Happy New Year! Happy 2015!

Wishing all my readers a very happy and prosperous 2015! 

May we all be blessed with all possible good news in this world!



Today is 8th day of my Greece tour, we are leaving for Ancient Delphi in a short while, the weather report is disappointing, predicting snow showers. Hope I will be able to see the ruins clearly.
Meanwhile I am having Greek Salad to my heart's content! 





Our World

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A shepherd boy along NH4. His flock of sheep had managed to hold up fast moving traffic for long causing a jam along the national highway. The little boy startled to see his sheep being photographed and then of him. It took him some time to compose himself and return a smile to me.

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

Sky from Thessaloniki, Greece

Completed 4th day in Greece, I am in Thessaloniki today. It is the second largest city of Greece and is considered the cultural capital of the country. I am amazed at the contrasting historical and modern structures standing side by side. We had a good walk along the waterfront. Sharing with you all a piece of Thessaloniki sky.

Vacation in Greece

I will be on a short vacation. Traveling to Greece this year end. 

We have plans to celebrate Christmas in Athens. Then we will be touring the various 

World Heritage Sites of Greece. I have some auto posts planned and if time and facilities permit I will be logging in to update about my travel. The following is a picture from Beautiful Greece!

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A ‘tender coconut water’ seller. On a hot sunny day they are like gods to the thirsty travelers along the national highways. We spotted his little shop after several kilometers of drive, so naturally there was a crowd of buyers around. No time to pose for crazy photographers. 

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

Travel Cartoon by Mario

Knowing the language of the country you are visiting is so important, 

Mario has conveyed this very humorously in this cartoon.
Mario's works are sold online here: Mario de Miranda

Shri Mangeshi Temple, Goa

There are not many old temples in Goa. All the popular ones are newly constructed ones, the reason being most of the temples were razed down by Portuguese rulers and churches have come up in their place. The idols that were being worshiped in those temples have been carried away by the pujaris of the temple and new temples were constructed for them. One such temple is the Shri Mungeshi Temple.

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A father giving his son the first lessons in swimming and that too in the beaches of Goa, The son looks so thrilled and so were all his family members in the beach who were waving out to him.

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. 

Below is the answer to the last week's question: guess her

Thirumayam Fort, Karaikudi

As we drove onwards towards Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu from Bangalore, I sighted this fort, fort Thirumayam, from a distance. Very majestically located on a hillock, Thirumayam Fort can easily lure a traveler/tourist to wander within its walls. From the feedback that I gathered on this fort I knew it was doable in two hours. So, on a sunny after noon we scheduled our trip to the fort. It was

Mario Miranda's Art Work: Souvenir from Goa

To come back from Goa without a piece of Mario’s cartoon work is like coming back home empty handed. Mario’s art woks are not paintings or drawings; they fall under the category of illustrations. Using just black and white, Mario has churned out numerous illustrations that depict Goan life. He has very successfully placed this tiny little state of India firmly in every traveler’s and tourist’s

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Notice the color of her dress? It is her uniform. Can you guess what does she do for a living? Or what her job is? I will answer in the next part of this series. 

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. 

White Elephant, Indiranagar, Bangalore

After a long time Thai food! Thai dishes have awesome taste with a good combination of Indian and Chinese cuisine styles. I go bonkers over their stir fries with Indian masalas. The recent experience at Thai food at White Elephant, a newly opened restaurant in Indiranagar, Bangalore was relished well. And here is a short picture story on my experience there. 

As soon as I entered I was

Roadside Fish Stall, Goa

If you have driven through roads of India you would have surely got more exposure to Indian way of life from the chaos along the roads. Particularly if you get to the interiors, away from city. There will be cattle crossing your path or shrines under trees, men huddled together over a game of cards, women gossiping around water taps and more.

During my drive through the interiors of Goa I

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He will take you on water scooter rides in the beaches of Goa. The water scooter ride is a big sought after activity by couples, as it offers the thrill of speed on soft water surface. Hopefully he is making enough to support his family. 

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. 

Sao Jacinto Causeway, Goa

To the south of Goa is a little island Sao Jacinto. It is inhabited by some fishermen family. Sao Jacinto Island is connected to the Panjim- Vasco highway by a causeway. We halted for a while on this causeway. Not all the street lights were working, yet it had a very calm and peaceful look.








The view towards the sea was good. Old ships, in their final stages lined up made a good subject

Chili's at Indiranagar Bangalore

Walking into Chili’s the first thing that strikes you is the seating space. Chairs and tables lined up inside, outside, first floor, ground level, lots of them! Very good utilization of the ‘not so big’ place! Everything around had a stamp of chili – the chairs, the salt& pepper and menu card holder, even the door handle.

Chili’s is a casual dining restaurant chain and has restaurants in many

(Haunted) 3 Kings' Church, Goa

I visited this church in August, when I had taken the services of a tourist taxi. I wasn’t aware of this place and it wasn’t in my list of must see place. The taxi driver insisted that I visit the place, also mentioning the names of movies that were shot in this 3 Kings' Church. Of them the famous and most recent one was Bhoothnath, where Shahrukh Khan was talking to Amitabh Bachhan’s (

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Standing atop ruins of Aguada Fort, probably trying to mimic his favorite hero, he was immensely happy when a lady photographer asked him to give a pose.

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. 

Clouds, Clouds and Clouds

A couple of drive by shots while on our way back from Goa. The blue of the sky and the white and grey of the clouds looked mesmerizing. The distant dark ones looked like water bags almost waiting to pour down about the white ones in the foreground were in an amazing pattern. The first pic isn’t edited; the blues of the sky in it surprised me. The sky had different shades in the same frame. I

Toilet For Babli

 (This blogpost is for a social cause.)

The statistics are alarming: Of the 1.27 billion people in India 597 million people defecate in open!

The reasons are many: No proper sanitation facilities, blind superstitious beliefs of not having toilets inside house, shortage of water. Men go about their daily routine with no concerns as if toilets hardly mattered, it is the women who bear the brunt

Aguada Fort, Goa

Aguada Fort is the most famous and most visited fort of Goa. Often tourists who holiday in Goa for a short duration feel the visit is complete with a trip to this Aguada Fort. Several Bollywood movies have been shot in this beautiful location and that has increased the popularity of this fort. Though it was the Chapora Fort where where the movie "Dil Chahta Hai" was shot, tourists sit on the

Peri-Peri, Nando's Restaurant

The motive was to taste the newly launched Butterfly Chicken Breast Meal of Nando’s and I came back not just tummy full but with enhanced vocabulary; a whole set new words, facts and figures about chilies and chicken.

 First a word about Nando’s: Nando's - the international chain of a casual dining restaurant group, originated in SouthAfrica with a Portuguese/Mozambican theme. It was the

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This is a common sight in Goa. Foreign tourists keen to get clicked with locals and the Indian tourists keen to get clicked with foreign tourists. It is a kind of mutual admiration. When these 3 ladies were posing for a pic I quietly stole a moment. 

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. 

Shani Shinganapur

(This is an old post of 2008 got reposted in today's date after I edited it a bit.)

 On the way to Ahmednagar Railway station we took the diversion to Shinganapur. The temple here is dedicated to Lord Shani.

The temple is unique, in the sense that the idol is not housed inside any building. The idol is a big black stone slab placed on a high pedestal and it is in the open. The common belief is

Sunset at Candolim Beach, Goa

A not so dramatic sunset at Candolim beach, Goa! 

The beach and sea had lot of fun events going on. 

