All Mix Fruit Juice

Day 31: You, Again!

2012-01-31T10:20:00.000+05:30

This was me being all touristy in Ooty last year. I got to dress up like a tea-picker, wear the basket and headgear, and have my picture taken. And then I shot a picture of the picture :)

Aaaand with this, the photo-a-day challenge is over :( I really really had fun doing this - it got me into the habit of keeping my camera reasonably charged and within reach at all times. I found myself shooting a lot more than I did in the last few months, and that, has been my biggest gain from doing this. If you find yourself in a photography rut, or if you just don't seem to have the enthusiasm to shoot anymore, I totally recommend doing something like this.

Fat mum slim, the blogger who came up with this challenge, has already put up a similar one for February, please do check it out. She also suggests this easier project for people who don't want to take on a month-long project. I think I'm going to try it later in February.

Thank you all for being so sweet with your comments all month, and thank you Sharanya for making this so much fun :)

Day 30: Nature

2012-01-30T20:27:00.001+05:30

We drove down from Chennai to Mahabalipuram last weekend, and on the way, we found a stream with thousands of white and pink lotuses! I fell head over heels in love with it, and intend to do a post exclusively for the lotus pictures, but for today's theme, here are two:

The photo-a-day challenge ends tomorrow, and I am very happy that I missed only one day :) It has been loads of fun doing this challenge along with Sharanya - I'll really miss it when it's over!

On the bright side, I'll get to start posting about all the gorgeous places I visited this month (both up north and down south - Agra, Delhi, Fatehpur Sikri, Mahabalipuram, Kumbakonam and Dharasuram - yeah, I'm showing off :P) - I cannot wait to start sharing pictures here :)

Day 29: Inside Your Fridge

2012-01-29T15:34:00.000+05:30

Umm, this one is a little bit embarrassing - we don't have the neatest fridge in the world.

This is all I'm willing to show:P

This makes it look like we only eat/drink junk, but trust me, there ARE healthy things in there - just that I'm not sharing them here :)

Day 28: Light

2012-01-28T18:00:00.000+05:30

Light streaming in through the jaali work on the marble walls

of the dargah of the Sufi saint Sheik Salim Chishti in Fatehpur Sikri.

Day 27: Lunch

2012-01-27T18:00:00.000+05:30

The yummiest paratha of my life at Rambabu Paratheywale in Agra:)

Day 26: Colour

2012-01-26T22:50:00.001+05:30

Today's theme is colour, but I wish this had been yesterday's picture - the very next day after I whined about never making something with my hands, I bought myself a can of paint to make all our pots blue. Since this is me at work, I made Ashwin take the pictures :) I know, I'm supposed to take the pictures - but my hands were really too messy to handle the camera :(

Day 25: Something You Made

2012-01-26T00:48:00.000+05:30

Much as I love DIY, I am not very skilled with my hands. So I am totally in awe of people like Sharanya who seem to do magic with their fingers!

I realized that although it's been 6 months since we moved to this house, which is actually my first home after I moved out of home, there isn't even one thing that I have made from start to finish. I spend a lot of time decorating, but I haven't MADE anything. Ok, there have been a few little things like the zoozoo I spray-painted in gold or the string of lights I put into a blue vase to make a lamp...but nothing from scratch.

I am notorious for starting projects and never finishing them. Like this Madhubani painting I attempted many months ago, but abandoned because I lost patience after a while:

Day 24: Guilty Pleasure

2012-01-25T00:00:00.002+05:30

I know it's bad for my hair,

but nothing else makes me feel as good!!

Phew, it's 2 minutes to 12 - I MADE IT :P

I'm off to sleep now,

because the cold and throat infection are BAD :(

Day 23: Something Old

2012-01-24T23:56:00.002+05:30

I was at work all day and out all evening yesterday. I also had a really bad cold and throat infection (which is actually worse today), so I fell asleep as soon as I got home and forgot to post :( This is what I had wanted to post:

Vibhuti and Kumkum. The boxes are obviously not old, but the contents are. My paternal grandfather (whom I never knew because he passed away even before I was born) had a job that involved crazy amounts of travel. Every time he visited a temple, he'd bring back a small packet of vibhuti and kumkum and add it to his boxes in the puja room. After he passed away, my dad continued the practice. And when I moved out of home, he gave me some of each from the collection. I am not really the temple going kind, but I remember adding some of my own from a temple in Coorg. So the contents of these boxes have been collected from many many temples across the country by my grandfather, my father and now me :)

Day 22: Your Shoes

2012-01-22T15:46:00.000+05:30

Shot this morning in Kovalam beach, near Chennai :)

Day 21: Reflection

2012-01-21T21:01:00.000+05:30

I'm going to be lazy and post a picture I shot along with this :)

Day 20: Someone you love

2012-01-20T18:00:00.000+05:30

The people I love the most

The order and sizes of the pics are totally arbitrary :P

PS: With this, the number of posts I've made this month, is more than the number of posts I made in all of 2011!

Day 19: Sweet

2012-01-19T20:42:00.001+05:30

Pethas, from Agra.

I realized I had NO suitable plates to use as a background

and had to make do with tissue :(

Day 18: Something You Bought

2012-01-18T22:18:00.000+05:30

A rickshaw made of colored metal wire! Isn't it adorable?

I bought it in Delhi, in the little bazaar outside the Red Fort.

I couldn't stop with one picture... :)

And this is where it's going to sit until I find a better place for it

Day 17: Water

2012-01-17T23:10:00.001+05:30

Phew. Almost missed today's post!

This one is from Hyderabad's Lotus Pond.

Day 16: Morning

2012-01-16T21:21:00.000+05:30

Chai 4ever! :P

I JUST got back from my vacation in Agra! It was BRILLIANT. I fell head over heels in love with that town. Ashwin and I have decided that we need to go back there and spend at least 10 days and soak up the atmosphere! We also spent a couple of days in my favouritest city, Delhi.

I filled up so many memory cards with pictures - I am dying to transfer them to my computer and see how they turned out :) As soon as I am done with the photo-a-day challenge, I think I will spam this space with posts about all the places I went to :)

Now I'm off to catch up with all the posts that I missed on Sharanya's blog :)

Day 15: Happiness

2012-01-15T18:00:00.000+05:30

...is a pretty pair of shoes

(I am away and have scheduled this to be posted automatically by blogger so that this challenge I am attempting doesn't get interrupted :)

Day 14: Something You're Reading

2012-01-14T18:00:00.000+05:30

The Doll and other short stories

(I am away and have scheduled this to be posted automatically by blogger so that this challenge I am attempting doesn't get interrupted :))

Day 13: In Your Bag

2012-01-13T18:00:00.000+05:30

(I am away and have scheduled this to be posted automatically by blogger so that this challenge I am attempting doesn't get interrupted :))

Day 12: Close Up

2012-01-12T18:00:00.000+05:30

...of a teeny printing block

(I am away and have scheduled this to be posted automatically by blogger so that this challenge I am attempting doesn't get interrupted :))

Day 11: Where You Sleep

2012-01-11T13:00:00.000+05:30

I'm going to be travelling for the next few days without my laptop (never been separated from it for more than a day), so I am experimenting with blogger's scheduling and auto-posting feature. If it works, I'll leave posts for blogger to post till I am back :) If this post appears on my blog at 1 PM today, it means the feature works :)

So, this is where I sleep.

Edited to add:
Yaaay it works. Oh, I MUST tell you what happened this evening - my sister READ THIS POST and then asked me - so, did the auto-publish work? ROFL I think I took all the clever genes in the family :P
I'm off on my vacation tomorrow - I hope I come back with tons of photos. In the meanwhile, I hope blogger continues to behave as wonderfully as it did today :)

Day 10: Childhood

2012-01-10T20:34:00.001+05:30

Picnics were the first thing I thought of when I saw today's theme. Followed by Ganesh Chaturti and the annual numaish in Hyderabad.

When I was tiny, the IT revolution hadn't reached Hyderabad. There was so much greenery and the weather was so beautiful throughout the year, except the harsh summer months, and our Sundays were full of picnics, picnics and more picnics :)

My parents would take me to the zoo, Indira Park, Public Gardens, Sanjeevaiah Park, Gandipet, and if it was late in the evening, just good old Tank Bund.

Unfortunately I am not in Hyderabad right now, so I couldn't take a new picture to post today. Instead, here is a picture I shot of Hussain Sagar from Tank Bund last year. We'd often go sit on the benches or the park across the road in the evening, eat ice creams and go home :)

And here are some pictures of super-dorky me on some of our picnics :))

Day 9: Daily Routine

2012-01-09T22:37:00.002+05:30

I thought about this one a LOT.

