Uncontaminated!

Encroachment

2009-11-07T14:02:00.001+05:30

Another one straight out of Baijnath, Pushkar (Rajasthan). Its an old Banyan tree, with its roots, untramelled, unrestricted, encroaching over whatever that may come in its way. The snap covers only part of the roots; in real, the roots had taken over quite some area around the tree, as if it was marking its property.

Right of Way

2009-11-07T13:57:00.002+05:30

A right of way is a strip of land that is granted, through an easement or other mechanism, for transportation purposes. I named it so because of the way the road slides from between these rocky mountains, as if to say that it has a right of way, wherever, whatsoever be the hurdle.

The snap had been clicked while I was coming back from my Convocation Ceremony at National Law University, Jodhpur. The place is Barr, somewhere in between Jodhpur to Ajmer.

Success

2009-11-07T13:54:00.001+05:30

Generally, any graphical representation wherein the graph is moving up is taken as success or progress, so thats why I've tagged it so. The snap had been clicked in the Mehrangarh Fort, at Jodhpur (Rajasthan).

Bold & Beautiful

2009-10-20T23:21:00.000+05:30

I guess the title says it all. A soft hand wearing a bold colour, and the combo together, simply beautiful. The snap has been clicked while sitting in a car.

Reflections

2009-10-20T23:20:00.000+05:30

It was the evening of Deepawali, and I'd just laid down the diyas everywhere in the house. Once done with that I just switched off the lights to click a single diya in its natural light, but while clicking it, what I realized was that instead of one, the complete queue would look better, and so, here is the line, being reflected in the wall paint, doubling the beauty of the lamps.

Signature

2009-10-20T23:18:00.001+05:30

I was at Lake Foy Sagar, the picturesque artificial lake near Ajmer (Rajasthan) when I clicked this one. It was not the boat that attracted me, but the way the name of its owner was written in its front. How people abandon their belongings but leave behind their imprints on them, only for people like me to find them later.

Edgy

2009-10-20T23:17:00.000+05:30

Commonly known as Kevda, this is a leaf of Screw Pine [Pandanus fascicularis]. It is a very thorny leaf having hook-like thorns all over the leaf edges after regular intervals. Generally, the thorns are not visible and it is only when one touches the leaf that he realizes about his mistake. I clicked this snap at my home in Ajmer, where we have this plant in a pot.

Together

2009-10-20T23:16:00.001+05:30

These are flowers of Bougainvillea, bunched together to form a cluster. I have it in my home at Ajmer. It is a depictive snap wherein I rendered the background as black & white, only to depict that when friends are together, they are happy amongst themselves and rest all seems dull. The depth of focus came exceptionally well because of the distance between the flowers and the background.

Tranquility

2009-10-20T23:10:00.003+05:30

Lake Foy Sagar is a picturesque artificial lake named after the engineer Mr Foy, an Englishman, who created it under a famine relief project. It is a masterpiece when it comes to artificial lakes. He created it to tackle with harshest conditions of famine under a famine relief project. This artificial lake was constructed in the year 1892. It appears as flat as a pancake, and offers the eye-catching sights of the neighboring Aravalli mountains. After years I had visited it this time, and it had changed considerably. I was sitting there observing nature in its truest forms when I clicked this snap.

Baradari, Ajmer

2009-10-20T23:07:00.002+05:30

The historic man-made lake Ana Sagar lake of Ajmer was constructed by Maharaja Anaji, the grandfather of Maharaja Prithvirāj Chauhān, between 1135 A.D. to 1150 A.D. By the lake is the Daulat Bāgh, a garden laid out by Emperor Jahāngīr. Emperor Shāh Jahān later added five pavilions, known as the Baradari, between the garden and the lake. In the snap, you sure can see three of those five pavilions. For Ajmer today, this place is a lifeline. If you happen to visit it in the mornings, you would find people on their morning walks, in the evenings kids along with their parents are a common sight running from one end to another here.

I remember coming here often when I was a kid, but when I came after a long gap of considerable years, the place seemed changed, needing more support and maintenance from the Government. But well, like all other historical places, I think this has the same fate of running dilapidated with time and ignorance of the (un)concerned authorities.

Breakfast

2009-10-20T23:04:00.002+05:30

Another one straight out of Daulat Bagh (Ajmer). I was off from my clicking some snaps here and on my way back home, hungry, when I noticed these pigeons having their morning breakfast of grains. Lucky them!