Sea surfing, para sailing, 

castle building, 

thankfully the dark clouds decided not to pour that evening. 







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Sky Watch Friday
Thursday Challenge: Pink

Sinquerim Fort and Beach, Goa

A little lesser known fort among the forts of Goa is the Sinquerim Fort in North Goa. It was constructed in the year 1612 and is the lower extension of the better known fort, the Aguada Fort. It consists of a bastion and a section of fortified wall on both sides. Sinquerim Fort served as a safe berth for Portuguese ships.








There is almost no crowd here compared to what we get to see at

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I took 3 pics of hers and in each she has this heart winning shy happy smile. She is employed by the Goa Tourism dept and looks after the gallery housing famous cartoonist Mario de Miranda’s works. Always surrounded with cheerful stuffs, probably that is why she can be so happy. 

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

Reis Magos Church, Goa

Very close to the Reis Magos Fort is the Reis Magos Church. It is the first church of Bardez. Reis Magos is the Portuguese name for the Three Wise Men from the Bible. The fort and the church got named after the village Reis Magos. This church is well known for the colorful 'Festa dos Reis Magos' which is the Feast of the Three Wise Men. The feast is held on 6th of January every year.








As

Reis Magos Fort, Goa

The Mandovi is a quiet river. But when Alfonso de Albuquerque made his entry in to the waters he got a feel of the might of a small fortified outpost by the king of Bijapur Yusuf Adil Shah on the southern side of Bardez Taluka. This was in the February of 1510. This outpost located in the narrowest point of the river had strategic significance.




Albuquerque somehow managed to stay put at Old

Corporate Menu at Loft38

Loft38 at Indiranagar Bangalore is out with its Corporate Menu for the office goers. The menu is served Monday to Saturday. It has a good combination of dishes for the different courses.


Pear, blue cheese and walnut salad




Smoked chicken salad: Smoked chicken, orange, pomegranate, mixed greens and mustard dressing



Before I mention about the food I must mention about the excellent

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The shepherd desperately trying to keep his herd to one side of the road; it is no small road but the national highway NH4. They manage to slow down fast moving traffic successfully much to the irritation of the travelers. I use the opportunity to take some shots. 

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

Beach Watching in Goa

A not so sunny sky, cool breeze sounds perfect for beach activities. But for those colorful umbrellas and parachute the sky would have looked dull.








While all were relaxing there was somebody keeping a watch. Several life guards sat alert for the safety of beach goers. ‘What a wonderful job they are having!’ I thought. Sit and watch the beach whole time and do the noble deed of rescuing

Jessant Valley Holiday Homes, Goa

The weekend at Goa was made memorable by the hospitable staff at Jesant Valley Holiday Homes. I stayed there with my family (4 members), the two rooms we got had ideal yet contrasting balcony views. While one was pool facing the other balcony opened to the beautiful green Jesant valley. I spent some quality time here in the mornings, doing pranayams, breathing in fresh air. I couldn’t believe

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One of the residents of Athangudi mansion in Chettinad, he showed us around the huge mansion. Times have changed and survival along with maintenance of the huge mansion with not enough grants from the government is becoming difficult – he said. He sounded very worried.
 

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

Road Trip To Goa in Car

This Diwali will be celebrated in Goa!

We are doing a road trip to Goa in car, a distance of 556km from Bangalore. Google has timed this distance as 9hrs and we are hoping not to exceed this. This will be the first time we will be doing such a long stretch in one go, may be halt for some time to catch a bite. The road conditions are good for more than 95% of the distance we are told and hoping

Chettinad Festival

During my visit to Chettinad I witnessed their ‘Sevvai Perum Tiruvizha (Tuesday big fair)’ festival. How different it was! Big sized terracotta models of horses and cows, freshly painted and decorated with flowers were lined up and worshiped.

Cows are worshiped, that is understandable because they are considered holy! But I witnessed horses being worshiped for the first time.







There is an

Diwali - A Time For Family

Diwali – the word is synonymous with lights, sweets and crackers! Most part of my childhood and teens’ diwali festival was celebrated at home with a good combination and overdose of all these ingredients. It was a bonus when cousins too dropped in. Couple of times I had burnt my fingers, totally ignorant of safety factors and also too enthusiastic about the whole thing. There was no concept of

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She is a student doing tourism and travel management course. I met her in Bishnupur, when she came seeking answers for a questionnaire she had prepared. This was a part of her curriculum where she had to report based on the survey questions she had for the tourists visiting Bishnupur, West Bengal. I struck a deal with her to pose for my FOI series in return for the answers. She happily

Jayamahal Durga Puja, Bangalore

Can you guess where this picture was clicked without scrolling down? 








This was taken in my own Bangalore city!

The pandals that come up during Durga puja in different parts of the city are usually very sober and traditional types. This year Jayamahal Puja pandal was different. It took up ‘Egypt’ as theme. The entrance was through a model of sphinx, the pandal top was like that of an

Habanero Koramangala, Bangalore

Habanero is out with its new TexMex menu. Habanero does this quite often and it is good both for the restaurant functioning and also for the customers who come looking for authentic flavors in different preparations. I have been to two of their outlets in Bangalore and I must say that no matter where the outlet, the recipes don’t vary, the ingredients don’t change. The menu doesn’t include ‘

My Sushi Making Experience

I always thought the exotic Sushi is too complicated to make. So when the chef at ITC Gardenia was giving a lesson on sushi making I happily followed it up. The sushi rice mix was done previously, so what exactly went to the mix is not known to me. I think it is the chef’s secret. I googled to find that rice vinegar, sugar and salt goes into the sushi rice mix.








The rice mix was shaped

Ramada Encore Hotel, Bangalore

Recently I was at the opening of the new Ramada Encore hotel in Domlur, Bangalore. This is Wyndham Hotel Group’s first venture in Bangalore. Obviously they are targeting the corporate group. They are also targeting the medical tourism sector which is growing by leaps and bounds due to high sophisticated hospitals in the city. It has 90 rooms and is located in the Central Business District of

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I was in lot of dilemma for a long time whether to post the pics together, finally I did post. Both the pics were taken on the same day at different places of Bangalore city without their knowledge from a distance. I find a lot of contrasts in both the pics. While the man, attired in evidently poor clothes, carrying a load looked happy and carefree, also amused at something, the elderly

California Pizza Kitchen, Bangalore

A month long International Pizza & Beer Carnival is on!

The mood is all set for foodies and beer lovers as California Pizza Kitchen, Bangalore gets ready to allure them for a variety of choices with the Pizza & Beer Carnival. The classic restaurant, with taste inspired from many countries, is ready to serve its patrons with the best of world flavors throughout this month long carnival.

Mexico

Yauatcha, MG Mall, MG Road, Bangalore

A Michelin-starred restaurant from London, Yauatcha is now present in Bengaluru. Yauatcha is a dim sum tea house which started its first Indian operation in Mumbai in December 2011. We, the food connoisseurs and aficionados of Bangalore got to experience this authentic international dining experience since 16th September 2013.
Yauatcha is located at the bustling heart of the city at #1 MG

Durga Puja 2014 Puja Pandals, Bangalore

The first part. 

It is the eyes of Ma Durga that fascinates me the most. Each pandal I go I try to observe the expression and feelings depicted by the eyes. Ma Durga is actually in a very angry mood while slaying Mahisasur, the demon in the form of buffalo. The artists while painting the eyes must have definitely tried to convey the emotions. But then only few come anywhere near the angry

Photo Essay on Puja Pandals of 2014, Bangalore

When it is Durga Puja time of the year, Bengalis are in a frenzy celebrating the 4 days. Besides worship and prayers, eating and pandal hopping becomes major activities. (Pandals are places where the resident Bengalis of that area get together, contribute and worship Goddess Durga.)

