like playing arund with them. The kid in me wakes up and its fun from then on. Here are some candid candy pictures :)

Blog part of the Ultimate Bloggers' Party 2011

and Paper Heart Camera.

Love for hills: Karnataka

2011-04-05T21:48:00.000-07:00

Hills make us go round and round with joy. The roads snaking around and the ride like a camel on its back makes us feel rejuvenated. We feel like living our life on one such hill top.
These pics are from one of my backpacking trips across hills in Karnataka, India.

Submitted to asoutherndaydreamer , ABCwednesday, MyWorld , CreativeExchange and Sky Watch Friday

Love for Oceans: Côte d'Azur

2011-04-04T21:25:00.000-07:00

The pictures are taken somewhere on the Mediterranean coastline of France, where I was backpacking in September 2009. Amazing experience. I could never imagine the colours of an Ocean to be so vivid, and an ocean and sky handshaking the Azure to become one....

Restless

2011-03-31T20:43:00.000-07:00

Calm for a moment,
Restless for life...

Take a step back,
Come back with a strife....

Sounds of hollowness,
Yet so full of life....

Games that People Play

2011-03-30T20:34:00.000-07:00

Marbles or "kanche" (कंचे ) as they are called in Hindi, is one of the favourite games in India. Kanche refers to the game as well as the small glass balls used for playing the game.

Marbles originated in India near river Indus where the Harappan civilization is supposed to have settled.

In the most simple game of kanche, one player has to hit as many marbles of the opposite player possible. The strategy is to either hit the marble of opposite player or land in a safe distance from other players. The winner, gets the marbles of the opposite player. A bigger sized marble is used as the striker and comes in varied colours.

But, of course friends for life are also found over a game of kanche....

Om ॐ ओम् : The Absolute

2011-03-29T20:23:00.000-07:00

The mystical or sacred syllable of the Indian Religions literally means "Will be". It is placed at the beginning of most Hindu Texts.

But it triggered my thoughts of childhood, when some of my fellow classmates used to write it on top of every page in their notebook. An exam paper was also full of it for one of my friends. We asked him so much about it that he stopped using it altogether for one of the exams. Coincidentally he scored really bad in that paper. Of course, we were the culprits, and thenceforth he didn't start anything without the great syllable.

Post is also a part of Lens Day.

Progressive Generation

2011-03-28T21:19:00.000-07:00

Just 13 and she knows what all it takes to be a mother. Compare that to "just 30 moms" that we come across in the malls, with their crying kids rolling behind them or being caressed by a Rs. 3000/month maid. What a contrast, what a generation, still wondering the meaning of being "progressive"!

The smile of this girl is also a part of You-Capture.

Moment in Life

2011-03-27T20:21:00.000-07:00

A Moment in life,
All ours,
Yet never in our control,
Always in our hands,
But always slipping by at its own pace......

Post is also part of ABCwednesday

चल उस किनारे तक.....

2011-03-25T23:42:00.000-07:00

चल उस किनारे तक.....

Wild Colours - 2

2011-03-24T21:50:00.000-07:00

Wild Colours on grayscale. We see colours that our eyes perceive, our mind must have already started filling in colours in this gray picture. Why do we want to tamper with life as it is? Why is this urge to change everything around us?

This is also posted as Today's Flower.

Dubai

2011-03-23T20:41:00.000-07:00

Dubai, a mesmerising world created by humans. One can never dream of a land full of desires in between a desert. Probably Aladdin's lamp somehow did it, but it is true, it exists, it's magical and its surprisingly beautiful in the evneings.