Shock!

2009-10-20T23:03:00.000+05:30

Its a funny snap of a toy that I got for my two year old nephew. I had just hung it from a nail in the wall when I felt like clicking a snap of it before handling it to him. It looked cute and a perfect description of someone in a shock. You'll feel more familiar with the title of the snap if you've seen the advertisement of Center Shock chewing gum.

Supporters

2009-10-20T22:58:00.001+05:30

Its said that only the supporters make someone famous. Here what we have are the supporters in form of pillars of this structure. This is one of the five Pavilions built by Emperor Shāh Jahān, known as the Baradari, between Daulat Bagh and Ana Sagar Lake in Ajmer (Rajasthan). Behind the pillars is visible the Ana Sagar Lake.

Countless

2009-10-20T22:50:00.000+05:30

I don't know the name of the plant variety, neither am aware of the flower name, all I know is that its a very beautiful flower. I call the snap Countless because of the innumerous flower petals that are coming out.

Vector

2009-10-20T20:25:00.001+05:30

Generally vectors are used to represent physical quantities which have both magnitude and direction. I titled this snap as vector only because all that was common between these five birds was their vector. Usually, birds of the same feather create an aerodynamic shape to reduce air drag while flying, but these birds did not display the usual trait.

Goose Bumps

2009-10-04T02:08:00.002+05:30

To keep Acharya Tulsi's teachings immortal, his followers built a memorial in the village of Todgarh (Ajmer, Rajasthan) named Mahashila Abhilekh. I was there, looking for something when my Mom told me to look at this bud, belonging to a Gulmohar Tree [Delonix Regia] growing nearby. I liked it and so I clicked it. When I later saw it, I could not come up with anything better than this tag.

Walk The Line

2009-10-04T01:45:00.003+05:30

Recently I visited Todgarh, a wildlife sanctuary in Ajmer (Rajasthan) spread in total in an area of 495.27 Kms. Unfortunately, the only wildlife I saw was this pretty li'l creature whom with my limited knowledge in this field I am unable to work out about. But this one was damn interesting, especially with its three differently enabled set of legs and a radar-like tail-cum-sting. I titled it so because this creature was totally unmoved by my coming close to it, and just kept itself busy in reaching the other end of this twig.

I was quite curious to see its typical eyes, but later, on close scrutiny I found that the yellow circle with blue dots within was nothing more than a mere pattern, and the real eyes were in the front. Now, except the fact that I did not find any wildlife, Todgarh is an amazing place, especially to be visited in the rainy season.

Chained

2009-09-23T16:43:00.003+05:30

I love this one. This is Anasagar Lake, and its morning time, where this Boat which otherwise rules the waters of this Lake, is chained to the dock, waiting for its routine to start. I took the pains to wake up early morning hours to go visit this place to get some good clicks, and I can't complain of being disappointed. This historic man-made lake was constructed by Maharaja Anaji (1135-1150 AD), the grandfather of Maharaja Prithviraj Chauhan. And I must add here that its the lifeline of the people living in Ajmer (Rajasthan). There were times, when the lake was flooded with water, but thanks to the irregular rains and climate change, water is one thing this Lake yearns for.

Adjustability

2009-09-23T16:07:00.002+05:30

Adjustability: of all these stones to sit together, even though being so brittle and hard in itself. Its a general way of making walls in Rajasthan Villages. I clicked this snap in the Forest Department Office in Bhim, District Rajsamand (Rajasthan) when I was on my way to some other place. I like this style of making the walls, without using anything else but a simple arrangement of stones. that's why I named it adjustability, because if these hard unbendable stones can be put together to form such a beautiful structure, then why can't us humans work together keeping aside our egos? Its just a thought. Think about it!

Diffusion

2009-09-23T15:30:00.004+05:30

Clicked in the morning from the frosted glass window near my bed, this snap needs no explanation for its tag. Diffusion is generally a transport of material from a region of higher concentration to one of lower concentration. That is what is happening here, because there is a gradual mixing of the flower petals into the window, as if forming various identifiable pixels of various colour tones. The flower is a Bougainvillea Bonsai kept outside my room. And it always is equally beautiful when I wake up. Feels awesome to be greeted by nature in such a colourful manner.