The yummy tea Ashwin makes me everyday

That I drink on the couch I love

Watering my plants

My hair and makeup routine

The skin-care routine I have been surprisingly consistent with

And a lot of other things

But before I knew it the day was over

and this is all I could shoot:

These websites are definitely part of my daily routine - 2 hourly, in fact, but the picture is too similar to the one I posted for Day 4.

I think I'll revisit this theme another day.

I don't want to take a picture for the heck of it and put it up.

I want to LIKE the pictures I shoot for this project.

PS: In a weird way, the center aligned text makes it look like I'm trying to sound poetic. I am NOT :P

Day 8: Your Sky

2012-01-08T22:51:00.000+05:30

I was out shopping ALL day,

so I had no time to take a new picture.

Here's an old one I shot on a rainy day.

I know, it's blah.

May I Have Your Attention Please!

2012-01-07T22:19:00.000+05:30

Right in the middle of my photo-a-day project, I decided to just do something I have been contemplating for aaaages now. I RENAMED MY BLOG! I, Me, Myself was SO lame, it made me cringe every time I opened this page. I am sure I will eventually find the new name cringeworthy too, but I love it for now - All Mix Fruit Juice. Immortalized by Salim Pheku, the man of every girl's dreams.

Day 7: Favourite

2012-01-07T22:15:00.002+05:30

Shahrukh. Naam toh suna hoga?

Day 6: Makes You Smile

2012-01-06T20:16:00.001+05:30

Anything sparkly and blingy makes me smile!

For those of you don't feel like scrolling down: Sharanya and I are doing this photo-a-day challenge :)

Day 5: Something You Wore

2012-01-05T21:37:00.000+05:30

Hot pink and gold dupatta from Hypercity in Inorbit, Hyderabad:

Day 4: Letterbox

2012-01-05T21:35:00.001+05:30

I dont have a letterbox. Do you?

This was the closest thing I could come up with:

Day 3: Something You Adore

2012-01-05T21:31:00.002+05:30

Ashwin gifted this to me

when we completed 6 months of being married.

I love love love this phone,

and my life is incomplete without it!

(No mean jokes about blackberry please :P)

Day 2: Breakfast

2012-01-05T00:19:00.000+05:30

Brown bread + leftover choley

+ tomato ketchup + bits of mozzarella cheese

Day 1: YOU

2012-01-05T00:16:00.000+05:30

Self-portrait on a dirty mirror.

Yeah, that patch is on the mirror, not my face!

New Year, New Project

2012-01-05T00:07:00.001+05:30

Happy new year people - I hope you have a super-fabulous year!

Sharanya and I have decided to do this fun photo-a-day challenge.

Since it is already the 5th of January, we thought we'll post the first 5 pictures today, and do one a day starting tomorrow. Ideally one is supposed to shoot the photos on the same day as one posts them, but I am quite sure I will not be able to manage it. So I'll post everyday, but the photos may not always be from the same day. I hope I finish the challenge - I am going on a holiday this month, during which I wont carry my laptop - but I'll worry about that later :)

My first five pics will be up in just a little bit! Wooohoo this is going to be fun :) Go check out Sharanya's pictures here!! Oh, and if you want to join us, please do - it'll be fun!

Since everybody is making one...

2011-12-29T19:00:00.000+05:30

I decided to make a year-end post about the movies I watched this year too!

Disclaimer - I grew up on a diet of YRF and KJo movies, so it is very likely that you won't agree with what I say - don't tell me I didn't warn you :))

I hated...

Mausam: The movie was by Pankaj Kapoor, the trailers looked gorgeous, and it had Shahid Kapoor, so I went expecting a fabulous movie. Was I in for a rude shock! I didn't watch Damadam, but I bet even that was better than this mess. Mausam is a lesson for Bollywood that eye-candy alone doesn't make a movie great. It did have some lovely songs though, and I LOVED each one of Sonam's outfits.

I didn't particularly love...

Delhi Belly: I honestly think it was the most overrated movie of the year. Sure, it was fun and I was laughing throughout the movie - but there was little else in the movie besides potty humour. It's almost as if Aamir Khan just set out to make a movie with tons of gaalis, and hastily added a story as an afterthought.

I liked...

ZNMD: Really liked it. My kind of movie. Sweet and funny, with beautiful people in beautiful places. I don't understand how some people think it is elitist - hain? it's elitist to make movies about people who can afford expensive handbags and trips to Spain?!

The Dirty Picture: I think Vidya Balan is the BEST actress in the country right now. The bestest. The second half of the movie was too slow and lacked substance - but her performance was just WOW. Oh and Naseeruddin Shah - awesomeness :))

Rockstar: Yeah I know, it wasn't fantastic, but I think Ranbir did give a rockstar performance. The thing is, when we sit and scoff at running-around-trees type movies, I think it's unfair to come down so heavily on Imtiaz Ali when he has tried something different. Sure, it could've been much better, but if we bash such people too much, they will retreat to the same old formula movies. The music and lyrics by A.R.Rahman and Irshad Kamil were absolutely divine - I'm still not over Kun Faya Kun.

Ra.One: This is my list, it is an SRK movie, and yet I say "liked" instead of "loved". Enough said.

I loved...

Don 2. So slick, so stylish, so sexy. This movie had everything I love about SRK - the swagger, the dimpled smirk, the attitude - SRK is God. Considering that we began 2011 with Tees Maar Khan (on the 1st of Jan, that too!), Don 2 was a fabulous movie to end the year with :) Ashwin and I never like the same movies - our tastes are polar opposites, but looooook what he said about Don 2 - Filmein sirf teen cheezon se banti hain - entertainment, entertainment, entertainment, aur Don 2 entertainment hai :) I know, he has a way with words :P

Shor In The City: I think this one was a little underrated. Gritty, yet funny, no big stars, no song and dance sequences - very well-made movie about life in Mumbai.

So this is my list. I cannot think of any other movies right now - if I left some out, it probably means they didn't make a big impact on me anyway :)

What are your plans for the 31st? Work eased up a little bit just today, and I can finally start planning how to celebrate :) I don't think I'll be posting anything here until the new year, so let me wish you all a rocking new year! May all your dreams come true :)

Look what I bought...

2011-12-27T22:45:00.001+05:30

I've always wanted one of those wooden book stands that people use to read religious books - I've seen them in so many Kashmiri shops in so many places, but somehow never got around to buying one. Until last weekend!

Tada!

The thing at the back - I call it my genie jug - we found it in the Charminar flea market :)

I don't really have any religious books (NO I'm NOT an atheist, I just use whatever I know by heart to pray when I do pray:)), so I put a yellow book of Amir Khusrau's poetry on it :)

(arrgghhh this image refuses to get centered)

It's quite prettily carved...

Now I just need to find a really pretty book to put on it :)

Laziest Weekend EVER!

2011-12-19T08:00:00.000+05:30

I just had the laziest weekend EVER. The last couple of weeks have been a little hectic, so I really had fun doing NOTHING this weekend - no going out, no shopping-nothing at all :) (Ok, I did go to the shop down the road and buy a t-shirt, but that doesn't count).

The weather's been very pleasant and windy, so we rearranged the plants and pulled a pair of chairs onto the terrace to take full advantage :)

What was your weekend like?

A shelf full of magic

2011-12-10T20:14:00.001+05:30

About 3-4 years ago (I think) I was in Charminar shopping with my mom one evening. I stopped at an attar shop fascinated by the fragrances, colours and the pretty decanters the attar is stored in (attardans/ittardans/attardanis) and asked the shopkeeper "khaali bottle denge?". He said yes, and my attar bottle collection began :)

I know I make it sound like I have a room full of shelves full of bottles - it's actually more like ONE shelf, but I absolutely *love* them, and whenever I see one that I like, I try to buy it. Many attar shops have really big and old attardans on display, but not for sale, because they are often antiques or family heirlooms.

I love taking them out and rearranging them or just looking at them :) Today I was at it again, and there was very pretty light on the dining table, so I went on a clicking spree :)

This is the collection on its shelf, except for the 2-3 that got chopped on the left and right of the photo, with my little surmedan in the middle :)

This is probably my favourite - It's part of a pair actually - I bought them in the Sunday flea market in front of Charminar. I really love the ornate stopper.

This one is a very recent addition - just a week old - I bought it in Inhabit in Inorbit mall. Inhabit has a very nice collection of decanters.

This is the tiniest one I have:) Isn't it adorable :) This is from an antique shop in Banjara Hills, although it isn't really that old.

