Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Gulzar


Gulzar, famous in the international world for writing the lyrics for the theme song 'Jai Ho' from the film Slumdog Millionaire. He and AR Rahman jointly won an Academy award for the song last year. On the 31st of January 2010, he and Rahman were awarded a Grammy for the same song.

I got a chance to meet him tonight at Times of India's Aman Ki Asha Campaign. As part of the campaign they were staging Gulzar's 'Lakeerein' followed by a one man act by Pakistani actor Zia Mohyeddin.

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Doorways and Arches





Ranthambore Fort, Rajasthan

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Ruined Brick


Ruins at Ranthambore Fort

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Honey Brown


Ranthambore, Rajasthan

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Dance at Chokhi Dhani



Chokhi Dhani, Jaipur, Rajasthan

Saturday, January 9, 2010

Rural Blues


House in rural Rajasthan.

The rural countryside is scattered with pretty houses many painted this lovely blue.
I wonder if they hope to reflect the sky.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Misty Mahal

Taj Mahal,
Agra
, Uttar Pradesh

My new year was one foggy memory. It is the foggiest memory I have had in my life. I was standing in front of one of the seven wonders of the world. A monument considered to be the greatest testament to 'Love' and I couldn't see it!
This is exactly how it looked to me and the other visitors to the Taj Mahal that day. Visibility was at zero metres that morning. North India was suffering from a bad news year's hangover and the fog still hadn't lifted. Must have been one helluva wild party. Going closer we couldn't even make out the dome. So that was my first disappointing visit to the Taj Mahal. I have vowed to go again.

Friday, December 25, 2009

Sing a Song for Christmas!


Went caroling from college. Was fun. Collected money to sponsor some kids from an orphanage.
I hope everyone has a merry christmas and a happy new year!
Spending the rest of my holiday in Rajasthan and Agra..
:D

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Morning After


Our room at Hotel Chandra Bhaga, Keylong, Himachal Pradesh.

Monday, December 14, 2009

One Track


Shot at the railway track that leads to the Kanheri caves at Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Borivali, Mumbai.

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Eve Ensler




Eve Ensler is the writer of the play The Vagina Monologues.
Her latest play I am an Emotional Creature had its world premiere in Mumbai recently.
She was at my college for a talk on her work and V-Day which is a movement created to fight violence and injustice towards women.
She was warm, funny and not the man-hater I expected. She told us that her attitude toward men had changed and she isn't as antagonistic to them as she was in the past. She's realized that men can help in fighting violence against women and be 'vagina warriors' too.

Sunday, December 6, 2009

The Vagina Monologues


The cast of Vagina Monolgues :
Avantika Akerkar, Jayati Bhatia, Mahabanoo Mody Kotwal
Dolly Thakore and Sonali Sachdev.


say it everybody:
"vagina
.....Vagina.....VAGINA"

The Vagina Monologues is a play by American Playwright Eve Ensler.
It follows various experience that women go through from menstruation and sex to rape and childbirth (amazing how much our vaginas go through eh) through a series of monologues. Eve Ensler herself was sexually abused by her father and it is this experience as well as those of other women that has fuelled the various monologues in the play.

Mumbai has been staging the play for many years now. I went for its performance at Prithvi theatre recently. It was a bunch of us girls and one 6 5" guy who we thoroughly ragged through out the whole thing.

The first thing the audience is made to do is say the word 'vagina' loudly. Its a part of our body that is so vital to us and endures so much of the pain and happiness that makes us women, yet we rarely talk about it. Even when we do it is when using a whole bunch of euphemisms to refer to it. And another thing the play points out which is true is that women don't really look at their vaginas too often :

There is so much darkness surrounding them. Like the bermuda triangle. Nobody reports back from there. In the first place it's not so easy to find your vagina. Women go days weeks months without looking at it. Looking at your vagina is a full days work. You've got to get down there. on your back, in front of the mirror......it's exhausting.

Please do check more of what Eve Ensler has to say at TED talks here .

The play hits hard, though a little hard I thought around certain issues. I admire it for its openness and for addressing women's experiences in such a creative manner. And I'm grateful for the global movement the play has inspired and the efforts it has made through its V-Day charity.

