Winter Smoke

A common sight near the Ooty bus stand. Hot coffee in the making!

Sweet Shop

Virupaksha Hair Cutting Saloon

Note : The vignetting effect has been applied in post production.

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.

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.

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.

Many Faces

I was scouring the Ooty market one day, in search of material for a studio shoot when i came across this lady. She quietly stood there watching me prod every single mud pot i found in that store. She didn't even bat an eyelid when i started clicking her pictures. When i finally came around the corner, she slowly came up to me with a pot in her hand. "Only Rs.5/- ma... "

Behind Closed Doors

After a Day's Work

Some describe it as a great irony of modern India. Yet I think there is an old world charm in the farmer's bullock cart slowly rolling back to his village after selling his farm's produce in the market.

India in a Capsule?

"India is ALL about colours," a friend (from abroad) stated. I wonder...

On Guard

I was quite startled to find this fellow leap at me from the window after a few minutes of persistent, but anonymous barking (i couldn't quite figure where the barking was coming from until then). But after much contemplation, i think he decided that this strange creature (that would be me) with the shiny black box slung on her neck is harmless after all. Nevertheless, he didnt flinch from his position until i was well out of sight. It's amazing to find the amount of pride and joy that only dogs seem to take in guarding the house they belong to. But of course, those who have dogs for pets already know all about it :)

The Morning Raga

The Shadow on the Wall

A common site in India. A woman and a child stand near a public tap in a little village in Ooty, with their vessels lined up to collect water for their domestic use . I hope, there will be a day (in a not so distant future) when rural India will quench her thirst with a well maintained water supply system and would never have to go back to stand in queue at a public water tap.

Served Hot!!!

On the Run...

It was a lovely evening, with a star studded sky above. The streets were thronging with people. A sudden downpour, and the streets were full no more.

Cat

*** Inspired by Neonspot's cat series.

The 'Him' I Shall Never Forget

Fear

I had felt fear and a queer sense of empathy when i first saw him. I continued to click. I now realize that he was as scared of me as i was of him. He was mumbling to himself and then looked extremely pleased when i handed a five rupee coin to him. I set out looking for him a few months later. He was found dead. Lying on the streets of Coimbatore. He had gone in search of his son. Memories come back.

The Indian Coffee House @ MG Rd

(File photo) When i read about the relocation plans in the newspaper, i HAD TO make sure i visited the Indian Coffee House on MG road one last time. I was there on the 26th of Feb, and it was slated for closure on the 28th. The coffee shop itself looked unruffled, nonchalant. ---------------------------------------- "Its relocated to Brigade rd, or was it Cunningham rd now...i cant remember exactly. But its not the same.. " says a friend.