On the evening I mentioned right at the beginning of this post, I bought 2 bottles - my first ever, and the one on the right of this picture was one of them. All three of these are from the bazaars around Charminar.

This one I got in Mallepally. The guy in the shop said it is from Oman.

So this was my attardan collection, and some of my favourites from it :) I love having them around me because I find the mood they create very magical and Arabian Nights-ish :)

Early morning randomness

2011-11-19T06:10:00.001+05:30

It's a Saturday, and yet I'm up so early, I just heard the first azaan from the neighborhood mosque. I love love love the sound of it breaking the silence of the morning .

With nothing to do, I've been mindlessly surfing the net, and LOOK what a lovely blog I found : Positively Present. And I am so inspired to try this 30-day project. Now if only I could overcome my laziness and get started...

Dakshin Chitra

2011-11-14T22:30:00.001+05:30

Yesterday was an unusually lazy Sunday - We woke up late (so late that I'm ashamed to tell you when :D) and sat around like couch potatoes for a while, and then I wanted to go for a drive. So we decided to go to Dakshin Chitra, an arts, crafts and architecture village near Chennai that showcases the cultures of the four South Indian states. The place is famous for traditional heritage homes relocated from the four states - a few that I can remember are Ikkat and Chutillu homes from Andhra Pradesh, Chettinad and Tanjore homes from Tamil Nadu, and some from Kerala and Karnataka too. They also have workshops on different traditional arts and crafts, folk performances and a few shops selling traditional handcrafted products. Very cool place to spend a lazy afternoon IF the weather is nice.

And finally, MEEE! :)

Happy Diwali!

2011-10-28T08:06:00.000+05:30

I hope you had a great Diwali - I did :) Here are some pictures I shot before heading out for firecrackers :)

Getting ready for the evening - diyas without bling are no fun :)

The house all lit up in the evening:

A part of my beloved attar bottle collection:

Spooooooky!

Archive Digging

2011-09-17T18:45:00.000+05:30

I finally got sick of my computer showing the remaining space in my hard disk in red, and got around to cleaning it. I came across some photos from my trip in 2009 to Haridwar and Rishikesh - I'd experimented on them with some vintage-ish presets on Lightroom. One is called The Prairie. The other is called Vintage1 Rounded Corners, but I can't remember where I downloaded it from :(

This kind of processing is a bit addictive, but thankfully doesn't work all the time, so that'll keep me from going overboard :)

Curtains

2011-09-02T21:11:00.002+05:30

Of(or is it off) late i find myself taking pictures of curtains very often. i love what they do with the light and shadows as they flutter in the breeze.

A deleted post, a new look and a wedding.

2011-08-11T23:23:00.000+05:30

~ I deleted the previous post because it was too rant-y. I have pretty strong opinions on most things, but I've always wanted to use my blog only to share happy stuff. And I don't think that should change :)

~ One night last week, on a whim, I completely changed the way my blog looks. Do you like it? I still need to change the image in the header. I'm trying to think of a new name for the blog- I, me, myself is beyond lame.

~ A friend got married a couple of months ago in Hyderabad. He is Tamil and his wife is Telugu. It was fun to watch the mix of Tamil and Telugu rituals at the wedding :) Here are some photos I shot:

The venue was the gorgeous Taramati Baradari, the residence of Taramati, Sultan Abdullah Qutb Shah's favourite courtesan. It is said that when she sang in the Baradari, the Sultan would be able to hear it all the way from the Golconda fort. The most perfect setting for a wedding - so romantic!

An old picture I shot of the baradari:

A and S make an adorable couple, and I wish them loads and loads of fun and happiness together :)

What I've been upto

2011-07-06T21:31:00.000+05:30

~ I'm slowly getting used to a new job and a new home

~ We're having a blast doing up our new home. It's rented, so we have hundreds of constraints, but the challenge makes it more fun! I'm putting in some "before" pictures at the end of the post.

~ I'm getting to indulge my love for all things old - we are thoroughly enjoying shopping for old furniture and curios. Some places I'm loving are a little store in Besant Nagar, Chennai that restores and sells old furniture, the antique shops on Road No 12, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, and the Sunday flea market near Charminar, where I spent my birthday morning.

~ My birthday came and went, and I think I want to get a tattoo this year. I keep saying this every year, but maybe this will be the year I finally do it!

~ Other than our billion trips between Hyderabad and Chennai, we haven't travelled anywhere after our trip to Ooty in January. Not cool.

Ok, so here are some "before" pics of some parts of the house. I shot them in a hurry the day we moved,so pleeeease overlook how lousy they are!

One of my two favourite things about the house is the gorgeous view from all sides:

The second is that there is a masjid really close by - I'm delighted, because I associate the soothing sound of the azaan with home!

I love being a girl

2011-06-23T15:18:00.000+05:30

This post has been sitting as a draft for a few days now. Finally worked up the courage to post it.

I read a LOTTTT of blogs, some of them by "feminist" women. A lot of them are so happy to declare that they never played with dolls, play all kinds of sports, hate make up, hate shopping, etc. I remember there was this tag that was going around, in which they actually listed all the things they do/like that girls usually don't do/like. As if that's something to be proud of. When you call yourself an "exception" to the rule so proudly, aren't you actually putting down those who form the "rule"?

I am a feminist myself, but I am dismayed that all the things that make me LOVE being a girl are spoken of as things to be ashamed of, things that "equal" women don't do. Turning myself into a man or playing down my girly side to be equal to men, is definitely not my idea of feminism. I realized this the day I watched Shobha De say on a TV show, something along the lines of "I refuse to wear a khadi kurta and a jhola bag to be taken seriously". My sister put it very eloquently too - "identical and equal are not the same thing".

But stereotypes in a male-dominated world can really take the charm out of things you love doing. Ever since I got married, I've avoided doing so many things I've wanted to do, out of fear of looking like the good little wife who knits and cooks.

I am slowly learning to accept now, that stereotypes exist, and always will. Giving up something I love doing, just because it IS stereotypical, is VERY stupid.

So.

I love make up, shopping and dressing up. I obsess over my skin and hair. I collect nail polishes.

I love shoes. I have more shoes than I can keep track of, and I still keep buying more.

Anything with hearts, flowers or stars makes me go awwwwwww.

I am truly, madly, deeply in love with Shahrukh Khan.

Many many songs, movies and stories make me cry.

My favourite colour is pink.

I love bling. I'm Hyderabadi, how can I not!

I am a lousy driver and I HATE driving.

I have always disliked playing any kind of sport.

I check myself out in every reflecting surface in sight.

I love love love pretty-fying the house.

I eat, sleep and breathe bollywood.

As a kid, my favourite games were teacher-teacher, house-house, doctor-doctor and kitchen set.

I hate getting tanned.

I love love love being a girl, and I'm equal to any man.

These are a few of my favourite songs...

2011-05-24T21:01:00.003+05:30

Today I feel like sharing a few of my all time favourite songs, that never ever fail to touch my heart, no matter how often I listen to them.

1. Someone who loves Bollywood as much as I do, cannot possibly begin the list with any other song:

Shahrukh Khan, fields of gold, and chiffon outfits - what more could a girl ask for!

2. I LOVE qawwalis. And this, is without a doubt, my favourite filmy qawwali. Always gives me goosebumps. And it was the song that inspired me to join a tabla class.

3. Another qawwali that I adore - love the lyrics, melody, choreography - everything about this song is just SO pretty!

3. If this song doesn't make you cry, you have a heart that's made of stone. LOVE the lyrics - just soooo beautiful.

4. What can I say about this masterpiece of a song that hasn't been said already.

5. This song is special not only because it is hauntingly beautiful, but also because it reminds me of a lot of happy times. For a while, this was the only album I had in my car because I was toooo lazy to change it, and I would listen to it over and over again. I distinctly remember listening to it while driving home early from work, to get ready, the second time I went out with Ashwin :)

It's probably clear by now that I find Urdu incredibly beautiful. I'm going to be an Urdu poet in my next birth.

6. And the last song on my list today is a recent one. Another goosebumpy song. Love the music, love the lyrics, love the visuals.

Colors of India

2011-05-16T18:38:00.001+05:30

Every time I go for a walk on the street to take pictures, I realize how lucky I am to live in India - our streets are SO beautiful - there's beauty EVERYWHERE you look.

Simple but strikingly colorful street shops in Mangalhaat, Hyderabad:

Colorfully painted doors of homes in Bidar, Karnataka:

The ceiling fans in a tiny embroidery workshop in Mangalhaat, Hyderabad, had this pretty little detail around them:

There was one in which they hadn't yet fitted a fan:

This wasn't a fancy embroidery place or anything - just a low end workshop that churns out inexpensive bling.

