Village Girl

Festival Village

Colourful, crowded and choking with burning incense, Jwalabanj Village comes alive with Mahashivaratri Festival or the ‘The Night of Shiva’. The festival which falls on the moonless 14th night of the new moon in the Hindu month of Phalgun, is celebrated with devotion and religious fervor in honor of Lord Shiva, one of the deities of Hindu Trinity.

Red Hot

I don’t exactly know what this is… chilli powder perhaps? I took this picture at a town in Jwalabanj Village, Kumaon.

Red Fort

Smoke

Drink

Sleep

Read

Trim

Reluctant Residents of Chandni Chowk

It’s not easy to take photos of the people in Chandni Chowk. According to my guide, the residents there are mostly Muslims and due to some sensitive issues, don’t like to be photographed. And he was right. I had rotten fruits thrown at me for taking the little girl’s picture – can you believe that? Another elderly woman hurled expletives when I pointed my camera at her. So to avoid detection, I took these photos with my zoom lens.

Colours of Chandni Chowk

Chandni Chowk, originally called Shah Jahanabad, is one of the oldest and busiest markets in old Delhi. Here you are greeted with throngs of people, animals, rickshaws, spices, textiles, flowers, local delicacies, the works! Although it’s chaotic, noisy and hazardous (thanks to dangling electrical cables), Chandni Chowk has its quirky charms. And it’s a great location for street photography.

Passage to India

It’s been a very hectic two months for me. My marcom projects have kept me away from my blog and passion (photography of course!). Anyway, my apologies for my long absence…

I recently travelled to India – Delhi and Kumaon Himalayas, for some R&R. But I ended up more stressed than relaxed. As you know, the traffic in India is horrendous. Chaos ensues left, right and centre and to be stuck in the middle of all the madness can make you go mad! I’m just glad to be back in one piece, my sanity intact.

This photo was taken at Lal Quila or Red Fort in Old Delhi. I’m not into touristy attractions, but I must say these cusped arches of Diwan-i-Aam are quite majestic.