Friday, December 23, 2011

Of An Unknown Rider....

They have been ridden by someone...
Someone who has been nicer...
One shone with shine and glittered with colours..
The other reminded of the tough terrains and tougher times.

They cared for the metal, rubber and fiber...
They "the unknown rider".






MY MOTORCYCLE DIARIES

Its between Her and me..

One Rainy Day.... she got drenched after I rode her; she looked so Hot......, I could not resist and Shot her all over. Again and Again. Every curve told a different story. Story of her endurance, of her stamina, speed, the power, the heat, and also her age that was taking a toll on beauty and thrust, but slowly. The sheen and luster were just suggestive. We both know now that she needs rest. Her steel glitters and is rustic too at some corners. It has been a fair enough a journey together, in hills and plains and in heat and rains. You have taken me across states, beyond the roads, into known and unknown, at day and night, meeting scores of Indian civilizations, being a part of my Vagabond life. Thanks my darling..! I am not leaving you so soon. 
There is enough life left in both of us.



150...... that was enough for both of us. She looked gorgeous in BLACK.


As much as her spring action.... She ensured me a super smooth ride even in the bumpiest if terrains.


And what made her run so vigorously was her Heart.. her Engine. made all the way in Germany.



It always felt nice to press against her foot rest. BRAKES.... never failed me ever.


Though rusted by now, but the tyre rims still shone with gitter.


One bad thing.. she smoked a lot. But never let the black soot out of her hole..! 







Her name was....







Sunday, October 16, 2011

A day trip to Elephanta Caves.

It was a bright Sunday morning, and I had pre-decided on the evening before to visit the world famous Elephanta Caves. Elaphanta caves are now one of the World Heritage Sites. Situated on the Elaphanta Island, these caves are named because of the presence of a huge Stone carved Elephant placed at the entrance of the Islands.

I had read about the place in my Lonely Planet India book, and accumulated some information from Internet the evening before. So, On Sunday, after my servant left after cleaning etc by 8:15 am, I hurried myself to get ready as soon as possible. I knew, it was best to catch the first steamer launch boat form behind the famous Gateways of India at Colaba. So I had managed to get a cab by 8:30 am from near my house in Worli, which dropped me at Gateway of India by 9:03 am. I thought initially that I had missed my first steamer. and that , by the time now I reach late, the island would be populated  by visitors. But, I was lucky and on the way to steamer I was able to get a ticket to Elephanta Island. Got in the steamer soon. But before that, i did not miss the chance to take a couple of shots of the Gateway of India from its back side. In steamer launch, I got on to the upper deck, though its not allowed (also mentioned in the ticket). But the steamer guy charges Rupees 10 to go and sit on the upper deck. Only limited seats are there. The steamer started and took another 45 to 50 minuted to reach to the Elephanta Island.

The whole experience of seeing the whole Bombay bay from sea was thrilling. How beautiful it looked. The moment, as the boat guy removed the anchored rope loop hooked on to pillar, steamer started leaving the shore. And slowly slowly the steamer was in the sea, Everything started getting away. Every one started getting smaller and farther. The TAJ MAHAL HOTEL and the GATEWAY of INDIA, all got farther and farther as we strode away in the middle of sea.

On way to the Elephanta Island, I crossed many other big and small boats including some Huge Cargo vessels and other kinds of vessels. I shot photos of them all. I recalled the time in 1991 or 1990 i guess, when I had come to Mumbai with my parents, and had visited these places. Now after 20 years I was living here in the same city.

The city that had grown massively from being just a Big city to a humungous Metropolis. I was was watching all the skyscrapers lined along the city's skyline, towering up and high in the sky, almost touching the clouds. Some even overlooked them.

The Horizon got bleaker as I moved away and away and the Elephanta Island came closer and visible.
I had reached finally by around 10 am. Debarked from the steamer, I was in a completely new world just a few kilometers away from the mainland Mumbai.