A rangoli outside a small temple in Chennai, one morning during the month of Margazhi:

A painting of Lord Hanuman in a tiny temple in Kishanbagh, Hyderabad:

And some more roadside colour from Mangalhaat, Hyderabad:

Turning over a new leaf

2011-05-13T23:11:00.004+05:30

I've decided to go on a *major* self-improvement spree. By the time I'm done, my name will be Madhu Zen Gopalan.

I thought I'll begin by drastically cutting down the time I spend online for non-work activities. I know I'm not alone in this - most people I know spend a lot of time on the internet. Whatever did people do to fill their free time before high speed internet came along? I don't mean things like going shopping, going out with friends, going for a movie, running errands, working out - I mean fun stuff to do while at HOME! Maybe I should get back to the reading habit. Or maybe spend more time trying to coax SOMETHING pretty out of my totally unartistic hands (this is one thing I do now and then, although often with the help of online tutorials and inspiration :P) Or take more photos inside the house - I hardly ever do indoor photography. Or learn calligraphy - my dad recently gave me a calligraphy set. Or just paint my nails a different colour everyday! There IS loads of stuff one can do, right?

With that thought, the internet time I allowed myself for today is almost over, so I'll hit the publish button and close my computer :)

PS: How cool are the TN and WB election results? Girl power all the way!

PPS: The font sizes on this blog are all messed up - I meddled with the template without really knowing what I was doing :(

De Ghumake!

2011-04-01T13:49:00.003+05:30

Bleed LIGHT Blue!

Colours

2011-03-21T13:11:00.004+05:30

Happy Holi everyone! I hope you had a fun Holi - I did :)

I spent some time last week exploring a couple of flower markets in Hyderabad. Colourful flowers, friendly faces and a medley of fragrances in the air - almost addictive!

Up, close and personal with a steam engine!

2011-03-05T12:44:00.002+05:30

To get to Ooty, we flew to Coimbatore and took a cab from there. Blah. If we had planned our trip earlier and better, we could have taken the toy train to Ooty on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, all the way up from Mettupalayam, pulled by the most adorable steam engine. That was incidentally the train on top of which Shahrukh Khan (sigh...:)) danced to Chaiyya Chaiyya.

The best we could do, was to take a ride on the toy train from Ooty to Coonoor, that unfortunately has only a regular diesel engine. Luckily though, around the time we reached the Coonoor railway station, a steam engine in the railway shed was getting ready for a trip down to Mettupalayam. This was my first close encounter with a steam engine that I can remember, although my dad claims that when I was little, during my summer vacations in my grandmother's home, he would carry me to the railway station to show me steam engines.

Here are some pictures of the adorable little engine (It felt like a real person to me, the way it was hissing and spitting :)) that we saw:

Ooty

2011-02-10T17:21:00.002+05:30

We went to Ooty and Coonoor last month, to celebrate our first wedding anniversary. When we travel, we like to go beyond the touristy stuff, and explore more unusual places. This time, though, Ashwin brought loads of work along, so we only had time to visit the popular tourist spots. But the two towns are so pretty and the weather was so perfect, we had a blast anyway:)

There is hardly anything I can write here about the places we went to, that isn't already on tons of websites, so let me go straight to the pictures.

The lush green valleys:

Sprawling tea estates:

After a long time I went on a crazy flower shooting spree:

The gorgeous, gorgeous botanical gardens of Ooty:

Thick and fragrant woods full of eucalyptus trees behind the resort we stayed in:

We took the toy train from Ooty to Coonoor - it was just awesome - the best part of our trip. The train was absolutely adorable, and the route was so picturesque - full of tunnels, tiny waterfalls, dark forests and breathtaking views.

Everyone in the train let out a collective gasp when we saw this spectacular view:

The opulent Fernhills Palace, a former hunting lodge of the Maharaja of Mysore, now a heritage hotel:

A view from the top of Doddabetta, the tallest peak in all of South India:

Lohagarh Fort, Lonavala

2011-01-19T20:27:00.004+05:30

I sort and process my photographs quite soon after I return from any shoot or trip, but I am extremely lazy when it comes to posting and writing about them on my blogs. So it has taken almost two months for me to get around to posting pictures from our trek to the Lohagarh Fort, when we visited Lonavala.

The Sahayadri hills around Lonavala are dotted with strategically located fortresses and the imposing Lohagarh Fort (translating to Iron Fort) is one of them. It is said to have been used by pretty much every dynasty that ruled over the Vidarbha and Maratha regions - right from the Satavahanas to the Marathas. It was captured by Shivaji in the 17th century, and again by the British in the 19th century.

We drove to the Lohadwadi village at the base of the hill fort, and started our climb up at the cluster of very basic shops selling refreshments. We weren't carrying anything to drink, and we didn't even think of buying water at these shops - big mistake - this isn't your regular touristy fort with canteens and water fountains. There are steps all the way to the top of the fort, so the climb is fairly easy, except in stretches where the steps are no more than crude blocks of stone, often slippery and moss covered. Oh, and there are plenty of monkeys all over the fort - carrying food that will attract them isn't wise. And if you hear rustling noises among the shrubbery that's everywhere, it's probably a snake :)

We were lucky to be there on a sunshiny day, so at many points on the way up, we were treated to spectacular views of the lush green countryside, under vast blue skies with fluffy white clouds.

On the way up the hill, you pass three layers of fortification through four huge gates, all of them very well-preserved. The top of the fort is surprisingly empty, devoid of too many structures. My first question when we got there was - so where are the palaces? There are none. A Shiva temple, a dargah, a well and a tank were about all the structures we saw. This was a fort used purely for military purposes, and not pleasure.

The place is quite deserted, and there were only two groups of tourists, including us. There are no guides around, and information on the internet about the fort is very limited. I read after we got home that we'd missed seeing a scorpion-shaped extension to the fort called the Vinchu-Kata, and wished we'd had a knowledgeable guide to tell us the history and show us all the little details. But we thoroughly enjoyed the climb up the fort - I did test my husband's patience with my huffing and puffing, but all the majestic views we saw made it totally worth it :)

Ok, some pictures now.

This is how the fort blends into the hill. I shot this not at the base, but about halfway through the climb.

The imposing gates of the fort, still intact:

The barren top of the fort:

Views from the fort. The hill you see on the top left of this first image is the neighboring Visapur Fort. Since the Visapur Fort is taller, British troops bombarded the Lohagarh Fort from there, forcing the Marathas out.

I will soon post about an ancient wonder we visited while in Lonavala - the breathtaking rock-cut caves of Karla. In the meanwhile, I am off on another trip and I hope to be back with lots of pictures.

Rewind

2011-01-01T19:07:00.002+05:30

Here's wishing you all a very happy 2011 - I hope all your dreams come true this year :)

I wanted to do a year-end post on how my 2010 was, how I want 2011 to be and all that. But I was really unable to come up with a coherent post, so I decided to do it with pictures.

Getting married was the biggest thing that happened to me in 2010 :) So I'm posting this although I didn't shoot it - a picture from the wedding :)

And here's how my 2010 was, with some pictures I shot through the year.

A trip to gorgeous Coorg

(the feet with the dirty shoes belong to my husband :))

Sunrise at the Kovalam Beach near Chennai, to celebrate our one month anniversary :)

At the Qutb Minar, during a short visit to Delhi:

We were out on a drive one afternoon in Hyderabad, and this view of the Golconda Fort took my breath away:

Pictures from my expeditions into the old city area of Hyderabad:

Our awesome awesome road trip to historical Bidar:

A blissful week in Lonavala:

Rains in Chennai:

At one with nature in Lonavala

2010-12-09T20:19:00.005+05:30

I've been a city girl all my life and am not really outdoorsy, unless I am assured of incentives (either a rich history or loads of photo ops - preferably both!). And as my family and friends will eagerly add - not without applying and reapplying my sunscreen lotion obsessively :)

A beautiful week that we spent in Lonavala recently, was one such opportunity- sunshiny days with a cool breeze, cold evenings, walks in the woods, valley views to die for, rows of misty mountains, a trek up a rather steep hill called the Duke's Nose, trips to a fort and some caves nearby for a dose of history (I'll post about both very soon) and patchy internet and telephone services that make you feel cut off from the rest of the world. It was AWESOME.

Here are some images from our stay there - all of stuff that is much better experienced than seen in photographs:

Fluffy white clouds and their shadows on the vast countryside:

The gorgeous sunset that we saw after trekking up the

Duke's Nose - it made all the huffing and puffing so worth it!

