TERRAIN THAT HOSTS THE GANGES

HARIDWAR is a much visited temple town. Rishikesh, its twin town, is where River Ganga - the Ganges - descends from the Himalayan ranges into the plains. Venerated by the faithful & the grateful for supporting farming and life, for nourishing & sustaining cities on its banks over thousands of known years......Ganga in rapid flow is an awesome sight. Her epic journey truly begins here.

Rajaji National Park, hems it for a while to one side. Host to Elephants, Tigers, Panthers, and gentler wildlife, an early morning or evening walk through the woods (guided) lifts up the spirit of the city dweller. We didn't encounter danger but the probability kept blood in a rush.

CITY LIGHTS

Winter evenings are perceptibly darker now. They fall early, and find human traffic in a business like rush. "Get home early, get the car windows up, walk faster, grab a warm bite, step inside the shop/ metro"... these common exhortations have a seasonal ring to them. There is a loneliness to these dusk hours as temperatures make a cruel drop every hour.

Hawkers have their merchandise laid out on these cold sidewalks. Smart shoppers on the lookout for a bargain on an ethnic, handcrafted wear, may find just that thing as an evening's reward. Brand names, meanwhile, look on trying to catch a tip or two about Trends.

BIRD OF PREY

Some days one is fortunate, on others the challenges are just overwhelming. This knack of waiting for one's time comes with experience. Reflecting on misses and triumphs too helps.

GROW UP MAN, ITS JUST A SEASON.

A mix of dry heat and showers has turned weather humid. Not as bad as being roasted under sun n' heat of June but not perfect. A headcount of all species occupying God's only planet seems impossible this season. 

AFTER THE 'UNMERCIFUL' HAS EXTRACTED HIS DUES

Solar radiation that had mightily set about to scorch human habitats for a seemingly unending summer, has made way for streaming clouds across skies, cool winds and occasionally an ethereal light that would inspire European painters of yore to begin work on a new canvas.

                                        Every life that has survived the harsh season is seen gingerly stepping out of its nest before they ready themselves for the new haute couture season.

A DATE WITH ROYALS

Maharaja's residence in Mysore. Still lived in, hence, partly open to visitors. Its an impressive house. There's a princely collection of artifacts and trophies inside, and the mandatory protocol is to take off your footwear when you enter the guarded chambers. 

 The hall where Ruler met the nobility. Gifts, grants, petitions, adjudication, conspiracies, all happened in this space.

A bit of Europe in Mysore. Stained glass filtering tropical sun as it enters into royal home's lobby. A privileged lifestyle that, the once Royalty, presently share with commoners (even if for just a ticketed moment).

CHAMUNDESHWARI OF MYSORE

The Temple precincts are forbidden to Photography. No idea why. The sculptures, murals, reliefs, Deities, Deities' accompanists, elaborately carved pillars, the pyramidal head of the temple - they all beg to be drawn, painted and photographed. But apart from the cautionary line on signs there is the temple staff wielding a forbidding finger. No photo !

Chamundeshwari Temple at Mysore situated atop a hill, draws devotees and tourists in thousands everyday. An exquisitely crafted deity is woken up (the~hours~are~fixed)by~some~pleasant~rhythmic~sounds,~prayers~of~devotees,~fragrant~smoke,~serving~of~her~favourite~food,~and~their submission before her.

  

A HAVEN OF PEACE IN TIMES OF BATTLECRY

A short trip to Bengaluru, even in the summer's heat is not a bad idea. Once a pretty medium sized city, it discovered phenomenal popularity and proceeded to build on vertically over the same town-plan when the market forces threw it a lucrative bait. From its life as a 'City of Gardens' it recreated itself into another vision in concrete. 
The very lush green Cubbon Park, a heritage from past, strikes the visitor with a glimpse of what life may have been like.

 

 

You prostrate the tired body over a public bench, the head turns upwards and those birds of omen are right there on a perch quite approving of your sensibility to escape city and seek refuge in nature.

Karnataka - mother state to Bengaluru, was in the midst of a hotly contested elections to the State Legislature (on left). But even as the imposing house was being prepped for the new lawmakers, you couldn't help noticing that citizens there - they don't talk politics. Life has far more to it than sitting around discussing who might, who might not win...

"You see, I actually wanted to see THIS place...( !! )"

If you, upon a whim, decide to hop on to a train leaving Bangalore and destined for Mysore, you wouldn't be disappointed. A three hour ride from the big, bustling city of Bangalore lands you at the serene, green and refreshingly clean small city of Mysore (Mysuru). Its the perfect town for a short vacation. Grand palaces, abandoned palaces, magnificent gardens (Brindawan), Deities presiding over hills, the enchanting landscape.... And the local food ? Delightful !

When the visitor un-conversant with the local language tries to explain himself with multi-linguistic and theatrical tools, its a sight for the onlookers. Some reach out to assist, some respond with their own linguistic, theatrical tools, and a few revel in this moment of awkwardness. That's half the fun of travelling to unseen places. 

HISTORY'S REMINDERS

They were Palace Guards when the grand edifice was a Palace. Its an expensive hotel now, so they no longer thwart the commoners but cheerfully greet the visitors. Lalith Vilas Palace in Mysore, once the summer resort of royalty. (the older Palace that you wouldn't want to miss lies in the heart of the city, simply called the City-Palace) 

A POD FULL OF MYSTERY.

our Amaryllis Pod weathered, taking on every metallic hue until it finally split open. Now marvel at the perfect arrangement of seed-pile it had preserved. Elements and small beings shall now carry and disperse these far and wide in search of the perfect earth to help renew the Amaryllis's regeneration as flora beautiful.

NEWS AT DAYBREAK

morning papers are folded 
and tossed into the pile of month end's disposables.
That sick and gloomy n' morbid 
I paid to imbibe.
The soil, the pot, last season's scattered seeds... they have some news. 
and what varied hues, shapes, contours, form in nature's imagination. 
I must replace old glasses.  

JOY ON THE STREET

our weddings are often a very public affair.  Groom's party, marching up to the Bride's residence, by right takes over a sizable portion of the busy street. The local band hired to make some cacophonous popular music knows the routine well. And City traffic drop their speed by miles and take in the  fanfare all around as unpaid entertainment.

SUMMER BREAKING IN

Summer of 2018 promises to be a sizzling one. Interspersed at fortnights with a swift shower or two it could be bearable. One can for perspective, think of scorching Saudi Arabian summer or the Saharan heat...  and then there are cities and settlements in Thar desert that're tested by radiation limits. Through those dust-heavy months, a sudden storm and shower become a cleansing agent for the foliage and a refreshment for hope. 

DAYS IN COUNTRY

morning in the hills. Lying still in repose for a bit longer is an option, but one would miss out on markings of pre-history. Dawn, inspiring Sun, a call to Adventure, exhausting Walks, that probability of discovering something unheard.  

GREETING A NEW SEASON

Spring has still not erased its imprints. The successor could have waited for another fortnight. And yet forcing her way into the drylands and dense habitations is Summer of 2018. Two days back the zone heat was 38*C, typically a mid-april show, but now a curtain raiser to some blistering months ahead. It may be a popular name in the western culture, synonymous with warmth, joy and happiness; but no one born in south Asia gets named SUMMER !

AMARYLLIS in the garden pot.

GAYATRI DECONSTRUCTS

"Gayatri Spivak is an academic superstar" - reminds Kuntala Lahiri Dutt. Derrida's translator Spivak was back home from Columbia, where she teaches, and decided to lecture a bit. To a full house in attendance Spivak spoke on the impossibility and yet immediacy of the task of translation. Notice the deference she evokes among her followers.

MAYA AT HER ANNUAL FIESTA

Legend has it that its goddess Maya (Maia) who bestows spring upon earth. Within that small span between winter and oh so warm summer every growth in soil sparkles with colour and the spirit of rejuvenation infects beasts, avians, humans alike. Poet writes, Youth sings, Composer discovers inspiration. Celebrate life while you still have the spirit, is the sentiment. 

INDIA ART FAIR 2018

Winter slipping away and spring just in, the annual festival of Art - IAF opened its doors to the art-lover. It was a generous assembly and from classic to contemporary, fairly representative too.  Vaikuntham's traditional India portrayed in deep colours and with their identity markings seemed to occupy every other gallery's walls. Dippy Menon's heroine announcing her freedom from bondage here.

VAIKUNTHAM at ART FAIR