Alive

2009-09-23T15:16:00.003+05:30

There are only few things that always stay vibrant. Whatever be the weather, the water always is alive. I love this tendency of water, and its something I love to stare for hours. This is Anasagar Lake in Ajmer (Rajasthan). The white marble Bara-dari on the Anasagar Lake is exquisite. This historic man-made lake was constructed by Maharaja Anaji (1135-1150 AD), the grandfather of Maharaja Prithviraj Chauhan.

Anger

2009-09-23T15:00:00.002+05:30

The colour Red and Yellow collectively denote Anger, and thats what I've tried to depict here with an extremely contrasting subject. The plant is in my garden, but I don't know what specie it actually is of. Stop laughing at me! It was an easy click, no issues, just a simple zooming and... press the shutter!

Support

2009-09-13T10:59:00.002+05:30

This one's dedicated to all my friends, who're nothing less than my complete Support System. If I am something today, I owe it all to them, coz if it were not their perfect advices at the right times, I wouldn't be who I am. It takes a lot of stones to make a building, and its not the stones on top that make it big, but the hidden stones lying in the foundation that decide the height of the building. Its something similar, coz its the hidden support of a friend that makes you YOU. This snap has been clicked on my way to Baijnath, a place ahead of Pushkar, in Ajmer (Raj.). It was the side wall of some dilapidated abode made by someone.

Platonic

2009-09-12T01:27:00.002+05:30

Taken at a railway crossing near Barr (Distt. Pali, Rajasthan), I guess its a standard snap that every photographer has in his album. So, even I was compelled to click this one. Anyways, I chose this title after consuming loads of time. I did not want to give it the standard age-old tags of distance, or journey, or something similar. So, I just concentrated over those two rails, who although being each other's best friends, never meet... Platonic, hunh?

Packaging

2009-09-11T14:36:00.002+05:30

Its an Indian Star Tortoise [Geochelone Elegans], and well, it comes in a package. Its hard bony or chitinous carapace covering the head and thorax has always been a point of curiosity. But well, I think its one of the best packed animals, having a ready home, and aptly protected against any predators. The carapaces are available in various colours, attractive all of them. I love this snap because of the way he's standing in it, like an aristocrat.

Mehrangarh

2009-09-11T14:25:00.002+05:30

Mehrangarh Fort, located in Jodhpur (Rajasthan) is one of the largest forts in India. The fort is situated on a lofty height, and is enclosed by imposing thick walls. Mehrangarh (etymology: 'Mihir' (Sanskrit) -sun or Sun-deity; 'garh' (Sanskrit)-fort; i.e.'Sun-fort'; according to Rajasthani language pronunciation conventions, 'Mihirgarh' has changed to 'Mehrangarh'; the Sun-deity has been the chief deity of the Rathore dynasty.

This place has been my favourite hangout while I stayed in Jodhour for my Law Degree. I still remember how all of us friends used to go there and sit for hours. This snap has been taken from the terrace of Pal Haveli, a very nice restaurant in the Old City of Jodhpur.

Over The Edge

2009-09-11T14:21:00.003+05:30

A simple snap, the tag says it all. Have nothing more to add, abstract click actually. I was playing with focus, thought of focusing in the middle, rather than the extreme ends and clicked this.

Follow Me!

2009-08-23T02:23:00.002+05:30

This guy's cute. Its an Indian Star Tortoise [Geochelone Elegans] and is stunning in its beauty with the radiating star pattern on its carapace making him an eye-catching display. He's a baby, probably a month old or so, and was quite interested in the camera lens initially, sniffing it to see if it could be eaten. But when found nothing to his taste, he just turned away... as if he was asking me to follow him if I needed to click a snap.

Remnants

2009-08-23T02:20:00.004+05:30

Remnants of a tree eaten by termites. I was in Deer Park, Pushkar, when I located this one. Somehow, liked it, and well, what else I had to do than to click it...?

Restricted

2009-08-17T19:55:00.003+05:30

Restricted! The mere image of a barbed wire brings such thoughts to our mind. This is something I've been wanting to click from quite some time. Finally I clicked it...!! It was the wired boundary of some field. You may notice the background of standing crops. Initially I thought of taking it against the setting sun, but then thought better to have a dark background such that the barbed wire may get more attention. It was tough to focus on the wire alone without a tripod, but finally the image came well.