This year I could make it to 11 pujas in the city scattered in various parts of the city. Here are 4 of them.

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You all know him, don’t you? 

Yes, the little boy is doing the role of Mahatma Gandhi in a tableau. (Oct 2nd was Gandhi Jayanti: Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday.) The shot was taken during Independence Day celebrations in a school in the outskirts of Tumkur district, Karnataka.

 

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

Krishna Raja Sagara Dam, Mysore

Krishna Raja Sagara Dam is another hotspot to visit if you are in Mysore as a tourist. The gardens are done up beautifully and what adds to the charm there are the numerous fountains. We were there late evening when the sun had set and darkness was sinking in. The garden was lit up.

 The major attraction here in the evenings is the musical fountain display of one hour from 7PM to 8PM. There is

Ma Durga Descends

Ma Durga descends on earth to fight and conquer the evil.

Bengalis worship Ma Durga along with her children. The idols are placed together. Her son Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi to her right and Lord Kartikeya and Goddess Saraswati to her left.

The pics were taken at Ulsoor Bengali association, Bangalore.









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Together: Thursday Challenge

Venugopal Swamy Temple, Mysore

A newly developing hotspot tourist (sacred) destination from Mysore is the Venugopalswamy Temple. Couple of centuries back, the people of Kannambadi and other settlements around this village worshipped in this temple. It was built in 12th century AD around the same time as the Chennakesava Temple at Somanathapura, Mysore district.


The temple seemed to be on an island from a distance.





The

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A very common road scene here, where you can see herds of cows, goats or sheep crossing your path and you will have to patiently wait till all of them cross over. Here is a shepherd in the outskirts of Mysore. This time I was prepared to shoot; the shot was taken from inside my car, hence a hazy finish.

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

Sky Watch in Madurai

Three of the 14 gopurams (gateway towers) of Meenakshi Temple, Madurai against a sunset sky. Shot taken during a recent visit to the temple.





SkyWatch Friday

Crocodile, The King of Rivers

See that crocodile! The King of rivers!

 The boatman kept taking us closer. This was in Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary, Mysore. It was lying still. I was not very keen and didn’t encourage the boatman, instead looked away towards the nesting birds. But he kept urging, ma’am you will get good photos. He seemed more knowledgeable about my lens 150-500 mm. I could zoom in very well and for a start

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A gardener in a resort I stayed recently. The towel wrapped over his head, his only protection from hot sun, the markings on his forehead all wiped by sweat. 

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.

Ibises in Flight

Continuing from my previous post on Australian White Ibis, here are a couple of pics with Ibis in flight. I found it difficult to capture their quick maneuvers. The red line visible under the wings is its skin.











This is how a colony of Ibis birds looks like.Do you think there will be at least 50 birds in this group?



SkyWatch Friday
Saturday's Critters

 

Australian White Ibis

Ibises are of several kinds; this one is Australian white Ibis. It can be easily recognized because of its white plumage, bare black head and long black legs. The long down curved bill is common to all varieties of Ibis. They nest in groups and coexist well with other birds like spoonbills and herons.

The species has been culled in parts of Sydney due to their smell and at times obtrusive

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Not a portrait kind of shot but a face representing lakhs of farmers of India. He was toiling hard in the field which doesn’t belong to him. I clicked several shots of him working; probably suddenly he became conscious of my presence and looked up to see what I was up to. 

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

Little Black Cormorant

Black cormorants are plenty in Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary. There are different kinds of them and this I think is the Little Black Cormorant, of course a bird expert will know better. I caught it drying its wings and unfortunately I was facing the sun. I got just the silhouette.





The boatman then veered the boat in a favorable direction for me to capture it well.

A little more about

Stone Plover

My recent trip to Ranganathittu Bird Sanctuary has been a fruitful one in terms of photography of the birds there. The sanctuary has good boating facilities. We visited on a festival day and the there was hardly any crowd. It was easy to get a boat for for good 40mins. We halted for long stretches of times near the nesting birds.

For today’s post I have Stone Plover. I was capturing it with

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A gardener in one of the resorts I stayed recently. Somebody was kind enough to spare her a shirt so that she doesn’t spoil her saree at work. She was busy trimming the grass with the tool beside her yet she seemed interested in talking to me.

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.

Stay Simple Brindavan Resort, Mysore

Last weekend was spent holidaying in Mysore. Our holiday was made memorable by the staff at Stay Simple Brindavan Resort, Mysore. Just as the name suggests, the resort is simple, neat, clean, comfortable and the staff friendly and courteous.

The location of Stay Simple Brindavan Resort is great in a scenic background! It is situated less than a kilometer away from the entrance to the world

The Fisherman's Wharf, Lavelle Road, Bangalore

I was at the newly opened “The Fisherman’s Wharf” restaurant in Lavelle Road, Bangalore with my blogger friends. As I entered, my eyes rested for a while on the Harley showroom stuffs which is bang opposite this place. This restaurant is the second one of its chain in Bangalore. It is my dream to visit the original and their first one in Goa.

The restaurant is in 2 levels. We were ushered in to

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Isn’t his shirt lovely? I liked the color and the patterns on it very much. He was kind to pose for me. It is his uniform. He wears it to his work everyday. Now can you guess what does he do for a living? What is his profession? I will give the answer in the next part of this series.

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

My Techxperience at UniverCell Sync, Bangalore

Making best use of digital products to enhance customer experience seems to be 

the latest mantra for mobile retailers!





Previously buying a mobile was time consuming grueling exercise. A few years back I remember walking from one showroom to another to get a feel of the mobiles and understand their features, all this after doing a good online study of the various products. On those

Goan Skies

Goan skies taken on flight to Goa during my recent trips.

I got quite carried away seeing the beautiful blue skies while about to land. But during monsoons of Goa, the skies change its color too fast. I distinctly remember after I landed I quickly unfolded my umbrella.








SkyWatch Friday

Pillaiyarpatti Karpaga Vinayagar Kovil, Chettinad

It is that time of the year again when Hindus are gearing up for Ganesh Chaturthi (Aug 29th, 2014), birth anniversary of Lord Ganesha. Every home celebrating this festival installs images of clay images of Lord Ganesh and after the celebrations are over the images are immersed in water.

If you have noticed the lovable elephant headed God is always depicted with His trunk curved towards left.

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He is security guard. I met him at one of the museums of Goa. He originally belongs to Punjab, a state in north of India. He migrated to Goa more than 16 years back and since then Goa is his home.


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. 

Facade of Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa

Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa attracts huge number of pilgrims from all over the world when the body of St. Francis Xavier is brought out for public viewing every 10 years. In this year of 2014 the body will be again displayed to public.

The facade is a combination of different elements of architecture the Doric, Ionic and Corinthian design. I don't understand too much of these designs, but

Basilica of Bom Jesus, Goa

Basilica of Bom Jesus (literally, 'Good (or Holy) Jesus')in Old Goa is one of the oldest churches of India. It is included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Goa may be known for its beaches and most tourists visit Goa just for beaches but this monument is definitely worth a visit. Built in 1594 and consecrated in May 1605, the monument is maintained well, though partially in ruins the

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A little fellow resident of my apartment complex holding the national flag high!

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. 

