Empty vessels and an Angel

Some abstract visualisations of a demented mind. On a more serious note these are pictures taken inside a fort (Jaisalmer fort - first pic) and a palace (Udaipur's City Palace - other two).

Shimmering beauty

Literally shimmering in the night, this supremely beautiful Lake Palace is today a luxury hotel run by the Taj Group.

Built in the middle of the 18th century, on an island in Lake Pichola, it served as the summer palace of the Maharanas of Mewar. The palace is surrounded by the City Palace (which today is part museum and part residence of the descendants of the royal family), Aravali mountains and Jag Mandir on its three sides.

The palace is visible from several windows inside the City Palace as well as from Dudh Talai (a nature park). However, one can get a good unobstructed view of it by walking down the narrow lanes that start from the Jagdish Temple (locals will be your best guide) towards the several ghats (embankments).

The other attractions which one must not miss while in Udaipur (also called City of Lakes / Venice of the East) are the City Palace, Saheliyon ki Bari, Moti Magri (memorial of Maharana Pratap), Dudh Talai, Gulab Bagh (park and zoo), Sajjangarh Fort, Jagdish Temple, Sukharia Circle and the Nehru Garden (located on an island in Fatehsagar Lake).

People of Rajasthan

Smorgasbord - thats the only word which comes to my mind!
These pictures were taken at various places in Rajasthan and a collage (of picture postcards) was the only way, I thought, it could have been depicted.
The gentleman twirling his moustache (second from left in last row) apparently has one of the longest moustaches in the world!

For a slide show of complete set of street photographs from Rajasthan, please click here.

Playing with fire

The man in picture was actually trying to contain the fire on a very windy night. He was carrying steaming coals within the precincts of a temple for a ritual, but the breeze was making his task difficult - I was walking behind him when he crouched to protect the vessel thereby offering me a click!

World Smile Day :)

Smile, cheer up! There are people in this world who do not have access to even the most basic amenities in life and yet find a reason to smile.

World Smile Day is celebrated every year on the first Friday of October i.e. today. For details check out http://www.worldsmileday.com/

Being a child again

Oh! How I wish I could be a child again! The scene outside the famous Jyotirlingha temple at Trimbakeshwar (near Nasik) resembled a fair on the day we visited (Dushera + Monday). After paying our obeisance to Lord Shiva we strolled around to check out the local shops. It was an absolute riot of colours.

The place is a must see on one's visit to Nasik not only for the pious but also for those wishing to enjoy the mighty Godavari river which originates from the Brahmagiri mountains behind the temple. One can check out the point of origin by climbing some 700 odd steps.

Papillon

Flap flap

Bench strength

This picture was taken inside Sula Vineyards at Nasik. The folks over here arrange an informative tour of the vineyard and also hold a tasting session. Charges for the tour are nominal and one can buy one's favourite bottle at a discount to the market price.

Window to the world

This picture was taken inside the Little Italy restaurant at Sula Vineyards. The restaurant overlooks a vineyard, Gangapur lake in the distance, and mountains on the other side.

Panoramic Sahyadri

This picture was taken on our way from Bhandardara to Amruteshwar (an ancient Shiva temple in nearby Ratanwadi). The Sahyadris or the Western Ghats have a charm of their own owing to their distinct rugged identity (mountains appear in bizarre shapes and forms unlike in other parts of the country). These mountains are a trekker's delight because of their seeming invincibility.

This is what wikipedia has to say - the area (Sahyadris) is one of the world’s 10 "hottest biodiversity hotspots" and has over 5,000 species of flowering plants, 139 mammal species, 508 bird species and 179 amphibian species. At least 325 globally threatened species occur here!

Check this one out: what appears like a fort is in reality a rock formation atop the mountain.

and check this one out: straight out of Mackenna's Gold

I could just go on and on...