Haven

2009-08-17T19:53:00.001+05:30

This snap has been clicked on my way to Baijnath, a place ahead of Pushkar, in Ajmer (Raj.). It was some dilapidated abode made by someone, looking at its condition it didn't seem as if someone still resided here. Standing in the middle of the greenery, on the foot of a rocky mountain, it looked as if some home of the people of the stone age. I don't know how people managed to find the right stone to fill in the spaces to erect such straight walls. Anyways, I titled it Haven because for today, in the middle of that way, where there was no one around, this stone structure seemed only like a refuge.

Camouflage

2009-08-17T19:51:00.003+05:30

A green grasshopper sitting on a green leaf ready to greet you; that's what camouflage is all about. When I noticed him initially, he was sitting on some other leaf, and by the time I came running back with my Nikon, he'd already left that place. It took me 2 minutes to locate him again, but to my good luck, he was sitting on a more clickable position on a greener leaf. So, all I had to do was to look at him from my viewfinder, and Click!

Impenetrable

2009-08-06T01:45:00.002+05:30

"United We Stand, Divided We Fall"

Impenetrable! That's what these forests look like. The only reason for their looking so is their unity; cvery single tree has an identity here, but their strength is their unity. It felt so soothing to look at them, something I can't explain in words. I was on my way to Pachkund, near Ajmer, when on the way came these Naag Mountains. All covered in green due to the July rains, they looked marvelous.

Catkin

2009-08-06T01:40:00.002+05:30

When I was in school at Kota, I had a group of four, and we named it CatKiNS, after the four of us. Today, when I had to name this snap, I knew it couldn't be anything other than Catkin. I was in Deer Park at Pushkar, looking for some deers, when I found this one catkin hanging down the plant, obstructing my view. So, guess no need to mention, this snap is dedicated to that group which taught me the real dimensions of life.

Vespers

2009-08-06T01:35:00.001+05:30

The setting sun, and a bird of prey, back at its abode, bidding an adieu to it. That's what I tried to capture in this one. This peacock, sitting on a tree standing at Deer Park, Pushkar, was staring intently at the sunset as if making his vespers for the day.

Lonely

2009-08-01T12:24:00.006+05:30

All night I waited,
Sitting on this leaf with caution;
But lonely I die,
Reducing with the rising sun.

I guess that's what this dew drop must have been thinking. I clicked this snap way back, and somehow never realized that I'd not uploaded it to my Blog. So, for such a belated recognition, I felt this droplet deserved some appreciating words. Clicked in December 2007, this is one of the first snaps that made me observe the beauty of dew drops.

Midnight Beauty

2009-07-31T18:39:00.002+05:30

The magnificence and the exquisite manner in which this Plumeria flower stood starkly different from its background attracted me to click the snap. I always wanted to click something like this, a bright flower against a dull background. Amongst darkness around, this flower seems to be the only attraction… A true midnight beauty…!!!

Strike

2009-07-31T18:37:00.003+05:30

Female Rock Pythons lay up to 100 eggs between March and June and stay with them for the 80 days till they hatch. I guess this kid freshly out of his shell came to my house. He was only approximately 9 inches long and looked so damn cute. I tried to hold his tail with my bare hand, but I guess that scared him enough to get back to my hand only to bite. Luckily, apprehensive enough to be alert with him, I removed my hand in time. Otherwise, though not venomous, the bite of a python is painful because of the many sharp teeth it has in its mouth. Then with the help of a stick it was caught and put in a bucket.

This snap of him is while he is inside the bucket aiming for a strike at anything that comes nearby. Although I did leave a live earthworm for him to feast over, he did not even care to kill that one. He too must be a 'Jain' I guess.

Beauty and the Beast

2009-07-31T18:30:00.003+05:30

Hmmm... I know Maneka Gandhi and PETA would not like my calling this honey bee a beast, but this is only a symbolic description of this beautiful (and dangerous) insect. I've been bitten by eight of them once, so I know how dangerous they are!!!

I was planning to take a snap of this beautiful flower belonging to the Touch-Me-Not plant [Mimosa Pudica] when this hungry beast came flying by. It was hard capturing her primarily because my D60 was on a tripod and the settings were made for capturing a still flower. Without wasting time I changed the settings to capture this moving bee, but still, I guess the speed at which she was flying was more than what I assumed- that's why her wings couldn't come well into the snap, but only a glimpse of them. Anyways, something's better than nothing; would try clicking a better snap next time!