We were told later that the hill is full of cobras!

Splashing about in impromptu waterfalls

that sprang up after unexpected showers of rain:

Breakfast by a lovely blue lake:

Greenery everywhere, since our trip happened

right after the monsoons ended:

Bidriware

2010-12-02T10:59:00.004+05:30

The historic town of Bidar is famous for more than its grand ruins. The ancient art of Bidri was born here, during the rule of the Bahmani sultans. It is said that Abdullah bin Kaiser, a craftsman who came from Iran on the Sultan's invitation to decorate Bidar's royal buildings, developed this art along with the local artisans. Bidriware is made with a blackened alloy of zinc, inlaid with thin wires of pure silver.

On our recent trip to Bidar, we were lucky to watch a part of the Bidriware making process in a small workshop in the old city.

First, a molten alloy of zinc and a little copper is poured into moulds, and hardened to various shapes.

The shapes formed are smoothed and covered with a temporary black coating. Intricate motifs are engraved on it, and silver wires are hammered into them.

The surface is smoothed thoroughly and it turns silvery white all over - the zinc areas too.

The surface is heated and saline mud from the dark regions of the Bidar fort that is unexposed to sunlight, is rubbed onto it, to selectively darken the body, but not the silver inlay. The paste is washed away and oil is rubbed on the surface, and tada!! Gleaming new bidriware is ready :)

Road Trip to Bidar

2010-11-12T18:42:00.004+05:30

Only 140kms separate two medieval kingdoms of South India - Golconda (Hyderabad) and Bidar, both of which were part of one large kingdom once upon a time. During the Diwali weekend, we travelled this distance, to take a step back in time, and admire the grand legacy of the Bahmani and Barid Shahi dynasties of Bidar.

In the 14th century, Alauddin Hassan Bahman Shah revolted against the Delhi Sultanate and founded the Bahmani Sultanate, the first Muslim kingdom of the Deccan with Gulbarga as its capital. However, the capital was soon shifted to Bidar. In the 16th century, the kingdom broke up into the five Deccan Sultanates of Ahmednagar, Berar, Bijapur, Bidar and Golconda. Of these, the Bidar Sultanate was ruled over by the Barid Shahi Sultans. In the 17th century, it became a part of the Bijapur sultanate, and was later taken over by the Mughals. Today, it is an unsung little town in northern Karnataka, with magnificent ruins that can tell so many stories, if only someone would care to listen.

Right in the middle of Bidar, is this huge, imposing watch tower, the 71 foot Chaubara built as an observation post, quietly keeping a watchful eye over the whole town.

A short distance from the Chaubara is this spectacular madrasa built by Mahmood Gawan, Prime Minister to the third Bahmani Sultan. It is said that this university attracted intellectuals from all over the Islamic world, and had a library that housed over three thousand manuscripts. When the kingdom was taken over by the Mughals, Aurangazeb used this madrasa as a military barrack, and an accidental gunpowder explosion destroyed a large portion of the structure. This madrasa is believed to be a copy of a college in Persia, and is the only one of its kind in India.

The old ciy of Bidar is a walled city, surrounded by a triple moat fortification. The Bidar Fort has seen the rise and fall of several dynasties. It is said to have been built during the reign of the Chalukyas, and was later a part of the Kakatiya kingdom, until it was taken over and extensively modified and expanded by the first Bahmani Sultan Allauddin Bahman Shah. When the Barid Shahi sultans took over the kingdom, more additions were made. Since Telengana, the Carnatic and Maharashtra converge at Bidar, and the town is located about 200 feet above the surrounding plains, it is no surprise that this strategically located town was favoured by so many dynasties. The fort is imposing and magnificent, and the best part is, it is so huge, that you can actually go around it in your car and take in the numerous darwazas, palaces, pavillions and canons.

We reached the Gurudwara Nanak Jhira Sahib at lunch time, so I dont have any pictures, but here's a link. We saw the beautiful white gurudwara from the outside, and had our lunch in one of the many excellent Punjabi eateries nearby - one of the best meals I've had in a long time. If you plan a trip to Bidar, don't miss trying the food in this area - delicious, authentic Punjabi food.

Refreshed, we headed back to the old city, to watch how Bidri work is done. I'll post about that separately - I shot a series of pictures there.

Next, we drove to Ashtur, where the ancient, ruined tombs of the Bahmani Sultans dot the lush green countryside. What struck me more than the beautiful mosaic tiled panels, some of which are still intact, the exquisite calligraphy, and the lofty dimensions of the tombs, was the strong sense of history, and a quiet calm.

And now for what was probably the most fascinating part of the trip for me. The dome on the tomb of Sultan Humayun Shah, the 11th Bahmani ruler was struck by lighting many years ago, and split open. Since only half of the dome exists now, it offers a unique view of both the inside and the outside. Interestingly, Humayun was a very unpopular king, and was called Zalim (cruel) by his subjects, so there is a popular legend that the tomb being struck by lighting, was God's way of punishing him for his cruel deeds.

Our day ended with darshans at two temples. The Narasimha Jhira Temple in which one needs to wade through an underground stream of chest-deep water in a dark cave (We didn't have extra clothes, plus it was too scary, so we gave that part a pass), and the Papanash Temple, where Lord Ram is believed to have installed a Shivalinga on his way from Lanka to Ayodhya. On the way to the highway to Hyderabad, we drove past the Barid Shahi park, where the Barid Shahi sultans are buried, but couldn't go in to take a closer look, because it was very dark already, and we had a long drive home.

Everybody wants to pose for me :)

2010-07-19T11:16:00.004+05:30

I went on a photoshoot in the old city area of Hyderabad, and ran into these adorable children who insisted on being photographed, all at once. I said lets do it ek ek karke, but no, all of them wanted to go first - there was fighting, pushing, shoving and loads of giggling:) I couldn't resist sharing these pictures :)

Namdroling Monastery, Bylakuppe

2010-07-03T21:52:00.002+05:30

Bylakuppe is a Tibetan settlement near Kushalnagar in Coorg, Karnataka. After the Chinese invasion in Tibet, thousands of refugees came here, and even today, hundreds of Tibetan monks live in the Namdroling Monastery here, where the teachings of the Buddha are still taught, practiced and preserved.

This and that...

2010-06-21T11:38:00.005+05:30

I had a lovely birthday last week. I celebrated with some family time, some fun and laughter with close friends, some shopping and a photowalk with Ashwin. I felt so loved, it was awesome :) Here's a couple of shots I took on our photowalk, with my beautiful new Nikkor 24mm f2.8 lens, that Ashwin gifted me on my birthday :)

Today is June 21st. We complete five months of being married today. I don't want to be cheesy and do PDA on my blog, so all I will say is, I'm really blessed to be married to Ashwin :)

I'm off to Hyderabad again, to attend my convocation. Two years after passing my M.Tech, I'll finally get to hold my degree. I can't wait to wear those robes and that hat once again - I've done it once before, and it made me feel so proud :)

My photograph of two little paper boats in the rain was featured in this article on monochrome photography. Little pleasures like these are so much fun :) I was humbled when I saw the other images in the compilation - so stunning! This was mine:

During the first year or two of college, I was a huge fan of Britney Spears (go on, smirk all you want :P). I remember, I even took a picture of her to the parlour and asked the hairstylist to cut my bangs like Britney's lol :)

Anyway, life has been such a roller-coaster lately, that I'm reminded of a song by Britney Spears, that I used to love back then, which had these lines:

I'm not a girl, not yet a woman
All I need is time, a moment that is mine,
While I'm in between.

Introspection

2010-06-10T14:49:00.003+05:30

The last two weekends have been awesome - the first I spent in Hyderabad, celebrating my parents' anniversary. Also dragged my dad and my husband out for a long, fun photoshoot in the old city area. The second weekend, some of my new friends in Chennai and I tried to throw my husband a surprise party - simply, for no reason at all - it wasnt his birthday or anything - but His Evilness guessed what we were doing, and didn't even try to act surprised :| We made him go out, and come in again, with a suitably surprised expression - obviously, he overacted :)

This weekend, I'll be in Hyderabad again, for my 26th birthday. Damn, I'm oooooold :( I dont know yet if I want to really celebrate, or just relax and spend some time with the people I love (see how old I sound?). Or maybe I will do both. I don't know.

The year that's ending this weekend, has been my most eventful year ever - it's the year I got married - I never thought I had it in me to make a committment and get married, but with Ashwin, it was just so easy. I am so glad he came into my life.

I am not really into making new year resolutions and things like that, but almost every year, on my birthday, I relive the year that has gone by, and think about what I can do to make the next year better.