Jayati Bhatia's performance as the 'Moaner' was amazing. She had the audience howling. However that was one of my concerns about the play. It highlighted the comical bits and underplayed the more serious ones. For a lot of people, the play was just kinky fun. Eve Ensler feels that making it humourous helps people digest it better. Which is true in a way, I just wish audiences will appreciate it for the statements it makes as well as its hilarity.

Thursday, November 26, 2009

26/11 Mumbai Attack - A Year Later


The Taj Mahal Hotel - Back to its former glory



Crowd gathers at the Gateway of India



Police Outside Leopold Cafe.
Security was tight during the 1st year anniversary of the attack.


Shashi Tharoor arrives at Leopold Cafe, Colaba for the first year anniversary of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Leopold Cafe was one of the targets of the attack.

Monday, November 23, 2009

Peace TV conference 2009









A lot of you may have come across Peace TV while browsing through your cable channels. It's normally placed next to God TV and follows a bunch of other religion based channels. Peace TV, an Islamic channel is part of the Islamic Research Foundation (IRF) and was started by Dr Zakir Naik. Dr Naik's forte is on comparative religion and you will usually find him stressing on the similarities in the concept of God between Islam and other major religions. While I don't agree with everything he says, his argument for the existence of God is something to read about.

The IRF holds a Peace conference in Mumbai every year which attracts around 100,000 people. I've been in Mumbai for the last three years and never really had the opportunity to attend the conference before. I had seen it televised live on Peace TV and it intrigued me to find out what really happens behind the scenes.

The conference was spread over ten days and and explored various topics like the concept of God and Creationism in Islam. They had a huge exhibition centre and food and trade stalls. Big surprise though. Only pure vegetarian food was served at the stalls. And how people think it is some God ordained edict that all Muslims should eat ten servings of meat everyday. Another stunner, the stage set décor looked like it was done up for some fancy light show. I was also slightly amused by Zakir Naik's entrance. He apparated on stage following smoke and beams of green light which I found a little too overbearing for a religious conference.

I attended the last day of the conference which was on Sunday the 8th of November. I was in time for the last segment of the day which featured Dr Zakir Naik speaking on 'The Purpose of Life'. This is generally chapter one in most Islamic textbooks. I pretty much knew the Qu'ranic quotations and Hadiths he was referring to so nothing new there. It was late and I was getting a little drowsy when the interesting bit of the conference started- the question and answer round.

This bit usually starts with someone sounding their proclamation of faith to the crowd and entering the folds of Islam. I had seen this happening on TV before and I was curious as to know how they actually did it. It's not as cultish as it seems and the sceptic in me found nothing untoward in the entire conversion process (as freaky as it may seem to many people).

Things got a little heated later when this girl from the audience asked Zakir Naik a question regarding his remark that college students these days studied degrees with no aim in life. He used the example as a way of stressing how important it was to first keep a target in mind and then throw the arrow rather than shoot the arrow and chalk a circle around it. Frankly I'm one of those aimless college students too, but then I have other things in mind for my future away from academics and didn't get too offended. She looked like she came to the conference ready for a heated discussion and he was at his condescending best. Anyhow she argued for a bit, got extremely flustered and left with a bang. My parents thousands of miles away in Sri Lanka saw it live too (they had no idea I was at the conference so late in the night and was actually standing next to the girl). A bunch of the organizers ran after her when I caught up I found them trying to calm her down. Anyhow she went home after yelling the words 'Im an atheist!' and I went home still loving God.

The funny thing is the previous day I met this bisexual, pot smoking, heavily tattooed and pierced Dutch guy who had taken a road trip from Europe, through Iran, the Middle East, Turkey and Pakistan to India. He loved God, all religions, studied various scriptures and had praise for Islam. Strange how the world works eh..


Friday, November 6, 2009

Double Humped Camels of Diskit







It's a little hard to imagine that camels exist in Ladakh considering that it is 18,000 feet above sea level plus is as freezing as ever. However these useful animals have helped man travel through the rough terrain and high altitides of the region.
They are known as the Bactrian Camel and what differentiates them from their Arabian cousins is that they are double humped, shorter and chubbier. They also have a fluffier coat to protect themselves from the cold.
Very few of the live in the wild today as most of them have been domesticated. In Ladakh, these camels can be found at Diskit, a 12 hour ride from Leh.
They are used for safaris now.
Riding one however is a bit of a pain in the ass...literally


Saturday, October 31, 2009

Sand and Ice






Much of Ladakh's Landscape is a mix of snowy hills and sandy plateau

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Kargil War Memorial






"..there is a hell then this must be it. It is -40 C, the wind outs the soldier's face, the lungs scream for oxygen, the cold numbs the mind. Orange juice has to be boiled, eggs turn to golf balls, the guns jam. What a way to fight a war"
- India Today


In memory of those who fought in the 1999 Kargil War between India and Pakistan.