Oh! If you think the way I do, let me tell you... No! The flowers of Touch-Me-Not plant are not like its leaves which fold inward and droop when touched or shaken. I'd seen the flowers for the first time in such plant. So, my first instinct was to go touch the flower to see if it also droops. It didn't..!

Ogling

2009-07-31T18:27:00.002+05:30

Before my Mom showed me this Cactus, I thought only guys ogled their eyes at 'beauties'. But well, this Cactus would beat any guy around in ogling its eyes. Of all the snaps that I've clicked this would be the funniest one I think. It amazes me how nature has all colours, all feelings absorbed in its various creations. When everyone looks at a Cactus as one very tough and lifeless plant, this one just fights away all such thoughts. These actually are two buds of this plant which give way for some small flowers. I don't know what exact specie is this Cactus belonging to. Please let me know if you do.

As per a general Indian superstition, it is considered bad to keep cactus in home since they lead to untoward happenings. How funny? Look at this cute plant, anyone who says that it can affect a home adversely should first go consult a Psychologist.

The Eye

2009-07-31T18:17:00.002+05:30

The unemotional eye of an Indian Rock Python. I love the way he stared at me while I clicked him. Well, Snakes appear to stare at their prey because they have no eyelids. The eyes of snakes are lidless, but are protected by a tough, transparent covering, or scale, that is shed with the skin. Within the animal world, they tend to have one of the most beautiful eyes.

Chit Chat

2009-07-31T18:13:00.002+05:30

An evening on a rainy day. I was, again, in Pushkar... the best place to be at, near Ajmer, if its raining. I noticed these pigeons sitting on the overhead transmission lines, as if they were cursing the rains and chit chatting amongst themselves about when would it stop.

When I thought initially to take the snap, I was apprehensive about really getting one, because it was dark and I prefer not using the flash (just kills the natural beauty!!). So, I just set the ISO settings to get something meaningful outta that click... and here it is. See if you can notice, many pigeons are sitting in exactly the same position, as if its a customary way of their sitting.

Crossing the Line

2009-07-31T18:10:00.001+05:30

Squirrels are one of the cutest animals that you can find in your home garden; obviously if you have a puppy, there's no match for him. Its hard to click squirrels because they are too apprehensive of humans, so going near them is impossible. I was following this young one for quite sometime when I got this shot. She was small and very very cute. It was the first time I'd seen a squirrel baby, and take my word for it, they are absolutely adorable..!!

The tag has been given simply because this one looked as if she was waiting to cross the road. Traffic Sense, hunh?

Fear

2009-07-31T17:50:00.002+05:30

Only four snake species across the whole of India are venomous enough to kill us. They are- Cobras, Kraits, Russell's Vipers and Pit Vipers. But the fear of these four make us kill the rest of them all too. Poor them, for no fault of theirs what they are awarded by us is nothing but a cruel death.

I had to click three snaps before I could capture his tongue once. Its just so fast. A Snake or a Python finds its prey by using this tongue. It places its tongue on its Jacobson's organ after having its tongue in the air. It touches its tongue on the two pits by the Jacobson's organ to allow it to properly sense its prey. The reason snakes have a forked tongue is so that the tongue can touch these pits. The deeper the fork in a snake's tongue, the more the snake uses its Jacobson's organ.

Drenched

2009-07-31T17:46:00.003+05:30

Leaves of Christmas Tree drenched in the July rains. Midnight rains always are good for photographers it seems. It had rained in the night and I came out in my garden looking for some nice things to click. Luckily got two nice shots together. Click here to see the other snap clicked with this one. Since I left the other snap coloured I thought I'll transform this one to monochrome.

Ripples

2009-07-31T17:43:00.002+05:30

I'm always attracted to the beauty of ripples. They are a distinct type of wave. And I'm not gonna enter the world of Physics to explain why I hold such a view. It was dark, and I had to use flash to click this snap, therefore, there is a specific lighting effect in this snap.

Now since I did not know where the next rain drop would fall, so like most professional photographers, this is not that good a capture of the real beauty of a ripple. Till the time I click a better one, let this be it.

Innocence

2009-07-31T17:37:00.002+05:30

This is my cuuuuutteee nephew Sukrit, known better as Wishie. Amazingly adorable, guess he's the only kid till date whom I love to play with. There's a story behind this click. Actually he was sitting on the bed laughing, and I wanted to capture that chuckle, but the moment he saw the camera in my hand, suddenly he got scared and stopped laughing. So, here we have, Mr. Wishie Singh (as his Dad lovingly calls him) in his most innocent look.