The small steamer port opened into a long alley pathway that was going towards the hills. I followed all other fellow travelers. The not-so-long walkway also had a small pair of rails running along the track onto which a toy train moved. The track turned right at the end and led to the footlhills of the mountains in where the caves were built.

A flight of stairs were leading to the main caves. I had to buy a small ticket for Rupees 5 only, as a tax payment ticket, that was compulsory for everyone who went up towards the caves, or may be every visitor on the island. That was some Panchayat ticket. The stairway was lined up by small little tarpaulin covered shops on either side. Since i had reached early in the morning, so the shopkeepers were busy setting up their paradises. The sun shone from top and filtered through the lush of the leaves and then finally making way through the not so enchanting but interesting Cool Blue of the tarpaulin, and then touching the lives beneath. Lives of the people who lived there and of the travelers and visitors who made sure that those live there for ever. I took a couple of shots on my way up to the caves.




Tuesday, October 4, 2011

River Hoogly and Vidyasagar Setu bridge at Howrah


River Hoogly as seen from a steamer launch crossing over the river. This was shot while i was crossing over from Kolkata to Howrah. It was quite a calm and serene evening. The day was tiring as it was spent travelling. This steamer ride was taken to avoid the commotion on the Howrah Bridge. The shot was taken in a long exposure of 20 seconds while i kept the camera on the dock of the steamer. All the while the steamer smootehred along in water towards Babu ghat steamer station/port. Seen in the far left is the newly constructed Vidyasagar setu bridge, which connect the twin cities of Howrah and Kolkata.


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Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Man on the Rocks



Man On the Rocks

It has been long that I have blogged, and was getting an continuous itch in my head and hand to get back to blogging. Facebook was having all my attention. 
This portrait was taken at a lake  

Manchanabele Dam 

a few kilometres near Bangalore. The title aptly reminds of the famous painting by leonardo Da Vinci titled "Madonna of the Rocks". But, there is absolutely no similarity between the two. Its just the mood and posture of the man that has added to the drama. The colour photograph was converted to a monochrome.  

Thursday, April 7, 2011

India Wins Cricket World-Cup Final



India Wins the World Cup

India Won the World Cup finals of the cricket world-cup. The night of April 3rd , 2011 was the night of grand party. India cricket team comprising of Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (MSD) with veteran cricketer Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar also known as 'God of Cricket', and other team member inclusive of Virendra Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ashish Nehra, Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla, Yusuf Pathan, Sreesanth, Munaf Patel and Zaheer Khan also known as ZAK who led the bowling attack.

After the massive SIX that Dhoni hit over Long on boundary, the crowd broke into celebrations. Mumbai streets got flooded with cars, bikes, and Indian Flags. It was all 'tirangaa' all over. People were extremely joyous. Euphoria had engulfed the whole country. And the epicenter of of all the happiness was nowhere else but 'Amchi Mumbai'. I shot this pic of a man in blue cheering the Victory of 'Men in Blue' when whole of India was bleeding blue in the midnight hours.

What a Win that was, one which made us wait for 28 long years. It was last in 1983 when Indian team led by Kapil Dev had defeated WestIndies to win the Reliance Cup at the Lord's. This time it was Dhoni's Men in Blue who did it once again.  Every player said that they played for Sachin, for the man who had carried the burden on Indian cricket for over 21 years. And now it was their turn to carry him. And they did it right by lifting him on shoulders and circling all round in the stadium ground. What a moment that was, What a win..!
Rest all is now History and has been re-written in Gold in pages of Cricket, and Indian Sport.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Fishing Idleness




Fishing Idleness

Sunday Afternoon - Its nothing less than a gala celebration every sunday for these fishermen living in and around the Old Worli fort. The Fort now being used for brewing local "desi" wine... and mostly consumed by the immediate locals around. When I shot this picture, most of the drunk were in a belief that I am from some government news agency on something of those sorts. They hid their faces under their palms, I managed to get their postures gleaming under the quick receding golden sun.

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