 

68th Independence Day

We celebrated our 68th Independence Day today with flag hoisting, some sports competitions, variety entertainment programs and a good meal in the end! A day well spent!
Saluting my country with a heart full of gratitude to the lakhs of patriots who died fighting for our independence! Greetings to all my Indian friends and wishes for a bright future ahead for our country!



Google has a

Fisherman at Sunderbans

I have here some pictures of a fisherman in Sunder bans, casting his net for his daily living. I was in a bigger streamer and from the deck I got a good view of his activities. If you see the whole process of casting the net, I am sure you would be tempted to do the same. The way he held to the main string of the net in his right hand and flung the net’s edge with his left hand, making it spread

My Spa Experience at Spa Alila, Goa

It is often said: One traveler’s budget is another traveler’s splurge! The price point is different for all and you have to fix your own limit. While one may travel to see the wonders of a place, there are many who just wish to relax their tired limbs. Spa experience is the solution then. A Sunday today, after a hectic weekend I just wish to unwind and I am so reminded of my spa experience at

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Getting a temporary tattoo done is one of the ‘must do’ activities customarily followed by most tourists when they are in Goa. (Black henna tattoo done very quickly at an affordable price) I was almost crossing the tattoo shop after waiting for a while to take the artist’s photo. He seemed too busy, after all this was his daily living. But as I was crossing I noticed the young tourist’s

A Journey of Different Kind

It was a different kind of journey last month. A journey that made me realize: “time flies fast!” It seemed just the other day she learned to take her first steps, get her balance and walk. 

Now almost into her 18th year of her life she took the first step to live away from her parents, carve out an enriching world for herself. 



Ever since the results of her exams were declared 2 months

Donning the Chef's Cap at Spice Studio

I got this wonderful opportunity to don the chef’s cap at Spice Studio at Alila Diwa Goa. It is one thing cooking in the comforts of your home for just 4 family members and something very different cooking in a kitchen which caters for more than 100 people. As I entered I could see huge vessels, spoons and containers. The chefs there put me to ease very quickly.

Being a Bengali and knowing my

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A tourist guide at Old Goa, he is a rich mine of information. He toured us around Bascillica of Bom Jesus providing us with lot of details on this Unesco World Heritage Site. Picture straight from camera.

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. 

My Top 5 Aromatic Journeys

Smells help us travel! It is linked to memories and emotions so much that a whiff of a peculiar smell will transport you several years back, several miles away! Aromatics is one force that inspires transformation. Some fragrances help relax, some rejuvenates, some instill hunger pangs while some initiate romance! I have had them in my life and look forward to more. Below are 5 memorable

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Fish vendors of Colva beach; women selling fresh catch of the day. They are all smiles to see a photographer, a woman with a big camera. (Mine is just a Canon EOS450D) I had a huge language problem here, they couldn’t follow the Hindi language I spoke and I couldn’t understand the Goan language they spoke. In the end we parted with many nods and smiles.


Faces of India, a series through

Colva Beach, Goa

When the beautiful big blue sky is enveloped by a thick grey blanket of clouds what would you do? I simply stood and photographed. No point in wishing the sky was clearer. After all it is going to rain! That day along with sky the sea too decided to wear a grey look. Grey waves! That is another aspect of beauty that Mother Earth exhibits. One must have the time to stand and stare.




At a

Alila Diwa Goa - Hotel Review

Alila Diwa Goa, approx 20mins driving distance from Goa Dabolim International airport, is a lovely property situated cosily between lush green paddy fields and soothing Gonsua Beach in Majorda. As I approached it, I could sense the peace of leaving behind chaotic traffic sounds. The south end room that I was allotted had a beautiful view from the balcony. Large green fields, cows and buffaloes

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The things tourists do for photographing themselves!!! I saw these two boys wake up this sleeping dog, pat it and pose with it. While his friends were taking his pics, I didn’t let the opportunity slip and framed them quickly. This picture was taken in Old Goa.

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

Skies Over Goa

I am on a short holiday to Goa for this weekend. I am looking forward to a great time there. Couple of pictures taken from aircraft a short while before it touched down at the airport.








SkyWatch Friday 

Chettinad Temples

The Chettiyar (earlier known as Nagarathars) community of Chettinad region constructed temples wherever possible. Like in other communities, this community too had clans. Each clan was associated with one temple with its own water tank. Each clan had their own rules and protocols to be maintained. The temple committee often played a big role in town planning, and a flourishing city soon

Movenpick in Bangalore

The summers are long gone; rains have drenched the Bangaloreans more than once in this season yet their craving for ice cream never seems to end. World famous ice cream brands seem to home in on Indians’ indulgence, craving and their willingness to buy on impulse.






Latest in the market here is the famous Swiss chain Movenpick. I was one of the few lucky bloggers who attended their pre

Faces of India - 169

This little girl is from Lakshmi Tiles unit in Athangudi, Chettinad. She helps out her mother in making the tiles after her school hours. She was too shy to reply when I asked if she liked studying more or help her mother make tiles.
 

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. 

Athangudi Tiles

In addition to visiting the palaces and temples of Athangudi, Chettinad a visit to Athangudi tile factory is strongly recommended. 

A century back the rich residents of Chettinad imported European tiles, probably it was a mark of their richness. But practical difficulties soon set in. With wear and tear the damaged tiles couldn’t be replaced. And if replaced with local one, the whole design and

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The old gentleman was waiting for more passengers. Instead of taking the back seat he seemed to be keen on sharing the driver’s seat. Till the auto rickshaw driver gets 3 or more passengers towards the same destination he will not start his vehicle. This is often the case with shared hiring autos.


I liked the look of (im)patience on his face. I took the pic from a distance and he isn’t

American Independence Day Celebrations in Bangalore

American Independence Day is celebrated with full josh (enthusiasm) in Bangalore. The city seems to be all decked up for the big day! One can spot restaurants all done up with the three colors – red, blue and white.





All dressed up in Mexican costume, he demonstrated the preparation of traditional fresh Guacamole.




Habanero-the Tex Mex joint in Bangalore too has come up with special

Loft 38 - A Restaurant Review

One of the most sophisticated restaurants I visited in my neighborhood is “Loft 38”. Stepping in, the ambiance took me to a different world altogether. Three floors, each of them with different furniture settings to cater to different groups of customers, are very impressive. A huge TV screen kept the foodies inside updated with football scores. Acoustics have been taken care of well with

Athangudi Mansion, Chettinad

Athangudi Mansion stands out prominently due to its sheer size and grandeur. It is still being maintained well by its present owner. For a small amount he allowed photography inside the mansion. Though he sounded proud of the heritage he has inherited he sounded quite worried too. Government has banned demolish of such mansions, but the maintenance charges that is being provided is too less he

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The only male flower seller I saw at a temple in Chettinad. He agreed for a photograph, as I was moving away I heard the women flower sellers teasing him: See how the lady photographer took only your picture. Later I tried to make up for it by taking a woman flower seller’s photo too.

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

Madurai Cityscape

Pictures taken from Taj Gateway Hotel in Madurai. The hotel is located on a hillock which provides a good view of the city. Far from the maddening crowd we spent a relaxed holiday here. Towards the left side of the picture you can see the lighted gopurams of the temple.






Zooming into the transmission tower.




SkyWatch Friday

Mexifornia Festival at CPK

California Pizza Kitchen, Indiranagar, Bangalore is celebrating the Mexifornia 2014 festival with a variety of new dishes. At the bloggers’ meet there to review the menu, I was amazed the spread they had to offer!









