Footwa

The monster I see every day.. every night..

01 Nov 2009 | 6 comments » Add a comment

Day 1:I got my new pair of shoes. After hours of searching for one that fit my large feet the salesperson finally found one. I go home, put them under my bed, and forget about them. Next day while getting ready for office, I find one missing. I know its the monsters work, the devil himself. I walk in the garden trying to locate it, and find it half stuck in soil. A quick glance makes me realise that I need new shoes. Amidst the soil, the drool, the signs of sharp teeth of the creature of terror are clearly visible, the shoe tongue was bitten off, perhaps so that it can never tell its story, the face smashed up. Why does he not torture the old bata chappals I gave him for his birthday?

Day 2: My friend got me liquor chocolates from abroad. Its a big bar,

Window of Hope or Despair

30 Oct 2009 | 1 comment » Add a comment

The youthful green and the diminished dying leaves both seen from my window remind me of a saying “Two men look out through the same prison bars: One sees the mud, and one the stars”. I guess its meaning is well explained in Bollywood movie Deewar which shows 2 brothers moving in different directions (one becomes an honest cop, the other a smuggler)

Presence of God

26 Oct 2009 | no comments » Add a comment

On the many discussions we usually have among groups of friends, God, religion, faith do come up at times, and I was once told that God shows his presence in Nature, and Nature is God. I kept quiet not knowing what to answer. I am not sure if I should believe or not believe in His existence, but do realise that beliving in Him is a safer bet, at least at the time when I reach the gates of Heaven or Hell .

Jewellery for sale – Tibetan market – Calangute

25 Oct 2009 | 4 comments » Add a comment

Indian culture now includes Tibetan influence, as after the 1959 Tibetan uprising, the Dalia Lama along with his followers were given shelter in India. At Calangute on the road to Baga, one comes across a Tibetan market selling their cultural art forms in many ways, from ornaments, jewellery as seen here, to musical instruments I have never seen before.

Chapora river view

25 Oct 2009 | no comments » Add a comment

On the way to Ashvem, one has to cross the bridge at Chapora, which boasts of some breath taking views. The hut at the edge caught my view with a sudden burning desire of owning a hut like this someday. Amidst the cool shade of numerous palm trees, and the river bank. Only if life was that simple (or I had that money!)

Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent.
It takes a touch of genius – and a lot of courage – to move in the opposite direction.
E.F. Schumacker

Mae De Deus Church, Saligao (vertical shot)

25 Oct 2009 | no comments » Add a comment

Although I have already clicked a snap of Mae De Deus Church, I added this one to the post to illustrate how a change in perspective can make the photograph more interesting. Compare it with my post  Mae De Deus Church, Saligao, this one shows the interesting side with pinnacle tips, and a bigger portion of the sky in the background. I think all of us have a habit of always clicking snaps as landscapes, but if you try the same snap as a portrait you may find it more interesting. The background sometimes adds a flavour to your centerpiece, a cheery on the cake.

Anjuna

25 Oct 2009 | no comments » Add a comment

If I am not doing anything on a weekend, I usually head out to a beach with a book and my camera, Anjuna being the one I visit the most. The reason? Well the view from the cliff is something, the walk along it scenic. I love sitting at one of the restaurants there which is right at the edge of the cliff in such a way that its exposed from 3 sides to wind, and awesome view. You can spend hours here without getting bored. Hippies in the 60s and 70s made Anjuna one of their destination points.

On Wednesdays Anjuna hosts a flea market which is comparably smaller then the Saturday Night market at Ingos, but the restaurant “Loura” (all you hindi speaking people I have not made a typo, thats really the name) at the end of the market is a place you don’t want to miss. My last memories of that restaurant is the comfortable shade of the restaurant, the cool breeze though my hair (i.e. whatever remaining hair I have), great friends, good food, awesome view, and some hippies playing music, lost totally in themselves. Only if life could be as calm as this everyday! I don’t think i can remove that out of my mind soon.

Flora fountain – Mumbai

22 Oct 2009 | 2 comments » Add a comment

An alluring sculpture awaits one at Fort in south Mumbai. The sight is almost impossible to avoid, and moments spent admiring its beauty can go endless. The details, fine work of craft does not go unnoticed and one just wonders how it was created. Its named after the Roman goddess as far as I know. Just beautiful!

Cafe Mondegar

19 Oct 2009 | no comments » Add a comment

As mentioned before, I feel some connection when I sit at Cafe Mondegar. Neelam says perhaps I was a waiter in my previous life at Mondys (as its lovingly known). Waiter… emm perhaps. Whatever the reason might be I can spend hours here without caring for anything in the world. Its my place for peace at Colaba, and no visit to mumbai is complete, without a visit to this place. There is this sudden rush of energy when I sit here, (I cannot express it you have to be here to experience it).

Ahemdabad traffic at night

19 Oct 2009 | no comments » Add a comment

Ahemdabad traffic is like Mumbai, bumper to bumper. Just like how some places have a suicide point, which is usually a cliff, a waterfall etc, I think for Ahemdabad its the roads. People seem willing to bend rules forsaking their safety, and I think under 1 hour of drive almost 3 people just got missed embracing our lord. Its lucky that the guy driving our jeep was an army guy who kept his cool and was careful at every point. I wanted to jump and scream at everyone, but the traffic was to fast to wait for me.

Just for fun I exposed the aperture for 4 second to let it absorb the traffic light from, buildings, vehicles etc and was pleased with the results.