And this year, I want to...

1. Exercise.

2. Stop being judgemental and opinionated.

3. Give myself a wardrobe makeover. I am badly stuck in a fashion rut, and even looking at myself in the mirror makes me yaaaawn.

4. Take better photos.

5. Figure out what I want out of my career, think hard and decide what direction and shape I want it to take.

6. Ignore the things that annoy me.

7. Be a better wife to Ashwin, a better daughter to my parents, a better big sister to my darling little sis, and a better friend to my friends.

8. Travel, travel, travel.

PS: The image above, of me, sitting on a bench near the Abbey Falls in Coorg, was shot by Ashwin :)

Rishikesh

2010-06-06T08:50:00.001+05:30

From Haridwar, we drove to Rishikesh, about 25 kilometers away, in the foothills of the Himalayas. It is much more developed and tourist-friendly than Haridwar, but for the same reason, is not as quaintly charming as the latter.

We parked our car on one side of the Ganga, did some sightseeing, crossed the famous Lakshman Jhoola and went over to the other side for more sightseeing, attended the Aarti at Parmarth Ashram, and came back through the Ram Jhoola, a much newer bridge running parallel to the Lakshman Jhoola, to the car park.

The Lakshman Jhoola:

Shot from the Lakshman Jhoola:

These, I shot with one hand, while sitting in a boat :)

Some images from the streets of Rishikesh:

The aarti at Parmarth Ashram is something you MUST experience at least once in your life. A big group of children and their teachers sing bhajans, and everyone watching is welcome to join in. At the end of all the singing, the aarti begins, and the aarti plates are handed around, and everyone gets a turn.

Since Rishikesh is lovely for adventure sports, yoga, ayurveda and things like that, it makes sense to stay in a hotel there, and visit Haridwar, instead of doing the reverse like we did.

Both Haridwar and Rishikesh are lovely in their own ways, but I personally loved Haridwar much more, because everything about it is so old and quaint, and wherever you go, and whatever you do, you feel a very strong sense of history. I think I might have felt the same about Rishikesh if it wasn't as touristy as it is.

Through the windshield

2010-05-20T14:16:00.001+05:30

My next post was supposed to be about Rishikesh, but in the meanwhile, I was lucky to be in Chennai when Cyclone Laila hit the city with all its might and splendour. Unfortunate soul that I am, I was stuck at work all day, but I did manage to shoot some pictures on the way to office and back. All of these are photos I shot from inside the car, through the windshield.

Haridwar

2010-05-16T10:13:00.005+05:30

So, before I started my rant in the previous post, I meant to post pictures from my trip to Haridwar and Rishikesh with my family. Since I have way too many pictures to post, I decided to do two separate posts, one on Haridwar and one on Rishikesh.

We went on the trip in December, so I am about 6 months late posting this. It was a beautiful winter, and we drove from Delhi to Haridwar. We stayed in a hotel called Teerth, right on the bank of the Ganga. The hotel was pretty bad, but the view from our room more than made up for it - we could actually see the flowing river from our beds. The area we stayed in is called Har-Ki-Pairi, where all the action happens - the famous Ganga aarti happens here, pilgrims take dips in the holy water here, there are loads of ancient temples including one dedicated to Ganga, and there are several budget hotels targeted at pilgrims around this area.

The water was too cold to take a dip, but we did put our hands in the water and sprinkle it on our heads :)

What made Haridwar special for me was the abundance of photo opportunities everywhere I turned. Sadhus resplendent in their brightly coloured robes, pilgrims from all over the world, stalls on every street selling assortments of religious paraphernalia, people all over the place carrying out elaborate rituals - the place is a photographer's delight!

Some photographs I shot:

A sadhu right outside our hotel:

Pilgrims and tourists from all over the world:

The River Ganga gushing through Har-Ki-Pairi:

Vendors selling all kinds of trinkets, flowers and religious items:

The famous Ganga-ji ki aarti in Haridwar:

I also tried some shots in black and white:

For these long exposure images, my dad set up the tripod on the bridge over the river, and I shot from there:

And here's one more shot of the aarti:

There are so many more pictures I shot in Haridwar, but I had to select the few that I liked best to share here.

I have decided to consciously blog more regularly, and I will soon share pictures from Rishikesh as well.

Kovalam Beach

2010-04-08T18:48:00.010+05:30

To celebrate one month of being married, Ashwin and I went to Kovalam, a pretty little beach on the way to Mahabalipuram from Chennai, to watch the sunrise. It was absolutely breathtaking, and I was so glad we decided to celebrate our one month anniversary there.

Some pictures I shot:

I prefer this photo in black and white:

And this picture was shot by Ashwin, and I think it's a masterpiece:

I'm off to Delhi for the weekend, but do watch this space for pictures from the last couple of months.

I'm back :)

2010-02-24T15:52:00.015+05:30

I'm sorry I have been away for so long. Life has been pretty hectic and topsy turvy over the last few weeks - sharing everything here is going to take quite a few posts, but let me try and list the stuff I've been up to...

* I went on a trip to Haridwar and Rishikesh with my family in December. Despite the severe cold, we had an awesome time! Both towns are any photographer's delight, and I'll share some pictures I shot there in a separate post.

* I married Ashwin on the 21st of January in Hyderabad. We have been sharing our story here, and we have updated it with pictures from the wedding.

* Ashwin and I went on a trip to Coorg, and came back with over 2000 photographs between us! We stayed in a beautiful homestay called Crimson Eye. Snakes crawling all around the place added drama to our otherwise relaxed and peaceful holiday :)

* On the 21st of February, we went to Kovalam to watch the sunrise, to celebrate our first month together.

* Lots of travel back and forth between Hyderabad and Madras, to spend time in both my homes :)

Do watch this space for photographs from the last few weeks :)

Just popping in to say...

2009-12-07T19:08:00.005+05:30

I have yet another blog now, where Ashwin and I are going to post together. We share our story here. Do check it out :)

Some news

2009-11-03T12:28:00.016+05:30

I'm back to posting here after what seemed like aaaaaages. The last couple of months have been...hmmm...well, eventful. So I guess I'm writing this post to announce that I'm getting married. To the most awesome guy. Like soon. In less than three months. How crazy is that?

I first met him because of our common interest in photography. When I feel comfortable enough about it, I will share the story of how we met, here on this blog, and also introduce him and his photography. For now, here is a picture he shot of my hand. That's my beloved camera I'm holding:

Right now, everything is too hazy and blurry, and there are too many changes happening around me. I'm not even thinking straight. So I will end this post right here, but I will keep updating the blog whenever I can, so please do drop by now and then.

Listen to the rain...

2009-09-05T16:00:00.008+05:30

It's drizzling outside as I write this. In my last post I complained about the drought, but things have changed so much now. We've been getting loads of rain here, and everything looks beautiful now :)

My computer is right next to my balcony, and I love sitting here, drinking tea, listening to music, daydreaming and watching the rain . If I can't go out and get drenched, that is :) I think this is my favourite rain song. What's yours? And what do you like to do when it's raining outside? Also, does rain make you hungrier than usual, or is it only me??

Nagarjuna Sagar

2009-08-15T18:25:00.011+05:30

Happy Independence Day, people!

Last Saturday, I went to Nagarjuna Sagar with some good friends. My friends made the trip lovely, but the weather was terrible - it was extremely hot, and the landscape on the way was totally dry and barren. It wasn't until that day that I realized how bad the drought really is. I feel so bad for our poor farmers - how difficult it must be to have your livelihood depend on something as fickle as rain!

Some pictures from the trip:

Isn't the music of Kaminey really cool? I've been listening to Fatak over and over again - it makes me want to get up and dance! I can't wait to watch the movie. Have you seen it?

My Saturday Morning

2009-08-02T01:00:00.009+05:30

Some pictures from my early morning drive yesterday, again to the university :)

The Enchanted Forest

2009-07-11T10:43:00.009+05:30

I went to University of Hyderabad almost two months ago for a photowalk with the Hyderabad Photography Club. It was my first walk with them, and was awesome fun. Incidentally, I studied in that same university, so I've always loved to take photos there. It's the most beautiful campus. Spread across about 2000 acres of land, most of it is protected forest area. Long winding roads, huge trees, dense forests, magical woods, rock formations that are billions of years old - it's gorgeous. If you're lucky, you'll spot all kinds of exotic birds - even peacocks - I once saw four peacocks walking in a line :) Some pictures from the forest near the Peacock Lake:

This and that

2009-05-02T09:22:00.008+05:30

My blog Aadab Hyderabad was mentioned in an article in Deccan Chronicle. It's just one sentence in an article about elections, but I'm thrilled anyway :) The article is here.