We started with mocktails and CPK Nachos. For the starters they we were presented with a new concept where we can create our own tapas platter by choosing a base, topping,

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A spiritual guide at ISKCON, Mayapur, West Bengal. He is actively involved in the construction of a temple around an old shrine. The picture was taken while he was giving a short speech on the various activities done by him to collect funds for the temple.

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

Unknown Destination

For this week’s Thursday Challenge on Trails I have this pic of long winding road taken during the drive from Chikmagalur to Bangalore.





I believe that all roads lead to the same place - and that is wherever all roads lead to. 
~ Willie Nelson

Fried Ice Cream

Ice Cream! Who doesn’t like it! Possibly invented by Chinese in 3000 BC, this dessert is available today in countless flavors and forms. Here is one version of ice cream I had recently – the Fried Ice Cream!

A first time for me, I was curious like a kid how the stuff would look like. (A unique dessert: I learned later, it was first served during the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Wiki also

Faces of India - 165

A young boy from Chettinad, Tamil Nadu. He was helping his mother to make the tiles at their home. Many families are involved in this business. They have their own tile manufacturing unit in their homes. No big machinery involved. He smiled shyly as I clicked his picture. I instantly smiled looking at this pic today. Hoping he will have a good future!

Picture straight from camera with

One Evening...

One evening when it was windy...

One of the drive by shots taken on our way to Chettinad, Tamil Nadu from Bangalore.





SkyWatch Friday

Chettinad Houses

In the 19th and early 20th centuries Chettinad was the home to the Nattukottai Chettiars (Nagarathar), a prosperous banking and business community. The rich migrated to Sri Lanka and Burma. There are many who migrate to USA, Singapore and Malaysia. Today, what remains are the old mansions of these rich families.









The typical features are wide courtyards, spacious rooms, and tiled floors

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The picture was taken in the hotel lawns of Madurai. A young group of students studying catering or hotel management, in their late teens were taking pictures. They had just one sunglasses and each one was putting it on and taking pictures in various poses. I found it interesting observing them from far. Looks do matter in this age group, I thought. 

This young boy agreed to give me a pose.

Karpaga Vinayagar Temple of Pillaiyarpatti, Thiruppatthur, Tamil Nadu

Karpaga Vinayagar Temple is dedicated to Lord Ganesha. This is one of those rare temples where the trunk of Lord Ganesha is turned to right. The temple and the deity is carved out of rock, so pradakshina (act of going around the temple isn’t possible.

The reflection of the temple and its gopuram looked majestic, but the plastic sheets scattered all around the temple tank is an eyesore.




I

Blog Break

Dear readers, first of all apologies for pushing off on a mini vacation without letting you all know. Everything was planned in a jiffy and we traveled 1000kms plus by road covering Chettinad and Madurai (Tamil Nadu) the whole of last week. Everything was fine except the heat. In Madurai it touched almost 40 degrees C.

Now I am back to face the daily routine which has popped up some unexpected

Photo Essay of Kolkata Streets

People pictures from Kolkata!
Kolkata, they say is a ‘city of joy’!
Kolkata is nicknamed as the City of Joy after the novel City of Joy a 1985 novel by Dominique Lapierre.

People from different walks of life come to this city with dreams in eyes. How many live to see the fulfillment of their dreams! I spent a day walking through few streets of Kolkata, it is bursting with life, everybody going

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Can you guess what she is doing? I took the picture in Mayapur ISKON’s goshala, which houses more than 200 cows, bulls and calves. 

She is collecting cow dung; she walks across pushing her spade collecting the dung. This job is done manually. (Cow dung is used as purifying, antiseptic agent; stops gas disorders; pesticide and fertilizer. Dried dung is used like charcoal; it is also a form

Reaching The Sky

Excuse me while I kiss the sky. 

~Jimi Hendrix 














SkyWatch Friday

Tree Takesover Temple

While touring Mayapur, West Bengal, I came across this temple taken over completely by a banyan tree. The roots flowed down across all the walls to ground holding the temple firmly in its place. The pressure from the roots has caused cracks on the walls.

The whole process is a slow one. People around don’t even remember since when this slow process of damage is taking place, they hardly notice

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With his matted hair, worn out clothes, a distant look in his eyes; he looked like a lost human being in the ocean of humans around him. The shot was taken through the window bars of the bus I was traveling in Kolkata. Soon the bus moved on and I lost track of him. 

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

Dakhineshwar Kali Temple, Kolkata

We were so close yet so far! We were there at the door steps of the temple yet we couldn’t gain entry to temple.




Bad planning! I knew the temple timings well, but what I didn’t anticipate was the long queue of devotees! They were everywhere there… all bathed, wrapped in wet towel, carrying flowers and other offerings for the Goddess. I thought I was early, but 6 in the morning is not early

Abandoned

Automobiles, when they run cause 75% noise and 80% air pollution in our cities. What happens when they are abandoned? For this Thursday Challenge topic: Abandoned, I have these pics of an abandoned car.

The circumstances indicate that the owner has no further interest in it. I have come across many such abandoned vehicles, that too near police stations. Most of them look like they have been

Victoria Memorial Hall, Kolkata

Kolkata’s most famous landmark – The Victoria Memorial, it is almost impossible to give it a miss. It is built entirely of white marble and stands out so distinctly and elegantly with its unique combination of British and Mughal architectural motifs. It was the result of an attempt of a Britisher to create a replica of Taj Mahal!

Lord Curzon, who represented the British, during its rule in

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The cook in the guest house we stayed in Kolkata. He belongs to the neighboring state Bihar. He left his home town in search for a living and after several little journeys he settled for this cook’s job in the guest house. I must add this: he cooks fantabulously inviting comments from my daughters like, “Ma can you make this when we are back home?”

Faces of India, a series through which I

Rainbow Facade

It was hard for me to decide whether the sky looked better or the façade of the building.
Here is one pic of the sky as it was couple of days back. I composed it including a part of the colorful façade, but the rainbow looks more graceful with its colors, no? There is one fainter one a little away!





SkyWatch Friday

Chitrangada, a Dance Drama

For this week’s Thursday Challenge, I have a couple of pictures on ‘DANCE’.
These are scenes from dance drama of Arjun and Chitrangada’s story. Arjun, the 3rd Pandava prince, during their exile period reached Manipur, a state in eastern region of India. There he falls in love with the princess Chitrangada of the Manipur kingdom! 

Rabindranath Tagore turned the story of Chitrāngadā into a dance

Thakurbari at Jorasanko, Kolkata

Thakurbari in Jorasanko, north of Kolkata is the ancestral house of Tagores. It is named after Maharshi Debendranath Tagore, father of Rabindranath Tagore. Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore was born in this very house and he breathed his last too in this same house. Both the rooms are preserved very well, and the cot too preserved in the same fashion. Tagore spent half of his long life here.

Faces of India - 160

From Kufri, Himachal Pradesh: 
Me: Ek photo le sakti hoon? (Can I take your pic?) 
He: Jaldi le lo, time nahin hai. (Please take fast; I don’t have enough time to pause.) 
And he hurried away. Pic straight from camera. 

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. 

Ammavaru Temple, Jeevabeema Nagar, Bangalore

Again from my archives.

A 40ft. statue of Ammavaru, adorns the façade of the temple. Painted in a red sari the idol is a sight to behold.








Here is a map, how to get there from Bangalore International Airport, Devanahalli. A distance of 43 kms approx in 50min.




SkyWatch Friday

RIP Polo!

