Faces of India - 112

Another happy face from the hills. This shot taken in Solan, Himachal Pradesh. I have taken pictures of people from many parts of India, I found the people from hills most happy lot.



Faces of India, a series through which I intend to portray the various characters of my country whom I met during my travels. See more here.

Bonbibi, Saviour of Sundarbans Forest

Bonbibi is worshipped by the Sundarban forest dwellers for protection from the man eating tigers. The tiger which is recognized as king of forests too is worshiped as Dakshin Ray. The little islands of Sundarbans have many temples dedicated to various Gods and Goddesses like Mother Narayani, Kalu Khan, Gazi Saheb. Bauli (woodcutters), Mouli (honey collectors) and fishermen worship them before

Rural Toy

When I read the Thursday Challenge word is WHEELS, my thoughts raced back to that day when I saw a little boy playing with a wheel. This was in Sunderbans, West Bengal. The little boy was engrossed in trying to run with the wheel, he was hitting it at regular intervals to keep it straight and rolling. It seemed to me as if it was an art he was trying to master.




The activity kept the boy so

Pahaadi Pijja

Pahaadi Pijja, they call that for Mountain Pizza! And that is what we had as sweet dish at a dhaba (roadside inn) on our way to Chail from Kufri.

After a sumptuous lunch, the dhaba owner was very keen to treat us to this specialty of his place. “You must taste this mountain pizza” he insisted… “this is much tastier than the ones you get in your cities” he bragged. He got me curious.. he says it

Butterfly and Lantana

Some moments are confusing, like it happened the other day. I found the color of the Lantana so soothing… a soft mauve color. From nowhere comes a butterfly. I was tempted to chase the butterfly, but after a few attempts gave up and settled for the flower instead. I guess the butterfly decided not to tease me any more and settled on my subject.





Today's Flowers

Faces of India - 111

A native of the hills. He wasn't doing anything in particular, probably waiting for his bus in Solan, Himachal Pradesh. He was amused to see our (bloggers) enthusiasm and I liked his smile.



Faces of India, a series through which I intend to portray the various characters of my country whom I met during my travels. See more here.

Update: My friend Monika Manchanda too has started this

Bula Fiji

(Guest post from www.glad2bawoman.com. Glad2bawoman is an online media company for women with over 77,000 members. The articles on their site encompass various topics around Health, Empowerment, Relationships, Fashion and Leisure.) 

Bula Fiji

Yes! That’s how they say “Hello” in the Fijian tongue!

With air transport gradually developing into an increasingly affordable means of travel, holidays

Rains in Solan, Himachal Pradesh

On our onward journey to Kufri, we halted at Solan; to eat noodles and have garam chai (hot tea). Everything seemed fine, pleasant climate, friends, chatting and all. Then suddenly the whole atmosphere changed, dark clouds, wind, drizzles and finally heavy downpour… all appeared from nowhere. It was pelting small ice cubes from above!

One by one, hands extended out of the shade to feel the rain

Street Walk, Chandigarh

Here are some random shots taken during my walk in the streets of Chandigarh. It was quite early in the morning.


Saw this man sweeping up the area, collecting the leaves and other dry stuffs at one point and setting them on fire. The place does look neat, but up goes the smoke.






This man seemed to be waiting for a customer, probably hoping I might take a ride.







The brightest spots

Medical Tourism

Travel and change of place impart new vigor to the mind. 
~ Lucius Annaeas Seneca, De Tranquillitate Amini, A.D60 

Don’t you agree?! Extend the quote a bit more: Travel and change of place impart new vigor to mind and body!

The private health care institutes of India have adopted this mantra today! People travel to countries (India being one of them) with a purpose of combining modern

Wild Daisies at Kufri, Himachal Pradesh

Wild daisies were in plenty in Kufri. The ox-eye daisies were thriving so well by the roadside, in the bushes, totally uncared. As I crossed them on the paths, I was confused whether they annoyed me or delighted me. I wondered why they act so pricy in my pots here in Bangalore, never showing a bud or a bloom. So small and dainty, I walked carefully so as to not stamp on them accidentally or

Faces of India - 110

A lady police from Chandigarh, Punjab. The shot was taken from a moving vehicle and she definitely is not aware that she was shot at with a Canon! But I must admit that, it is officers like her who instill confidence in minds of lady solo travelers and also the general public.

I salute you Ma’am!

Faces of India, a series through which I intend to portray the various characters of my

Shyama Raya Mandir, Bishnupur, West Bengal

The Shyama Raya Mandir (temple) of Bishnupur is unique because of the Panch Chura (five canopies). It is of the Ratna Chuda style of architecture. The temple was built in 1643 by King Raghunatha Sngha. Access to the terracotta work on the temple wall is restricted, but what I saw from a distance of few feet was mind blowing. Stories from epics like Ramayana, Mahabharata are elaborately portrayed

A for Apple

A for Apple… that was my first step into English language! But till last week had you asked me to identify an apple tree from group of different kinds of trees I would have failed miserably. Not any more.

Kufri trip took me back to those childhood days when I had pestered my mother to show me an apple tree. She was my google those days, but then we were in Trivandrum; the southern most tip of

I was away...

Past few days were hectic, exciting and thrilling! I was away from blogging, from my virtual world into a real world with virtual friends who turned real! Sounds confusing?! Let me tell you straight. I was with several other bloggers far away from home, on a hill top! Ten bloggers from different parts of India decided to converge at Himalayas to give a new meaning to our association in virtual

Faces of India - 109

Met her at Tarapith Temple, West Bengal. We were a part of the same group offering prayers. Hope she is happy where ever she is!

Faces of India, a series through which I intend to portray the various characters of my country whom I met during my travels. See more here.

Sunset at Shanti Niketan, West Bengal

May 7th was Rabindranath Tagore’s birth anniversary. It was in mind since then to post a picture of Shanti Niketan, his karmabhoomi (work place). I will start posting on Shanti Niketan soon, for start here is a sunset from Shanti Niketan.





SkyWatch Friday

Pillar Of Judgment, Strasbourg, France

Strasbourg cathedral is unique in its own way. The first conspicuous factor of its uniqueness is its single tower. During the French Revolution, some anti-religious leaders had conspired to destroy it. But it was unharmed miraculously or rather by sheer brilliance of a local locksmith. A huge Phrygian cap made of metal was made to cover the tower. The cathedral was undamaged during the bombings

Strasbourg Cathedral Door, France

This marvelous façade was built between 1277 and 1365. Such a lot of characters! It will be a huge exercise to write a book on the characters sculpted here, I wonder if anybody has attempted it! If there is one I want to read it for sure. The façade has a nice brick red tinge, a very different flavor from the ones I have seen till date. Here are some pictures from the central door and the grand

Faces of India - 108

Picture of a shop keeper, as I focused on him he shied away from looking at the lens. People around him were telling him: “Dadu (grandpa), you are soon going to be famous!”

Faces of India, a series through which I intend to portray the various characters of my country whom I met during my travels. See more here.

Sunset At Sunderbans

It is already May, how soon time flies! It seems as if it was just the other day I was making my vacation plans and now it pains to think vacations are over and I am back to same routine once again. The best part of vacations is the planning part; in fact the joy and excitement is more than that of actually experiencing the vacation. When the vacation is on, often you are so involved to see if