Like everybody else, I'm following the Fake IPL Player's blog. And I'm ashamed to admit that I'm totally enjoying it! I check it several times a day to see if he has posted anything new :D I know the blog is very nasty, but I love the way he writes - absolutely hilarious :)

I went to City Center today, and the kind florist in Flower Express let me take as many photos as I wanted although I didn't buy any flowers from him :)

Respite from the heat

2009-04-25T16:16:00.007+05:30

It rained in Hyderabad this afternoon! The day started super-hot, but suddenly, the sky darkened, and it started drizzling :) It was beautiful. I had a tough time deciding whether to just go out and get wet in the rain, or to grab my camera, stay dry and take some pictures :) I chose the camera :)

A morning at the beach

2009-04-18T11:26:00.012+05:30

What do you feel when you look at the sea? Fear? Wonder? Awe? It's the vastness of it, isn't it? Terrifying, and yet, breathtakingly beautiful!

Fun at the beach :)

Fun for some, a means of livelihood for others :)

I was in Chennai last week for my cousin's engagement ceremony. I took all these pictures at Marina beach. This was my camera's first visit to a beach :)

Three!

2009-04-05T17:42:00.008+05:30

My blog turns 3 today :)

I want to thank everyone who checks out my blog from the bottom of my heart! I created this blog three years ago just to figure out what blogging meant - you know, like we create ids on random websites and then forget about them? This was like that too. When it asked for a name, I just typed the first thing that came to my head - I, Me, Myself. (In case you wondered why I have such a spectacularly unimaginative name for my blog :)) I never thought even a single person would read my blog! So, thank you so much for reading my posts and leaving such kind comments :)

I said I'm learning to play the tabla, right? I got my own tabla this morning :) Here are a couple of pictures from my first set of tabla photos :)

Simple Pleasures

2009-04-04T14:05:00.006+05:30

I put some roses inside a fat Mary Poppins omnibus that I used to love as a kid . One month later, here they are:

It's so much fun to put the flowers in, then forget about them, and then suddenly remember and open the book to find them nicely pressed :)

Smile, please :)

2009-03-14T23:57:00.006+05:30

I've been very lazy about blogging for a while now. But last week, I saw, that this April, my blog will turn 3!! I think that realization has renewed my enthusiasm big time :D So I've decided to resume posting regularly :)

Yesterday, I woke up in a bad mood, and went on to have quite a bad day. It wasn't until evening that I decided it was stupid to get upset about things beyond my control, and began to smile :)

Some more smiles:

BTW, I've joined tabla classes. Super-fun! I'm off to Bangalore tomorrow, but I'll be back in a couple of days. I'm determined to post regularly here :)

Old is gold

2009-03-08T19:52:00.010+05:30

There is something incredibly beautiful about old buildings with a lot of history behind them...

If these walls could talk...

They would tell us about all the lives that were lived and lost ages before we were all born...

They would tell us about brave kings and beautiful queens...

They would tell us how cultures, civilizations and cities were born...

They would tell us how empires rose and fell...

And maybe they could tell us why the pigeons love them so much :)

Happy Valentine's Day :)

2009-02-14T14:23:00.004+05:30

"In dreams and in love there are no impossibilities."

-Janos Arnay

Have a great day, everyone!

“For the unlearned, old age is winter; for the learned it is the season of harvest.”

2009-01-14T18:48:00.011+05:30

My blog has always been about I, Me, Myself, but not this post.

Meet Shri. T. K. Srinivasan:

Flute player, Morsing player, doting grandpa to his granddaughters, and an amazingly talented artist. I had the honour and pleasure of meeting him at a puja today. A retired school art teacher, he spends his free time making the most beautiful paintings and sketches. Some of his work:

Some more:

And now, I want to show you some of his finest pictures. He has drawn scores of illustrations depicting scenes from the Ramayana. He started this to entertain his young granddaughter, and it has now become his pet project. Here are some of them:

He is now working on a series of illustrations of Krishna. You know what, I don't "get" art, but you don't need me to tell you how talented he is, just look at his work! He also played the flute and the morsing for us. He writes Lord Rama's name hundreds of times each day in a notebook, because another granddaughter of his suggested it. Over the past 7+ years, he has written it 96 lakh times, and is aiming at one crore now. And the interesting part is, he has written these in several languages - Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu! He also loves gardening and writing. He is very, very proud of his kids and grandkids, and has suitcases full of old photographs, newspaper cuttings and memories. I had a lovely time talking to him and looking at his wonderful work.

I truly believe that no talent should go unrecognized. If you would like to work with Shri. T. K. Srinivasan, please email me, and I can put you in touch with him.

PS: The images above are photographs of Shri. Srinivasan's work. Please, please do not use them without his permission.

Tagged again! :)

2009-01-11T18:50:00.005+05:30

I have been tagged by Sharanya! She tagged me on blogger, and I tagged her on Flickr :)

The rules of the tag:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

So now, I have to write six random things about myself. I wrote 16 on my Flickr tag, and I'm going to pick 6 of those to list here :)

1. I have an opinion on most things. Ask, and I shall pontificate! And sometimes, you need not even ask :)

2. I find everything funny. I would keep getting punished in school for laughing in class and disturbing the other kids.

3. I've had a little bit of training in Carnatic classical music. I keep saying I'll get back to it, I just don't know when!

4. I don't like talking on the phone. I'm very talkative, but not on the phone!

5. I am scared of the dark. I need some light in my room when I sleep. I read in a Stephen King novel about this cold hand that comes and grabs the feet of sleeping people. So I hide under my blanket, head to toe. And for the record, no, I do not believe in ghosts.

6. I'm always daydreaming. If I'm staring into vacant space, with a dumb, blank expression on my face, it means I'm daydreaming. Disturb at your own risk :)

I now tag:

Sushmita

Rohitesh (although I know he won't do it, the lazy thing!)

Sekhar

Megha

:)

Happy New Year!

2009-01-02T20:22:00.004+05:30

I'm a day late, but I couldn't not do a happy-new-year post :)

Here's wishing all of you a very happy, peaceful and prosperous 2009! May all your dreams come true this year :)

2008 was life-changing for me in many ways. I finished my education, started working, became independent in more ways than one, but the biggest and most significant thing that happened to me this year, was falling head over heels in love with photography. I started the year as a tourist in Sri Sailam, clicking away simply to record moments that I wanted to remember. And then, I don't know what happened, and when it happened, but photography became an interest, and then a whim, then a passion, and now, an obsession! Those of you who've been reading my blog from the beginning (I thank you) know this.

This in itself is not the big thing that I'm talking about. Earlier, I used to worry a lot and get depressed about whether I would ever find that one single thing that I'm most passionate about. Sure, I was interested in a lot of things, but there was no passion, really. I was afraid I would go through life never knowing what it is. But now, I think I've found that passion. I must have, because I know for sure, that I'm happiest when I'm holding my camera. And I'm so grateful for that knowledge.

I have a looooong way to go, and there's soooo much to learn, and maybe I'll never be the awesome photographer that I dream of becoming, but that's not important, I'm just happy that I found something I really love. And all of you who read my blog and leave wonderfully encouraging comments, and all my contacts on Flickr who encourage me and help me greatly with photography tips, have contributed hugely to this. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart.

2009 is also going to be pretty important for me. I'll turn 25 this year. I'm making a 5-year-plan, a list of all the things I want to do, see and experience before I turn 30. You know, See a live volcano, Visit Egypt, Attend a Neyyveli Santhanagopalan concert...things like that, and also some more serious things.

As usual, I'm rambling, so I'll stop! Happy new year, everyone! :)

Mornings

2008-12-21T18:24:00.007+05:30

I learned something important this week. It is a BAD idea to dip 50-50 maska-chaska salted biscuits in chai and eat them. Trust me.

I am not a morning person at all, and nothing annoys me more than my mom yelling at me in the morning, trying to wake me up. And when I finally wake up, I'm grumpy, irritable and zombie-like. I wore two socks on one foot once. Another time, I ironed my shirt without switching the iron on. And last week, I stood staring at the company cab that had come to pick me up, not recognizing it although I travel in it twice everyday:)

However, there is something about mornings. When I wake up early because I want to, and not because I have to, I find that it's not bad at all. I love going on morning walks. That I never wake up early enough to go often, is another matter :)

I like the silence, the delightful chirping of the birds, the crisp, clean (relatively) breeze, the slight nip in the air that makes me put on a jacket, which I discard in a few minutes because I start feeling warm. I like how the sun rises suddenly. One moment it's dark, and the next, the sky turns golden yellow! It's like this abrupt phase transition :) I like how my nose and palms become cold and numb. And when I come back home , I love having the entire day ahead of me, to fill with nice things, instead of wasting it on sleep.