Monday, October 19, 2009

Ladakhi Dance









Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Ramazan at Mohammed Ali Road



Owner counts his money as man drops maplpuwa batter into ghee. Guess it was blessed day for him. All business owners make a good profit during this season.






The making of the Malpuwa. A crispy pancake of sorts fried in ghee and with a layer of condensed milk poured over it. A specialty of Mohammed Ali Road and served this way only during Ramazan.


Firni- a sweet light rice pudding


Jelabi's fried in Ghee and dipped in sugar syrup


Kebabs Roasting


Tri-Colour Kebabs


The Minara Mosque

Hello all and a very belated Eid Mubarak. Been busy with exams and assignments. Still in the midst of them, but took a little break to post these pictures up. If you happen to be in Mumbai during Ramazan you should definitely drop by Mohammed Ali Road during Iftar (the time for braking the fast). The place is a haven for juicy kebabs, shawarma's, meaty submarines and a variety of the most amazing sweets. It's generally like this only during Ramazan.
The people were really generous and offered me free food 'cos I was clicking pictures.
Yum!


Saturday, September 12, 2009

Please DONT Urinal


Well after awhile you can't really blame the guy.
One thing this trip has taught me is that when you have to go.. you have to go!
Open fields to icy snow hills, name it and I've marked my territory there. Literally.


Friday, August 28, 2009

Phunsok


Our amazing driver who got us past glaciers, ravines and roadless deserts.
Incredible man, someone I will never forget.

Sunday, August 23, 2009

To Diskit we go

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Yak Yak Yak




...and baby yak at the bottom

Monday, August 17, 2009

Swine Flew Alert...



:D
...at The Wall Project on the Tulsi Pipe Road.
The road stretches from Mahim to Dadar running along the Western Railway line in Mumbai.
Check out more of their work at www.thewallproject.com
Thanks for helping colour Mumbai!

And in swine 'flu' or H1N1 related news, the city is over reacting and has shut schools and colleges for a week. The virus is not as fatal as people believe and can be treated effectively.

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Lady of Leh

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Pangong Lake, Ladakh




Pangong Lake lies in the Himalayan mountains near the Indo-China border. Three-quarter of the lake lies in China and the rest in India. It is a few hours ride from the city of Leh in Ladakh.
The water here is a brilliant clear blue and freezing cold even in the Summer.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

The Wishmaker - Ali Sethi


Amitav Ghosh (left) and Ali Sethi launch 'The Wish Maker'






Jerry Pinto (right) has a laugh

Ali Sethi


The Wish Maker
is the debut novel by Pakistani writer Ali Sethi. It was launched at Crossword Kemp's Corner and released by Amitav Ghosh.

The story is set in the backdrop of Lahore, Pakistan in the 1990's and explores significant events that took place during this time through the eyes of young Zaki Shirazi.

"The Wish Maker, in Ali Sethi's mature sure-handed prose, is an engaging family saga, an absorbing coming-of-age story, and an illuminating look at one of the world's most turbulent regions. Ali Sethi steadfastly resists the usual cliches about both Islam and his native country. Instead, he offers a nuanced, often humorous, and always novel look at life in modern-day Pakistan." - Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Buddhist Prayer Wheel and Beads


Monday, July 20, 2009

To Leh


Enroute to Leh...
Known for its sandy hills and rocks of many colours

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Buddhism in Ladakh














The color red is auspicious in Tibetan culture. It is a sacred color, one of the colors of the five Buddhas and the color of the monk's garments. It is believed to have protective qualities and is therefore often used to paint sacred buildings. The Buddhism practised in Ladakh is Tibetan influenced.

Friday, July 10, 2009

Melting Ice





Signs of Summer

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Glaring White - The Zozilla Pass


.and see the horses at the bottom

taken on the route to Leh from Srinagar

Friday, July 3, 2009

Defiant


Shot at Kargil

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Dras


Dras connects Srinagar to Leh and lies in the Kargil Distict of J & K.
It is the Second Coldest Inhabitated Place in the World second only to Siberia. Temperatures can fall below -40 degrees Celsius here.
The Indo-Pak Kargil War was fought here in 1999.

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Ladakh - Portraits

Buddhist Monk


Devotee


Little Devotee


Sunday, June 28, 2009

To MJ (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009)


The billboard on Peddar Rd..

Amul's tribute to the King of Pop - Michael Jackson

'Black or White...Everyone's a Fan

You Just Can't Beat It'

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Perched Rooftops

Fields



Monday, June 22, 2009

Nafisa


..in Kashmiri finery..
It's their traditional outfit

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Mr Bul Bul Flower Man

Friday, June 19, 2009

Dal Lake, Srinagar, Kashmir



Taken at Nagin, one of the four basins of the Dal Lake..
We stayed on a houseboat on the lake. If you look closely you can see them at the back of the photo. The little boat on the right is called a shikara.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Women

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

First Snow


My first view of snow topped mountains..
Pretty excited I was.
Then we climbed to the top and boy was that an incredible experience.

A Pashmina For You


Pashmina is a fabric woven in Kashmir from the wool of a pashmina goat which is indigenous to high altitudues of the Himalayas. It is supersoft and keeps one nice and warm for the cold weather up there.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Imran


My Green Eyed Boy


One of our guides in Gulmarg, Kashmir.
Gulmarg is a skiing and summer hill resort and home to the world's highest gondola ski lift.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Rainbow Boy

A fabric seller...
The first of my Kashmiri men..


Cycle


Srinagar, Kashmir

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Tasbih


On the Swaraj Express from Mumbai to Jammu.
First leg of journey commences.

Tasbih: Remembrance of God

Friday, June 5, 2009

Back from Heaven on Earth

And I'm back! Fully exhausted and utterly dirty from my tour of Jammu and Kashmir. Also made a halt at Himachal Pradesh on the way back. Was a long 30 hour train journey to and fro. And plenty travelling to reach our various destinations in the state..I'd say we averaged 200km everyday just site seeing. Was a brilliant experience anyhow... I got to see some of the world's most beautiful people and places.
I'll be uploading the photos soon...
So watch this space for more..

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Blue, Yellow and Green


Taken at the Lighthouse Hotel, Galle

Monday, May 4, 2009

Candy Floss

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Lil' Tramp

Friday, May 1, 2009

Kodal Babath


Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Ambewela Farm



Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Kothmale Oya



Monday, April 20, 2009

Wada


With bit of a triangular Elvalu Roti in the background...
Something I had in a little Kade in Nuwara Eliya..

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Esha Twirls


Enlarge for better view.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Wattalapam


A dessert served mostly at good ol' muslim weddings and made with eggs, jaggery, milk and sugar.
Yum!

Monday, March 23, 2009

Gonut Donuts at Odel



Great to be back home!
I think I'm going on a binging spree....
:D

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Rajasthani Folk Dance



Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Life of Imitation

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Men in Red


Porters at Pune Railway Station

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Laddoo

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Scarlet Night

Sunday, February 15, 2009

Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2009






Sunday, February 8, 2009

Pooch

Monday, January 26, 2009

Kite Runner

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon 2009









Was a fun day..Every year the roads are at a standstill 'cos the marathon is happening, and the streets are filled with musicians, performers and crusaders....Did a lot of walking mostly..not much of a runner really..Saw John Abraham looking all lame on top of some podium giving his thumbs up to the runners..It takes less effort to do that than actually run..I guess all he does work out for is to look pretty..

The last pic is of this guy running for tribals in India...One thing this marathon does is that it really opens your eyes to the diversity in this city ....both in terms of ethnicity and opinion.....

It's nice to live in a city where everyone seems to be championing a cause or making a statement...I just hope that once the race is over, the cause doesn't end too..

.............................

Will miss Mumbai when I'm done with college next year..

Sigh

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Anwesha







On her Wedding Day

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Victoria Memorial, Kolkata

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Howrah Bridge



Wednesday, January 7, 2009

The Coffee House, College Street, Kolkata




Where some of the greatest political and literary thoughts have been made.
From Tagore to Aparna Sen, a favourite hotspot for Kolkata's literati.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

Debi


The Goddess

Kolkata Rolls





The rolls there are amazing and can easily stuff you. You'll find a roll joint at every street corner and they come in a variety of fillings.