Today I was saddened reading the death of Polo, South Asia’s only gorilla at Mysore zoo, Karnataka. He was 43! The normal life span of gorillas is 35, but Polo outlived that. Born in 1972, he was received from Dublin Zoo, Ireland, on August 8, 1995. Unfortunately he never got a mate in the zoo.





Earlier, a pair of gorillas, “Sugreeva and Sumathi” was the star attractions of the Mysore zoo.

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A sadhu from Barakar, West Bengal. He said he traveled from Varanasi to Barakar by foot. He rested at various temples on the way.

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. 
 

A Piece Of Sky From Past

Again from my archives.

The famous Piccolomini (Pope Pius II) was born in Pienza, Italy. This is the view of the arched wall from exteriors of the palace. I missed visiting the interiors as we reached Pienza late that day. I have read the interiors are grand and the movie “Romeo and Juliet” was shot in the courtyard in front of this palace. Hopefully I will get a chance to visit this beautiful

My Sunderbans Experience

Sunderbans is a strange place!

The mangrove swamp home to Bengal Tiger behaves strangely. Animals usually attack humans if they are disturbed but in case of Sunderbans Tigers they attack humans without being provoked. Their food is humans. That is why it is said: If you see a tiger in Sunderbans, next thing you know is, you are inside its stomach.











There are some 250 odd tigers in

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A face with name and story! He is Niranjan Raptan of Sunderbans. He survived 3 tiger attacks successfully and now works for “save the tiger” and “save Sunderbans” campaign. He was originally honey collector in these islands in his childhood but 42 years back he took up the job of forest guide. 

During one of the trip to interiors of the islands for collecting honey, his uncle and he was

Maharaja's Balance, Hampi

Maharaja’s balance; meaning a physical balance meant to weigh the King. The structure looks like three granite beams, one resting on two vertical beams, 15feet tall. The horizontal resting beam is sculpted in a more detailed manner. Only on close inspection the loops to hang the balance are visible.

Materials ranging from food grains to gold and gems were weighed against the Kings of

Salty Tea in Sundebans

The Sunderbans trip was a memorable one for me even though we couldn’t spot a single tiger. This often becomes a major disappointment to many tourists and they feel the entire trip is wasted, both in terms of time and money. It depends on the tourists, what exactly they want to do and see there. Chances of sighting a tiger are very less!




The resort we stayed was a well organized one, with

Faces of India - 157

A localite of Chandigarh, he was visiting the Rock Gardens, the day I was there. While I was trying to get into conversation with another tourist there for a photograph, this young guy requested me to take his photograph too. He stood in style, hands in pockets, a slight tilt in head, a faint smile; it is he who chose this backdrop for himself. I very happily didn’t let the opportunity slip.

Nek Chand's Rock Garden, Chandigarh

Chandigarh’s Rock garden is a must visit if you are ever there. Spread over twenty five acres of several thousand sculptures set in large mosaic courtyards linked by walled paths and deep gorges, Nek Chand's creations combine huge buildings with a series of interlinking waterfalls. It can easily take 3 to 4 hours to cover the entire area. Luckily the day I visited the sky was clear and I got

Bringing Nature To Our Balcony

The Rainbow Episode
This happened years back. My elder daughter was a pre-schooler then. One evening she came back all excited. In her baby accent she announced proudly that she had seen a rainbow. Those eyes filled with wonder explained everything, yet I let her go on explain it with her thrill. It had amazed her beyond words. Her eyes were so full of disbelief and joy! The sky spreading

Monkey Bar - Restaurant Review

It is official! The Bars and restaurants are to remain open till 1 am! Finally the state government of Karnataka succumbed to youth pressure, the demand to extend deadline for this cosmopolitan city Bangalore. So, with the city waking up to nightlife extensions, new bars and restaurants are opening up to cash in this new culture! Bangalore did see a spurt in opening of new bars in the recent

Faces of India - 156

She is one of the Sunderban tribal artistes who put up the Tusu dance show for us.

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.

 

Sunrise Over Apartments

Where are the hills?
I see none around me.
Where is the sunrise on hills?
I see it through my neighbors’ apartments.
I just see their walls brightening, reflecting sun’s rays.
 .
 .
.
No sounds of distant waters dash,
 instead I hear the siren of office working hours.
The bending roads with honking motors
.
.
.

Whenever I read H W Longfellow’s poem “Sunrise on the Hills” I crave to see one, but

Photo Essay of a Village of Sunderbans, West Bengal

For this week’s Thursday Challenge: Landscape, I have a photo essay on a coastal village of Sunderbans.

From the resort we were taken on a small tour of a village there. I didn’t notice any major development. Very simple lifestyle of people!






The roads are newly laid ones after Tsunami of 2004 had destroyed the entire village.





A typical outdoor cooking space, outdoor kitchen. Dry

Tusu Dance, Sunderbans

The Tusu dance form of native people of Sunderbans.

The resorts there arrange for such performances by the locals for the tourists. Performed mostly as a group, it is done mostly during the harvest festival. With simple costumes of white sari with red border, neat hairdo decorated with flowers and feathers, they looked very graceful. It was mesmerizing to see them perform rhythmically holding

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A meendhara from Sunderbans, West Bengal while at work. Read abouth them at: The Meendharas of Sunderbans.

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.

 

Fort Wall of Jaigarh, Jaipur

Monkeys jumping on the fort walls of Jaigarh Fort in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Looked like it was some kind of fun activity for them. One of them started it and then one chased it or followed, then some more followed amidst all their chattering and screaming. It looked a wonderful sight against the plain blue sky.








SkyWatch Friday.

The Meendharas of Sunderbans

Can you guess what these two women are doing? 






Fishing is a livelihood practiced by people of Sunderbans for ages. The topology is such that this means of livelihood fetches them just enough to carry on with their lives. Because of salinity the soil is not suitable for cultivation and people resort to other means of livelihood. 

These women spend more than half of their waking hours

Faces of India - 154

A Baluchari silk sari weaver, from Bishnupur, West Bengal. The room was quite dimly lit, I was wondering how the weaver worked in such low light. The electricity charges are high he said.

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.

 

Lamp Post at Heroes' Square, Budapest

This is the statue of Archangel Gabriel top of 36 meters high corinthian column in the centre of Heroes' Square, Budapest, Hungary. The lamp post on the street there looked attractive and so composed this shot.





SkyWatch Friday

Souvenir Bankura Horse

Bankura horse is a must buy souvenir from Bishnupur. These horses are made of terracotta and have very unique shape and features. The villages where the terracotta horses and elephants are made in large scale are Panchmura, Rajagram, Sonamukhi and Hamirpur. Each place has its local style. The Panchmura-style of pottery is considered the best and the finest of all the four types. 

These Bankura

Baluchari from Bishnupur, West Bengal

Baluchari, a silk fabric may have originated in Baluchar a village of Murshidabad district, but it is associated more with Bishnupur district. There are looms in the lanes and bylanes of Bishnupur and I could visit one where they permitted me to take pictures. Usually it is a family business kind of thing. Silk is procured, designs are planned and within the stipulated time the finished product

Yellow-Green Dendrobium

Latest from my balcony garden: Another dendrobium variety of orchid is in full bloom. Just one stick with 9 flowers, the bud at the tip of the stick fell off in its initial stage. The color is unique: yellow-green and purple.

It is colloquially called the “Thai restaurant orchids.” These types of orchids are Dendrobium hybrids and can be found at Thai restaurants that decorate their tables with

Faces of India - 153

A skilled artisan stitching leather pouches in Shanti Niketan, Bolpur, West Bengal. Notice the colorful batik print shirt he is wearing.