I rarely am able to click good snaps of people, depicting their emotional colours. So, this one especially means a lot to me.

Fragile

2009-07-31T17:34:00.002+05:30

These are Asparagus leaves. I initially thought of naming this snap something else but while clicking, one set of leaves got moved and came shattering down all the droplets. So, while clicking this one, I knew what to name it. The beauty of this plant is encompassed in its much feathery foliage. It looks delicate, and over that, water droplets stranded over it, gave it a new dimension.

I did use a tripod to click this one, primarily because I had been inspired by a mail wherein they had some very beautiful snaps of water droplets. In every droplet stood crystallized the things behind the drop. In the bigger resolution of this snap, this thing can be clearly seen. But sorry! Can't upload the full version here (only to be copied by people!).

Collage

2009-07-31T17:32:00.001+05:30

Nothing to say for this one- A macro close up of a python's scales. Collage is well-suited because of the way these varied scales are forming a distinct pattern giving him his identity.

Pace

2009-07-31T17:27:00.001+05:30

This snail is very small, at max one centimetre long. I didn't know snails were found in Ajmer unless I noticed this one climbing up the side wall of the lawn, coming out of rain water stagnated there. Its a mysterious animal: Small and Slow, I donno how it even manages to have a stomach full every night before going off to sleep in its very own custom created abode, a spiral shell into which the whole body can be withdrawn. They are soft bodied invertibrates having antenna like eyes. Look into the snap above and you'll be able to locate them in the front, standing above.

After gaining some knowledge from Wikipedia, I've come to know its a pulmonate land snail. This specie which is found in gardens is anthropophilic, that is, found most often around human habitation. The easiest part of clicking him was that whatsoever may happen, it could not run away from me; and the hardest part was that it was so small that to click his features properly I had to bring my lens too close to him, and the moment I did that, it went inside the shell. Frustrated for not having been able to click a front pose, I rather got satisfied with a side pose... Yep! The snail running its pace!!!

Curvaceous

2009-07-31T17:20:00.002+05:30

What else could have I tagged this beauty with? This is the second snap of that same python which you can find below. He is a 2 year old Indian Rock Python still growing. You may notice the recent growth towards its tail, still bright and shiny. Sitting tranquil in my house's front lawn this one just kept on curling in a splendid yet bravura display of raw power. It being a cold-blooded animal, actually feels cold to touch to. You can actually feel its constricting muscles moving inside the body which give you a good idea how would you feel if caught between them.

Although this python stayed mostly idle and motionless here, but when we went off to free him in the jungle, the speed with which he jumped out of the sack was worth admiration. I never could have attributed that agility to this bulky creature unless seen with my own eye. Once in a lifetime opportunity I must say!!

Herculean

2009-07-26T08:10:00.003+05:30

The two species of Python found in India are the Indian Rock Python, which lives in both scrub forests and dense jungles throughout the country, and the Regal Python, which is found in north-east India and Nicobar islands. The one there is possibility of your seeing is the Indian Rock Python [Python Molurus] although the snakeskin industry has all but wiped it out in many areas. This is a non-venomous, python species, often been killed for its fine skin and is endangered. Lethargic and slow moving even in its native habitat, they exhibit little timidity and rarely try to escape even when attacked. After a heavy meal, they are disinclined to move. If forced to, hard parts of the meal may tear through the body. Therefore, if disturbed, some specimens will disgorge their meal in order to escape from potential predators.

Caught near my home at Ajmer, the same is what happened with this guy- He'd just had a nice breakfast out of a peacock. So, when he'd been caught, he just vomitted out the whole of peacock. So far there have been no authentic cases of a human being eaten by this species; but this one with his neat 10 feet long body and weighing approximately 10 Kgs did look overbearing. After clicking his snaps, I went along with the Forest Department to free him into the nearby forests.

Clutches

2009-07-12T16:50:00.002+05:30

Another Big Ant snap. This one's drastically different than the other one though, bigger and scarier. I had to stand over their colony to identify a healthy tentacled guy and then follow him along to click this snap. Since they don't generally stop, its hard to focus over them in macro mode.

