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.

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Fishing Idleness

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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.

Ladakh Exposed in HDRI

Ladakh Exposed

Nothing can beat the raw beauty of Ladakh's landscape. This shot was taken on my canon 1000D while in Ladakh. It reminds of how fragile the nature's beauty is, and prone to the extremes of the weather conditions. Eve then the local ladakhis fight out the battle between life and climate. The place remains one of the must visit place for a global traveler. A heaven on Earth, Ladakh.

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Story of Kings and Queens - Puppets speak them all

Raja Rani ki kahani, khud unke jabani

The "kathputli" as they are called, or the puppets as we know them better is a traditional art of Rajasthan, India. Vibrant in colours, bizzare in forms and designs, they depict the true stories, legends or folklore through the medium of the puppet-show. The expert puppeteers with their magical moves of fingers and combined synchronization of left and right hands, make the stories come live. The puppets seem to get lively, with souls infused into their wood and paddy. The garments erstwhile of low cost cotton, start reflecting the royale shine, the prints become shimmer, the painted jewelry gets the gold soul, and the facial expressions come to life. Kings will have a curvy mustache and a long beard to be proud of and the queens will be shy strong lady on honour under the saree veil. They will talk of all that has happened in-past. They will leave you astounded if not spellbound. With these puppets being the very true reflection of just another facet of our Incredible India, the art and the craftsmen play an important role to keep India's Incredibility ticking. They will continue to amuse the world on and ever.

Ladakh - Thiksey Monastery

Thiksey Monastery

The magnificent view of the monastery made every spectator speechless. Lying in the heart of Ladakh valley, Thiksey monastery is centre of Buddhist worship and meditation. Its also a seat of learning for the buddhist monks. Faith flourishes in the Ladakh valley as does the beauty of the unending magnificent landscapes. Its a real treat to eyes to be be in the valley. What heaven would probably be can be felt in the valley of ladakh. Long stretching high rising mountains, with hues of blue, whites and greens. And lies beneath the encapsulated flat lands, a vastness unbound, a playground of freedom, a abode of God. The natural pallete is only broken by the sweet warm colour of maroon clad monks, and the red brick monasteries. No place stands a better chance to be called heaven.

Gopali - The Rajasthani girl

Gopali in her own world. 

She is a Rajasthani girl belonging to one of the Banjara tribes. Traveling from one city to another and then another is what this tribe does. Depicting true colours of the Incredible India, the tribe wears bright hues of Reds, Blues, Yellows and Greens. Gopali is just one among them. I shot this picture of hers at a local Durga Puja festival mela (fair) while she was sitting idle after selling some of her merchandise ( the tribe sells handicrafts like hand made jewelry etc for livelihood). She was perhaps waiting for turnover of more customers. Her beautiful eyes were filled with some dreams, is all that I could see. She had hope, and despair both. Stricken by the poverty and yet burdened with the responsibility to earn for her family at an age less than 10 years. These situations sometimes make me think twice and over again. Are we really a developing country? Are we really an 'Incredible India'.

All photographs are copyright and sole ownership of Gaurang Gaurav aka Just Vagabond.

TRULY INDIA

The Angry Bhaava (pose)
Incredible India

The Dramatically poised Bhaava

TRULY INDIA - Where else do u find such DRAMATIC EXPRESSIONS...!!!
The Dancer on move during the Ganesh Idol procession for submersion. The special expressions portraying anger in one of the BHAAVAS of Goddess Kaali ( as she was slaying the demon Daarikan in anger )is seen only in these masked dancers. The dance is a part of Theyyam practiced in parts of Kerala. This is one of the choicest themes of the dancers and the drum artists. It happens only in our Incredible INDIA.

All photographs are copyright and sole ownership of Gaurang Gaurav aka Just Vagabond.