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

Faces of India - 155

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