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Puchka


One of Kolkata's most favourite street food items.
Puchka is similar to Mumbai's Paani Puri but is considered by many to be far tastier.
It consists small crispy fried round flour balls, stuffed with potato, grams, a variety of masalas, onions, chillie and topped with spicy water.

Transport in Kolkata


The Tram


The Yellow Ambassador Taxi

Friday, January 2, 2009

Rickshaws of Kolkata





The Rickshaws.
Icons of Kolkota.
The traditional hand pulled rickshaws and the bicycled ones.

Saturday, December 13, 2008

God's Creation


offers its prayer.....Haji Ali Mosque

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Balloon Sellers



Nice to see some people smile these days....

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Mumbai 'Peace' March













Peace March eh...Now that's an understatement. Almost 100,000 people gathered outside the Gateway of India and Taj Mahal Hotel today for a protest against the elements that may have lead to the Mumbai terror attack.Most of the slogans called for a war on Pakistan and followed along the lines of 'Fake Dho, Pakistan De Facto'. 'Pakistan Chor' (Pakistan is a thief) and so on. And the rest waved placards with insulting caricatures of the the government. Some even encouraged people NOT to vote in the coming elections. Ashamedly, most've these lines came from the youth. College students and young working people who you'd expect to show a little more sense. Now I can see why the terrorists involved in this attack were mostly people from the ages of 18-28. It's pretty easy to sway this crowd to any ideology. And as hypocritical as that sounds that was exactly how it seemed today at the march. Growing up in Sri Lanka has taught me how such a war doesn't really solve much and only succeeds in deepening the rift between people. Isn't it enough that so many soldiers already die in Kashmir everyday. Hopefully this is just a way of unleashing their pent up anger and frustration and soon they'll get back to forming more constructive ideas to battle this menace.

Thankfully there were more sensible suggestions also voiced. The 'We the People' campaign asked for unity and solidarity and representatives from every community were present to show people that this isn't just a 'hindu' issue. They were also pretty angry at politicians and the system but regulated it in a less volatile manner. And there were also a lot of others who made efforts to contain the violent slogans. I just wish their voices had been louder.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Mumbai Speaks out






Three days after the attack, Mumbai decided it was time to get out on the streets and show the world that it wasn't going to cower under the bed anymore. I was out at the Crossowords bookstore at Kemp's Corner when I came across this guy. I think he said his name was Nikhil. He was all alone and standing outside with these placards in his hand. He told me that he blamed the government for the Mumbai tragedy and said that they shoud've been more prepared. Mumbai has always been an obvious target for any sort of terrorist attack and even I was surprised a lot of times at the lack of security in the most sensitive areas of the city.
He also wanted everyone to take action to resolve the problem and be better prepared next time. It's easy for people to forget and get on with their lives and make no effort to break the cycle. And when the next bomb hits, it's back to whimpering under your beds and wondering what on earth hit you.

Saturday, November 29, 2008

Mumbai Mourning





Sadanand Patil and Gautam Goslain were two students of the Hotel Management programme of my college. They had been working nights at the Taj Mahal Hotel to fund their course. Both of them were present at the hotel on the night of 26th November 2008 and lost their lives to the terrorist attack. They were both young guys, one of them 20 and the other 22 years. The attack has cost more than a 100 lives and many have been left injured.

I also mourn the loss of Hemant Karkare (known for his role in the Malegaon Blast), the Chief of the police Anti-Terrorist squad in the city, encounter specialist Vijay Salaskar, Additional Commissioner of police Ashok Kamte and Senior Inspector Shashank Shinde. These are such brilliant guys who despite being such high ranking officials were in the forefront of the action. I know that these men were invaluable to the city and have seen how honestly and intelligently they tackled many of the crimes in Mumbai.

The terror is not over yet as there are still many hostages left to be released and the possibility of further backlash. The attacks took place on 26th November from about 9.30pm onwards at various loactions across Mumbai including the Taj Mahal Hotel, the Oberoi Trident, Chatrapathi Shivaji Terminus (Victoria Terminus), Leopold's Cafe Colaba and Nariman House.
It's unnerving knowing that the places they hit are ones frequented by me and many others . They are the most popular haunts in the city and some of my favourite photographic subjects. It will be difficult to go back and look at them in the same way.