Peace

2009-07-12T16:42:00.004+05:30

White and Peace... somehow synonymous. Its Bougainvillia flowers. The actual flower of the plant is small and generally white, but each cluster of three flowers is surrounded by three or six bracts with the bright colors associated with the plant, white in this case. This plant is visible everywhere in Rajasthan and I love it, especially because of its colourful ornamental appearance. It somehow resembles Rajasthan- Thorny, yet so peacefully beautiful.

Click Here to see the other Bougainvillia snap that I clicked.

Cloud Nine

2009-07-12T16:33:00.003+05:30

A simple snap. One of the most fresh snaps I've clicked ever. It boosts me up. Cloud Nine is just an exclamation of this expression... the fresh zealous overbearing clouds floating in the azure sky. I was sitting in my garden playing with my Nikon when I looked up, liked it, and click! It is said that 9th layer of cloud is the highest layer at which a cloud can ever go. I wanna cross that Cloud Nine.

The Climb

2009-07-12T13:41:00.004+05:30

This feather was lying in our front lawn when it caught my eye. I just picked it up to click it when I noticed this Big Ant climbing upon it. I love this snap because I like the will of this insect- Whatever may happen, it won't stop climbing.

It was hard clicking this snap because firstly I was holding this feather with one hand, and holding my Nikon with the other. And above that, this scary guy was not ready to stop climbing. Only someone who has been bitten by them can understand my fears because the other end of this feather was being held by my hand...!!

An Inch More

2009-07-12T13:24:00.003+05:30

First of all, I must thank that (not exactly) poor shopkeeper in South Ex, New Delhi, from whose shop I took this inch tape (to measure the dimensions of my room windows for which I went to purchase curtains) only not to return later. Now explaining this tag, which is a hard task to be done in all simple terms, I would just say that an inch more makes it 36; and if you haven't yet understood what 36 would mean here, I have nothing more to add.

Forbidden

2009-07-12T13:15:00.002+05:30

I luckily noticed this "cross" growth of Erica palm stems in the garden at my home in Ajmer. The title was already there in my mind the moment I saw this one. Forbidden: as if to stop any human intervention in its life.

It always amazes me at how everything around us contains so much to see, to notice, and to click too!!! We never pay any attention to things around us generally. And I guess that is my only effort at photography- To relate the contaminated realities of life to some set of uncontaminated values that I am trying to discover; discover and establish them through photography.

Hangers

2009-07-12T12:57:00.005+05:30

Another pic out of Shivpuri (Madhya Pradesh). What is in focus is a root hanging down a Banyan tree [Ficus benghalensis], as if inquiring when would it reach its destination.

It is only because of my love for these huge trees that made me place this snap upon the blog; donno why, but there's always something mysterious that attracts me to this giant. Its prop roots which grow downwards as slender vine reach the ground, take root and grow into woody trunks that become indistinguishable from the main trunk, as if to start a new unending journey again.

There is another such giant tree within the compound of Rajasthan High Court, at Jaipur, which I wanna click. Lets see, when I get the opportunity to go there not in my black robe, but with my black Nikon.

Elixir

2009-07-12T12:53:00.003+05:30

Elixir originally comes from Arabic al-iksir, meaning the powder for drying wounds. In Latin, it is supposedly a mythological potion able to prolong life indefinitely. I don't intend giving it the former meaning, and the latter makes no sense either: its just a name that I had to give. I haven't seen what colour Elixir was of, but neither do you know. So, it is nothing but pure imagination. An abstract description of something that am not sure if ever existed also.

For reality, it is a glass of Rose Squash kept in my room's window at Ajmer (Rajasthan).

Thirst

2009-06-29T19:08:00.002+05:30

Thirsty barren lands... Thats the news everywhere these days. So, this snap is the one for the season.

Clicked in Madhya Pradesh, the centre of India, it depicts the story of everywhere. Clicked at sunset, you can easily observe the dark cracks on the land due to the shadows. Initially, when I looked at it, it seemed to resemble a jigsaw puzzle to me. I'm sure, if you try hard, you can make the map of your state too.

Sentenced

2009-06-29T18:52:00.004+05:30

Anyone who's a lawyer here would understand at first glance that its the snap of a property that has been attached in a civil suit. Usually whenever a property is attached, both the contesting parties have a right to put their own locks to secure the premises. So, you might think the proper tag to be Attached. But I put it at an extreme contrast, as Sentenced.