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.

 

Hansehswari Temple, Hooghly

Hangseshwari temple was constructed by Raja Nrisingha Dev, great grandson of Raja Rameswar Roy in 1799.

Raja Nrisingha Dev was born three months after the death of his father. The then King of Burdwan grabbed most of the property as there was no living heir to throne in Banshberia. Later he retrieved most of his ancestral property. His visit to Varanasi influenced his religious beliefs and he

Hollywood's Most Wanted Dishes

California Pizza Kitchen is now offering Indian diners the special choice dishes of Hollywood celebrities. This time they have new additions to existing spread.

To start off there are the drinks: the mocktails, Mango Mint Ecstasy and Pineapple Twister. I had the pineapple twister and it had this semi sweet semi tangy flavor!




5 varieties of Pizzas, it was hard to choose one of them as the

Plan Smart to Travel Smart

This post is for Indiblogger contest: Travel Smart with Skyscanner




Those days are gone when you planned your vacation by fixing a budget, packing your bags, calling out items “pajamas”, “undergarments”, “toiletries”, "medicine", “journals”… and striking them off one by one from the list of “to take” items. Today planning of vacation is something beyond this; it has taken a new meaning.

Anant Basudev Temple, Hooghly, West bengal

Ananta Basudeba temple is a temple of Lord Krishna in the Hangseshwari temple complex in Banshberia, in the Hooghly District in the Indian state of West Bengal. Built by Raja Rameswar Datta in 1679, this temple is noted for the exquisite terra cotta works on its walls. It is built in the traditional eka-ratna style, with curved cornices. The tower on top of the temple is octagonal. The terracota

Faces of India - 152

On this International Women’s Day I have these cheering women farmers of Chikmagalur, Karnataka! I saw them toiling under hot sun with just a piece of cloth on head. In spite of all hardships they can smile and wave to a passerby! I salute their spirits!

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

Singing for Dinner

SkyWatch Friday

Tunnel Travel

In my previous post of motion blur, the subject was in motion. This week I have pics where the subject is stationary but I am in motion. I was in a car >120km/hr speed, traveling through a well lit tunnel.

The first one taken in landscape mode turned out pretty decent and then I tried some weird setting and got a frightful picture.








See tips on photography of motion blur here.
Thursday

Neglected Temples of Bishnupur, West Bengal

Some of the temples neglected by West Bengal Tourism Board are in pathetic state. It looks as if the temples are trying to breathe and get some sunlight. There is no question of prayers being offered in these, the present residents around the place don’t even know to which God these temples are dedicated to. The guide who took us around too was clueless.

I strongly feel if some effort is put

Photo Essay on Shyamaraya Madir, Bishnupur, West Bengal

You can read the first part of the temple here: Panch Ratna, Shyama Raya Temple

What is most welcoming about this place and the cared temples is its cleanliness. Guards are ever alert. Lawns, perfectly manicured, graced with seasonal flowers and a maintenance team constantly engaged in maintaining the place neat and clean. Major temples have history and info related to it displayed on a board

Faces of India - 151

Another resident of Kufri, Himachal Pradesh. I found the people of Kufri so tourist friendly, almost every one I clicked there has a smile on his/her face.

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.

 

Panch Ratna, Shyama Raya Temple

Five Towered Temple of Bishnupur, West Bengal.

Shyama Raya Temple is a typical example of Panch Ratna (five tower) style of temple architecture. There is one huge one in the centre and four slightly smaller ones in four corners. The temple was built in 1643 by King Raghunatha Sngha.







.




The picture below is from the online gallery of Brish Library. It was taken by photographer Walter

Butterfly in Flight

After a desperate try to catch a butterfly in flight, this is what I got!

Butterflies can fly only when the atmospheric temperature is 86 degree F. Once they warm up they just keep fluttering. The speed varies among butterfly species (the poisonous varieties are slower than non-poisonous varieties).
The fastest butterflies (some skippers) can fly at about 30 mile per hour or faster. Slow

Bishnupur Temple Tour, West Bengal

The Bishnupur temple tour! As soon as you reach there local guides will be flocking around you, which may seem irritating, but I tell you hire one; it is worth the money you will spend on them. They have such a lot of info, which is hard to find in one single book. Moreover there is no good map showing the distribution of temples scattered all around so guides are really helpful. Insist that

Photo Essay on Jor Bangla Mandir Panels

See the post on Jor Bangla Mandir HERE.

This post has series of pictures of the terracotta panels on the temple façade.

Terracotta has a shelf life of 300 years. During 16th century when there was scarcity of good construction materials like stone, the solution was terracotta. You will find the distribution of such terracotta temples along the alluvial delta of Ganges River where there is

Faces of India - 150

A 'tender coconut water' seller. Willing to pose with a (shy)smile. Shot taken in Chikmagalur, Karnataka.

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.

Jor Bangla Mandir, Bishnupur

The second style of Bengal architecture that you will see in Bishnupur is the Chala (roof of huts) style. These temples have triangular roof and at first glance you will feel its striking similarity with rural huts. The fondness with which my guide explained the Jor Bangla Mandir, I could make out it was his favorite Chala style temple. Again, depending on the number of chalas these temples are

My 'Ginger Tiger Restaurant' Experience

For those craving for Chinese-inspired cuisine Ginger Tiger restaurant at Indiranagar in Bangalore is THE place! Ginger Tiger, the latest offering by JSM Corporation Pvt Ltd. The positives are: Nice ambiance for casual dining! And delectable stir fries, fresh off the live-counter. Chef Priyank suggested many items that we must try and I am glad we bunch of bloggers there followed his advice.

Kalachand Temple, Bishnupur

Continuing my travel through the land of terracotta temples (you can read the first part here)…

A little bit of history before I guide you virtually in to the land of terracotta temples. The word Bishnupur translates to “the city of Lord Vishnu”. Most temples here are dedicated to Lord Krishna who is believed to be an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. In the 15th and 16th centuries, Malla dynasty

Adopt Tourist Destinations and Monuments

In the year 2001, Mysore zoo started this unique program of “Adoption of Zoo animals”. This has seen a fair amount of success and is still continuing with animal lovers pouring in their love in the form of finance to their favorite animal. You can see more information here.

Now, on similar lines, there is a proposal to start “Adoption of Tourism Destination and Monuments”. If approved and if it

Faces of India - 149

A little friend seriously trying to study the basics of camera! So what if his wrist is injured!

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.

 

Smart Cooking by Philips

Philips HomeCooker 
 Philips is showing off their new lifestyle gadget, a Home Cooker. It has a built-in Wi-Fi and ‘dedicated apps’ that provides inspiration and guidance through out the cooking process. Pictures of ingredients are displayed and you get step by step instructions too. So it is going to be easy learning how to cook, trying out new recipes and having a good home made meal!

Ras Manch Temple, Bishnupur, West Bengal

With this post I start off on my tour of Bishnupur Temples.

As a traveler it would be a sin if you are visiting Kolkata in India and give Bishnupur a miss! Bishnupur, a small peaceful town in Bankura district, 132kms west of Kolkata, is a treasure trove of terracotta temples. As a UNESCO World Heritage site lover I definitely could not miss visiting this place. No, the group of terracotta

Nymphaea Pubescens

A smiling pink water lily in my balcony garden. And once more I am tempted to take a hot steaming cup of tea, sit in my balcony and just gaze at it.

This I tried taking against the rising sun. (Please ignore the dark balcony grills in the back ground.)





Look at the stamens, all pink and folded in ‘namaste’ mudra!




Common name: Pink Water Lily, Pink Lotus
• Manipuri: Tharo angouba
•

Faces of India - 148

“Nobody has taken my photo before”, he said after he saw himself in the LCD panel of my camera. I remember the happiness on his face then after the picture was taken. I tried to get into a conversation with him but he said he had to rush home as his mother was waiting for the can of kerosene he purchased. The shot was taken at a fuelling point on our way to Sunderbans from Kolkata.

Faces

Gokulchand Temple, Gokulnagar, West Bengal

Tallest of all old laterite stone temples, Gokulchand temple looked majestic that day against the bright blue sky. A fortified wall in reasonably good condition goes around the temple; entrance too has good safety measures with an impressive gate. A small stone Tulsimancha (a special structure for praying Tulsi plant) can be seen in the pic, it is well decorated and worshiped.

Just opposite the

Twist of Taste by Chef Vikas Khanna

Food fusion as an experiment can prove to be a grand success or disaster! Often its rating is at the mercy of the consumer. The Chef may have put in his/her most creative skills, combined the flavors and presented the platter with most exotic dressing, yet it is the customer who passes the judgment on whether the pleasure was doubled. Recently I was at one such food fusion event “Twist of Taste

Laterite Temple of Gokulnagar, West Bengal

Gokulchand temple in Gokulpur is another jewel in the list of stone temples of West Bengal. This is made of laterite stones and is the largest one in Bankura district. After seeing so many temples of West Bengal in my blog, I am sure you have easily recognized this as pancha ratna (five pinnacled) temple. The dimensions measure: 64ft. in height and the area of temple complex is 23,500 sq. ft.

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Children of Bishnupur, West Bengal, always curious about the strangers (tourists) they see. They are standing on the fence around a temple there.

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 in Bishnupur, West Bengal

Exiting one of the temples of Bishnupur, through the arched doorway I sighted the setting sun. I rushed to capture the final moments but the Sun was faster. It slipped in before I could capture its fine round form. Amongst the silhouettes of trees I managed to get just a teeny-weeny piece of it.








SkyWatch Friday

Live Cookout at Hyatt, Bangalore

Live cookout experiences are fantastic, more so when done with cobloggers! Here is one such experience I had at Hyatt Bangalore M.G Road. Our welcome was with a fine glass of “Four Seasons” wine. We settled down sipping it, to a good conversation, and got to know each other.

Four Seasons’ award-winning range of wines has been crafted with the technical expertise of Bouvet-Ladubay, France. They

Faces of India - 146

Waiting patiently for me to finish my photography. I met him at the tea stall just outside Kufri zoo. He too was watching his snacks being prepared. You can see his friends here.

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.

 

Bally Bridge

The picture taken at the banks of River Ganges, from Dakhineshwar Kali Temple complex. In the foreground is the concrete fence of the temple and beyond that is the famous Bally Bridge. West Bengal government has named it Vivekananda Setu. (Setu means bridge in Bengali language.) Vivekananda Setu, also called Willingdon Bridge. It links the city of Howrah, at Bally, to its twin city of Kolkata,

Wall Lamp

The wall lamp was casting stunning shadows on the rough textured wall which couldn’t be ignored. The effect of the lamp ornament was dazzling. It transformed the feel of the room. With a flip of switch the repetitive pattern of shadow around the lamp changed the mood in the room. It was taken at a hotel room in Germany.

Interior lighting does create a magic, don't you agree?!





Thursday

Photo Essay on Duttapara Temple, Joypur, West Bengal

See the previous post on Duttapara Temple: Facade of Dutta Para Temple, Joypur, West Bengal 


There are two triple arched entrances to the temple, one is moss grown, worn out at many parts and dark gray with negligence. Not all nine musicians on the arch are in good form. It is sad to see them in headless form.






I zoomed into the details of southern façade. Here are a series of photo of

Tulips from Modena, Italy

Last week I had this post Macro of... almost all of you gave the correct answer as Tulip. There were some answers like: Rose, Lotus, Hibiscus… I am now tempted to post macros of those flowers in my future posts.

Here is the larger scene of the Tulip flowers I got to see in a park of Modena, Italy. How I often wish that I could grow them in my pots, but unfortunately Bangalore doesn’t have a

Faces of India - 145

The cricket partner of the little master of Depara family.

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.

Facade of Dutta Para Temple, Joypur, West Bengal

From Depara Temple we moved on to Duttapara Temple, hardly few 100m away, very much within walking distance. Nabaratna, a nine pinnacled temple; this too belonged to zamindar (landlord) family who flourished well in cloth business once. This one appeared to be in an even more dilapidated worn down condition. This is the view one gets from the road.

You have to walk through the small passage on

Fort of Breendonk, Brussels, Belgium

A badly planned day tour from Brussels resulted in my missing the visit to Fort of Breendonk. It was a good opportunity for me to see the concentration camp of the Germans.

Breendonk was a "waiting" camp designed to receive Jews and political prisoners before their transfer to Germany. The first prisoners arrived on September 20th, 1940. Initially the conditions of life were very difficult but

Two Local Sweetmeats of Bengal

Besides photographing the sights, searching out and eating local specialties is another fav activity of mine at any tourist destination. Tarapith has a mouth watering delicacy, the ‘langcha’ for which one must pause. These are made of cottage cheese, the dough of it rolled to desired shape and length, deep fried in oil and left soaking in sugar syrup. The specialty of Tarapith langcha is its

Macro of...

You know this flower, don’t you?
Leave a comment with your guess.





My entry for : I Heart Macro
Today's Flowers

Faces of India - 144

The lady of De family, she assists her family in looking after the “Depara Temple”. She was like a local guide to the temple explaining to us whatever she knew about the temple. She said, “I have seen many photographers come and take photographs of the temple. What do you do with those pictures? What is so great about this temple?”

Probably the importance vanishes when you see something

Facade of Depara Temple, West Bengal

The shot was taken from the extreme edge of the courtyard. The complete view of the façade from other directions is not possible. The temple stands on a 4 feet high raised platform. The lady of the house overlooking the affairs of the temple and house doesn’t remember when the last facelift to the temple was given. At least none after she was married into the family. I will be featuring her in

Nabaratna Depara temple, Joypur, West Bengal

On to my destination Depara Nabaratna (nine pinnacled) temple of Joypur, the pinnacles were visible from the bylane. A small gate to De Family’s house and the temple is in their courtyard measuring approx. 30feet by 40 feet. ‘De’ is Bengali surname. This family was one of the reputed and influential cloth merchants a couple of centuries back.





There are columns all around; they have arches

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The lady who fed us ‘bloggers’ at the roadside dhaba (inn). Read about the Pahadi Pijja (Mountain Pizza) and see more pictures we had here. She is concentrating on the food she was preparing.

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.

2014 General Elections, Your Vote Matters

 How would you inspire and mobilize India's youth 

to vote in the Indian General Elections 2014 using social mobile apps? 


2014 is special for India! There will be 'general elections' for the election of members of Parliament for the 16th Lok Sabha in another few months. The contest will be for 543 constituencies and the magic figure to form a government will be 272 seats. According to the

Clouds On Flames

“Who are you, reader, reading my poems an hundred years hence? 

I cannot send you one single flower from this wealth of the spring, 

one single streak of gold from yonder clouds. Open your doors and look abroad. 

From your blossoming garden gather fragrant memories of the vanished flowers 

of an hundred years before.
In the joy of your heart may you feel the living joy 

that sang one