This attack has affected everyone in the city in a more personal way that they could have ever imagined and it has brought back horrible memories of the '93 blasts. People are afraid to leave their homes as the terrorists seem to be scatterred across the city. Two were found just a km from my hostel! A very freaky situation.

A lot of people have wondered why I'm not in the thick of it and clicking away. While I have been tempted to step out (my parents are going to slap me for even thinking about it! and anyway my pals have me almost handcuffed to my bed), I know the risks involved and having random people running around the place is not going to help the situation. There are complaints against bystanders and unofficial media personnel making unsubstantiated reports and this has been severely criticized. I'm also a little uncomfortable with exploiting the situation just so that I can fill my blog with gory images of the chaos. If I'm needed I'll definitely be there, but at the moment I'm not. I know what my obligations as a photojournalist are. However right now, the media have it pretty much covered. Will probably step out once the situation is a little stable...(And yes Mum and Dad..I will be careful)

I also want to address an important issue. Everyone knows by now that the attack has been conducted by 'Islamic'(?) militants and is targeted mainly at the West. It's an international publicity stunt to get attention to some cause or the other (not sure still which and this could range from the Kashmir problem to the Isreal-Palestine conflict and even the Iraq War). A group called the Deccan Mujahideen have taken responsibilty for the terror. Noone knows who they are or where they've come from but it seems like they have many agendas in mind. Their actions show that this isn't just an anti-India operation but also one that attacks America, Britain and Isreal (they went after tourists holding passports from these countries). One of the places they've taken hostages in is the Nariman House which is an Orthodox Jewish establishment.

Now I'm a practising Muslim and a hardcore believer in my religion. I know how the laws of my religion work and none of them endorse such vile tactics. I severely condemn this attack and all others like it. However, I also understand (and I mean understand not support) the motives behind them. Many people around the world and especially those in developing nations (not just the Muslim majority ones) feel that U.S foreign policy has wreaked a lot of havoc on this planet. Many feel that it has divided nations, caused unnecessary wars and resulted in the deaths of thousands. Most of these were probably unintentional and indirect results which were not anticipated by the country. However, the completely unapologetic stance taken by this hegemonic nation has led to a build up of animosity towards it. This is the justification used by many terror outfits around the world in their war against this superpower and all that it stands for. This gigantic tit-for-tat situation has ended up killing completely innocent people in its wake and will be highly unlikely to resolve anything. It will only result in harsher action against Muslim nations and the creation of more frustrated and jaded 'terrorists'. They in turn are going to inflict the same sort of violence that they claim to fight against and it's going be one big mess all over again.

I just hope that some sensible leaders will come together and try to break away from this vicious cycle and punish the perpertrators on both sides of this equation. And it's important that we as citizens of the world also make the attempt to destroy this horrible chain and condemn it all the way through. That's the only way to eradicate the blame-finger and end this freakshow.

(Phew! Now there I've said it. Never written anything this long before)

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

A walk down Marine Lines

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Galle

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Dharuwo

Wellawatte Bridge

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Saree Shop





Friday, October 31, 2008

A Day Out

Monday, October 13, 2008

My Scarlet Child





I've never felt this guilty putting up a photo.
It felt so sad to see how neglected and dejected she looked. And to see everyone walking by indifferent. And me staring and clicking away. One of the things I'm never comfortable when it come to photography is the complete detachment required for shooting stuff like this....

Saturday, September 13, 2008

Rahul Bose


Sunday, August 31, 2008

Khopoli, Maharashtra, India




Friday, August 29, 2008

Rakshabandhan.....


To a brother...with love,
your sister

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

India Independence Day



As the city marches with its people's heads filled with patriotic thoughts of their nation's great Independence....
it's just another day for this little Indian citizen to make an extra buck selling her flags..

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Is Religion Relevant Today?....A Discussion at Crossword Kemp's Corner


Javed Akhtar



Gieve Patel



Tom Alter

Friday, August 8, 2008

And as the Olympics commence...




Tibet is still in chains...

Sunday, July 27, 2008

The Last of their Generation


Masters....To thee I salute....

Friday, July 25, 2008

The Subway: Mumbai





Wednesday, July 16, 2008

Little Girl


Bright Eyed..I shall Grin and I shall Bear..

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Christina



Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Into Battle