Of course, none of this changes the fact that I am a nightbird :) My mind functions best late in the night. But mornings are nice too.

My morning walk on Necklace Road yesterday:

Back after a month

2008-11-30T16:39:00.016+05:30

It's been a month since I posted here. It has been a kabhi-good, kabhi-bad month. I hurt my hand on a barbed wire on the same day I spilled hot tea on my brand new salwar-kameez. But it was black, so it didn't get stained. Small mercy:) I whined about how I don't have time for the little things anymore. And yet, I enjoyed long, rainy, winter weekends, when I went on long walks and treks, taking lots of pictures. Clearly, I'm a very confused person :)

I'm having loads of fun yellow-fying my room. Yellow-and-orange-fying, technically.

Winters are lovely. Rains are lovely too. And when we have the two together, JACKPOT! I'm totally loving the colours of the season :)

But I feel extremely guilty to be enjoying all this when Mumbai is burning. I know, life goes on, but that's easy for us to say, sitting safely at home, far away from the action. Life does not go on for those who died in this attack, and all the attacks before this one. Life does not go on for the people who loved them. It's time for us to grow a spinal cord, and send out the message that people cannot just hurt us and get away with it. The UPA government needs to do more than ask Shivraj Patil to resign. Every minute the government spends in inaction is an insult to all our brave soldiers and policemen who give up their lives trying to keep us safe.

Tagged by Sharanya

2008-11-01T17:41:00.004+05:30

Thank you, Sharanya, for tagging me! This is going to be fun!

I'm supposed to list out five addictions that I have. Since I tend to be rather obsessive-compulsive, five is a very small number, but here goes...

1. Tea.
I'm hopelessly addicted to tea! I have a separate cupboard where I store my collection of different kinds of teas and mugs. Luckily, we get awesome tea at the office too, so whether I'm at home or at work, I always get good tea :)

2. My camera.
My camera is the greatest love of my life, and I take it with me almost everywhere I go. Naturally, this bugs everyone around me! In fact, one of my friends isn't talking to me because the last time we went out, I kept taking pictures, and she got sick of waiting!

3. My hairdryer.
Yeah, I know, it's bad for my hair and all that, but my hair has a mind of its own, and to tame it even a little, I need my faithful hairdryer.

4. A song.
I say "a song", because I go through phases when I'm addicted to a single song. I listen to it over and over and over again, until I'm tired of it, and don't want to listen to it ever again! Right now, it's Azeem-o-shaan from Jodhaa Akbar.

5. The damn internet.
I keep resolving to limit the time I spend on the net, but I never seem to be able to :( It's disgusting and pathetic, and I hope I get rid of this addiction some day!

So those were my five biggest addictions! If you're reading this, you're tagged!

Jaipur

2008-10-29T20:06:00.010+05:30

I just got back from a holiday to Delhi and Jaipur with my family. It was fantastic, all I did was shop and take pictures! And eat, of course! Lots!

This post is going to be about Jaipur. Here's what I loved in the Pink City :)

The Hawa Mahal, of course :) It was built with all these window-like structures so that the queens could catch a view of what was happening outside on the streets :)

Elephants, elephants and elephants! Elephants go about this town like cars and buses!

The majestic palaces. This is the City Palace:

And this is the Amer Fort. Many scenes in Jodha Akbar were shot here:

Chai at dirty roadside dhabas :)

The Jantar Mantar. I loved, loved, loved it! The place probably appealed to the physicist in me, I don't know. I particularly liked the Rashivalayas - 12 observatories, one for each sun sign. Here's the painting on the Gemini observatory (I'm a Gemini ;-)):

I took similar pictures in all the 12 Rashivalayas. I'll put them up in a later post.

Arts and Crafts in Jaipur:

Ethnic footwear, usually in camel leather:

Bandhni (Tie and Dye)

Gem cutting and polishing:

Block printing:

The difficult part about such trips is getting back to the grind when the trip is over! I can't believe I have to go to work tomorrow! :(

Life is Beautiful

2008-10-09T00:31:00.003+05:30

Something happened today that I wanted to share with you all. The company cab dropped me off on the main road, and I had to cross it to reach my street. Now, it was raining, I had no umbrella, the traffic was terrible, I was tired, I was wearing one of my favourite outfits that I was trying hard not to get muddy, I was wearing a pair of very impractical, slippery sandals, whew! In short, not the best conditions in which to cross a road. I just stood there like an idiot, overwhelmed, watching the vehicles zoom by. While crossing roads in Hyderabad, you follow the "Who blinks first" principle, and I kept blinking.

A guy suddenly came up to me and asked, Kya, road cross karna hai? (Do you want to cross the road?). Conditioned as I am, to be suspicious of strangers, I glared at him. He said, Mere peeche chalo (Follow me), and led me across the road neatly! Once I reached the other side, he crossed again and went back to join some people he was with. I hope he noticed me beaming at him and saying thanks!

I know, this is no earth-shattering stuff, but it left me feeling all happy and warm.

A similar thing happened a few years ago, when I helped an old man over a puddle in my street. That, in fact, became the start of a very special friendship. The old man is over eighty years old, and we always chat for a while whenever we bump into each other in the neighbourhood. And sometimes, he pushes a bunch of grapes or some toffees into my hand, to show his affection.

Life is strange, but very, very beautiful, don't you think? :)

Which do you like?

2008-09-21T22:50:00.006+05:30

Tea?

Coffee?

I am a complete tea addict. And you?

In the bazaars of Hyderabad

2008-09-06T08:34:00.007+05:30

This is the Ramzan month, and hence, the best time to take a walk through the quaint alleys around Charminar. Bangles, lehengas, shararas, pearls, yards and yards of beautiful fabric of all kinds, lace, zari, mehendi, saris, dry fruits, spices, ethnic footwear...there's nothing you can't get there!

I went there a couple of days ago with a friend who also loves taking photographs. We shopped and took pictures all evening :)

Happy Independence Day

2008-08-15T12:10:00.004+05:30

Happy Independence Day, everyone!

My friend Suyo, is a Captain in the Indian Army. Today is a good day to thank him and all his brave friends for keeping us safe and sound.

This and That

2008-07-29T23:59:00.008+05:30

I think I'm beginning to like work. I like the people, the atmosphere, the kind of work I'm getting to do, and most importantly, the tea in the office:) I do miss the university, my friends and my professors there, but a friend told me, "Move on, girl!", and I think he is right :)

As for my new camera, what can I say...I'm in love! Head over heels in love! I only wish I could spend more time with it! Some pictures:

There are more here.

It's raining in Hyderabad, and I'm thrilled about it! I adore rain, and almost never carry an umbrella! I love getting drenched! I suspect I was a peacock in an earlier incarnation :)

I read a speech by Chetan Bhagat this morning, and loved this line:
It's ok, bunk a few classes, goof up on a few interviews, fall in love!
Isn't that really sweet? Kinda reminds you to enjoy the little things in life!

Yes, I realize I'm rambling! So I'll stop. I just wanted to let you all know that I'm alive and kicking :)

Tada!!

2008-07-24T23:56:00.003+05:30

Finally, here's a picture I took with my new camera!

Well, I did take lots more, but this is the only one I'm not too ashamed of :D
The others came out too blurred!!

Of New Beginnings...

2008-07-12T19:43:00.009+05:30

I start work on Monday, after years in a university setup. I'm excited, nervous, enthusiastic and anxious, all at the same time! I realize that it's going to be a whole new ball game, and I need to change the way I think and function, significantly, and that's scary. On the other hand, it's been great fun shopping for work-appropriate clothes, shoes and bags :)

Monday is also the day I get my first DSLR camera, a Nikon D40. It's an entry level DSLR, perfect for beginners. I've wanted this for such a long time, and I'm thrilled to bits that I'm finally getting it!

Monday, here I come!!! :)

The Coorg Hangover

2008-07-04T20:30:00.003+05:30

We came back from Coorg more than three weeks ago. The pictures have been shared, all the stories have been told, the gifts we brought back have been given away, all of us are back to business as usual, and yet, the Coorg hangover refuses to go away! And I'm not sure I want it to go away, really! So, here are some more pictures :)

The misty hillside:

The Golden Temple:

The Shiva Temple near the elephant training camp, that was closed when we went:

The old houses with their charming, tiled roofs:

Foodie's Paradise: