Hampi - The Lost Kingdom of Kishkinda

This picture was taken right outside the Virupaxa temple in Hampi, operational since the 7th century, making it one of the oldest functioning temples in India.

"Hampi was once part of the Kishkinda Empire...", Swami, the young man walking in front of us was saying. I had a faint idea that this 'empire' had something to do with the Ramayana, the Indian Epic. "You mean the monkey kingdom to which Hanuman belonged?" I was trying to catch up with him. "Yes yes. The kingdom of Bali and Sugreeva... Sree Hanuman was their warrior" He hurried on to show me the next cave. I think it would be quite an understatement to say that Hampi has an old world charm of its own. The ancient city stands tall, proud and silent. In my forthcoming posts, I plan to show glimpses of this city as I saw it during my brief visit to Hampi. If you have loved your grandma's tales, I'm sure you would fall in love with Hampi.

Fire

Less than five days back when I left Bangalore for a weekend trip to Hampi, Bangalore was seething with heat, the TV channels was droning on about Jaswant Singh's plight and the precautions to be taken to prevent swine flu (btw, read Paul's swine flu story here, it's as usual hilarious!) and the monsoon rains were hanging low on the dark clouds threatening to drench me without warning. When I got back to Bangalore on Tuesday morning, NDTV was still feasting on the turmoil in the BJP leadership (which had become worse over the weekend), there were more casualities on account of swine flu, people were making bonfires outside their homes (thanks to the sudden chill in the city!) and there is absolutely no sign of the rains. So much, in so little time... The wheather I mean...

Black Impressions - Pondicherry

Well, I'm not so sure if this is good or bad, but the Black Town or the 'Indian' parts of Pondicherry has remained resolutely true to its origins. The houses are hardly maintained enough to prevent a leaking roof during the monsoons let alone a badly needed whitewash! Yet, i thought these buildings had a charm of its own.. making me want to know more about its inhabitants. I couldn't get far, but given below is a simple portrait of a pair of fruit vendors who I imagine must inhabit on such house in the Black Town of Pondicherry.

The Doors : White Town

These images are from a 2 hour shoot along the streets of White Town/French Colony in Pondicherry.

Welcome to Puducherry (Pondicherry)

The cafe 'Le Soleil' ('The Sun') on the Pondi Beach is the best way to escape the sweltering heat outside with it's blessed air conditioned space [yes, i just called it blessed...guess I'm spolit by the good weather in Bangalore :) ] and the choice of breads and ice creams (I loved the English breakfast I was served) that it offers. All of that, with a nice sun kissed view of the beach. See the complete Pondicherry series here ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PS : To all my European, American and Asian friends ; Pondicherry is a Union Territory in South India which used to be a French colony once upon a time. It's a queer mix of the 'White' world and the 'Black' world sprinkled along the East Coast of India. If you ever decide to vist India, do not miss this place . See this article (here) for details about Pondicherry.

A Place I Like : Around City Market

[ These images are from a group show (the result of a workshop conducted by the German Photographer, Stefan Koppelkamm) called "Places I Like" at the Max Mueller Bhavan, Goethe Instistute on CMH Rd. If you are in Bangalore, please try and make it to the show which will be open until 28 August] "The over bridge which unobtrusively slithered into the midst of all the chaos that went on beneath, connecting and separating lives on both sides at the same time.. alive and rampant like the rivers around which civilization grew in bygone eras.. " It was early in the morning one day.. some time in December 2007 when I Stepped into the City Market Bus Stand.. sleepy, tired and hungry after a long bus ride. It was probably my fourth visit to Bangalore, but what I saw was not the picture of the city I had etched in my mind after a few visits to its IT hubs and shopping centres. I was watching the city wake up.. slowly.. deliberately.. as the sun took over the dominance of the sulphur lamps which lit up the cityscape. I felt I was at the heart of the city, where the blood was pumped out to feed the greedy population of the city. I suppose that was precisely when I fell in love with the city of Bangalore. I decided to stay. When I was asked to choose a 'place I like' to document for the workshop, I didn't have to think too hard to come up with my favorite. It just had to be the City Market area with its majestic Jamia Masjid, the KR Market, the SJP road which transforms into a flower market at the crack of dawn, Nawab Hyder Ali Khan Road and the over bridge which unobtrusively slithered into the midst of all the chaos that went on beneath, connecting and separating lives on both sides at the same time.. alive and rampant like the rivers around which civilization grew in bygone eras.. Every visit I made was a new discovery of the micro worlds that existed in its womb, hidden to the world outside, but visible to those who looked hard enough. In its dark alleys, I found colours that no mall in the city could offer. In its sex workers, I found a zest to fight the death caused by HIV like there was such a thing as hope and the will to live. In its ever smiling Anwar, i found the orthodontist of City Bus Stand. To what might seem to be an unhygienic dental procedure to the affluent is affordable solutions to the dental health care of the poor. The room on the roof, the wholesale markets, the sober demeanor of the K R Market building propped against the inevitable temple of worship.. all hummed a melody that most of us have grown deaf to..

In Communion - The temple, mosque and the KR Market.

Jamia Masjid, City Market Bus Stand

"It was early in the morning one day.. some time in December 2007 when I Stepped into the City Market Bus Stand.. sleepy, tired and hungry after a long bus ride. I was watching the city wake up.. slowly.. deliberately.. as the sun took over the dominance of the sulphur lamps which lit up the cityscape." "In its sex workers, I found a zest to fight the death caused by HIV like there was such a thing as hope and the will to live."

"In its dark alleys, I found colours that no mall in the city could offer."

Rush Hour at the KR Market.

"I felt I was at the heart of the city, where the blood was pumped out to feed the greedy population of the city."

"The SJP road which transforms into a flower market at the crack of dawn..."

"The over bridge which unobtrusively slithered into the midst of all the chaos that went on beneath... "

In front of the Jamia Masjid one evening.

"In its ever smiling Anwar, i found the orthodontist of City Bus Stand. To what might seem to be an unhygienic dental procedure to the affluent is affordable solutions to the dental health care of the poor."

The facade - KR Market

Flowers in K R Market

A micro world in one of the alleys- home to the homeless.

Inside hotel Chandra Bhavan

The room on the roof.

The wholesale corn market.

Lamp Posts, K R Market

[ Outtake from a group show called "Places I Like" that's opening on August 14, 6.30pm at the Goethe Instistute on CMH Rd. If you are in Bangalore, please try and make it to the opening.]

Crows on a Lamp Post

[ Outtake from a group show called "Places I Like" that's opening on August 14, 6.30pm at the Goethe Instistute on CMH Rd. If you are in Bangalore, please try and make it to the opening.]

The permanent (or almost) residents of the City Market, Bangalore.

Paramount Stores, Bangalore

[ Outtake from a group show called "Places I Like" that's opening on August 14, 6.30pm at the Goethe Instistute on CMH Rd. If you are in Bangalore, please try and make it to the opening.]

I found this little store and its curious neighbors on Narasimha Raja Road (near city market). The business is over 60 years old and the store older. The shopkeeper (my apologies for missing the note in which i had scribbled his name and age) shuttles between Kerala and Bangalore, between family and business. He has five daughters and doesn't like to think too much about what would happen to the store or his business after his demise. "But I will run it as long as I can..... "

The Florist

This is a scene found inside 'Hotel King' on SJP road near the city market, Bangalore.

You will find people utilizing spaces to work at the oddest places in India. This is more true for areas around markets. The street vendors who come from near by villages, those especially who do not have a ready-made product to sell invariably find a way around the problem of finding a work space in the city. But what I really found surprising was that despite the encroachment issues you read about in the city newspapers, people (like the manager of this hotel for example) seem to empathise with the plight of these hardworking migrants.

On the Way to Work

Whenever i begin to curse the straight-back seats of our company shuttles, i think of these women. There are thousands of women who go to work on far off fields, perched on trucks or on any vehicle that would give them a ride for less than Rs.5/- at 6am(or earlier) in the morning. What do i have to complain about?

Time Out Anniversary : July 23, 2009

Here are some images from the opening party at Olive Beach (Bangalore) where Time Out magazine (Bangalore) exhibited some of my images on the occasion of their first anniversary. Thanks to Time Out, i met my favorite blogger, Gopal MS (who was also featured) at the party :) Read the full article here.

Photos by Gopal MS For those who missed the show, pasted below are my images from the show.