Why Sentenced? Actually, if we see it from a non-lawyer's perspective, any property once attached has its fate decided already. The fate resides in Courts; District Court, High Court or Supreme Court. At the end, not even the litigants know why were they fighting. Thus, Sentenced!

The Last Warrior

2009-06-29T18:36:00.004+05:30

This one's a chance click. I mean, I had been searching for a place like this for the past one year, but to no avail. And then, during my MP Trip, on my way from Guna to Shivpuri, on N.H. 3, I saw this tree, standing all isolated in a field. The first thing I uttered was- Bro! Stop The Car Now!!

Although the tag is very much self-explainatory, but I have a short prose written to explain what I wanted to convey by this snap-

The deserted lands tell the story
Of the end of our Earth’s glory.

From soothing green to barren brown
Man’s destroyed the God’s town.

Everywhere it’s pollution
And it’s got no solution.

Spoiling this motherly Earth
On which he took birth.

Leaving it bare skull
For “who cares?” is his principle.

Yet the hunger hasn’t stopped
Though more than his needs he’s robbed.

Towards inferno, our future’s turning
Coz the Earth’s burning.

And we’ve killed all from the past
This one seems to be the warrior last...!!

Stop!

2009-06-29T18:30:00.002+05:30

This is the first snap in which I've asked someone to really pose for me. The model prefers anonymity, so I can't disclose her name here. Coming to the snap, actually its a glass pane of a door on which she stuck her hand, as directed. Clicking was easy, its just the idea that matters.

Freedom

2009-06-29T18:23:00.004+05:30

Its an abstract title given to these bars. When I noticed them, I didn't think of it as a cage or something similar, but the first thing that came to my mind was Freedom. And its a mere word for anyone who's standing out of them, but worth a treasure for the one caged inside.

Chaos

2009-06-29T18:12:00.004+05:30

I was in Shivpuri (Madhya Pradesh), steeped in the royal legacy of its past, when it was the summer capital of the Scindia rulers of Gwalior. Earlier to that, Shivpuri's dense forests were the hunting grounds of the Mughal Emperors. Emperor Akbar captured herds of elephants for his stables here in year 1564. Anyways, when I visited the place, it was another story. All I could find were skeletons of trees. So, I clicked them. It looked all chaotic, their dried branches intermingled into each other; as if still trying to protech us humans from the Sun.

Unfurl

2009-06-29T18:08:00.004+05:30

Hmmm... leaves, clicked from a close angle, such that they covered my whole viewfinder. Nothing special in this pic except that its soothing to my eyes (and I hope the same for yours too). I donno what plant species is it, but I loved the way leaf after leaf unfolded to give such a nice view.

Take Off

2009-06-29T17:55:00.006+05:30

This one's a Dragonfly [Anisoptera] that landed on a cactus branch shooting up. I was trying to make my way between those cactii when I noticed it. It flew a few times, here and there, and then landed right in front of me, giving me just enough time to focus upon it and click!

The image has been shot in Guna (Madhya Pradesh). To capture it well, I took it at a low shutter speed of 1/30th of a second, aperture being F5.6. It was tough to go near it, coz it'd have just taken off in apprehension of any threat.

Rhythm

2009-06-29T17:50:00.003+05:30

Guitar... one of the best musical instrument. I always envy people who know how to play it, especially coz I donno how to play this one (neither anything else!) Be it a simple 6-string, or a 12-string, the music is always good to hear.

Taken at my sister's farm house, the hand belongs to a Russian named Maraat who'd come to stay there for some time. An amazing guy at the instrument I must say. What attracted me to click this one was the way he maneuvred his hands to give us the best rhythm to hear.

Spill

2009-06-29T17:17:00.002+05:30

Holi, the festival of colours (and my favourite one too). This is an old snap that I took during March, but somehow never could decide upon its tag. I love it when even after a month passes by after Holi, and we still are able to find the colours at places; creating permanent spaces for them. What has spilled is not the colour, but the fun and affection with which people play this festival.

Insignia

2009-06-16T18:56:00.004+05:30

Why Insignia? would be the first question anyone would ask... and I have nothing more to justify than the thought that somehow I feel all the medal-alike marks forming this beautiful animal's feathers are nothing but the praises in his beauty.

I love peacocks, and when you have a home in Civil Lines (which are plush green in every city) sighting them around you is not a hard thing. This is another snap I clicked at my home. Peacocks are generally shy and they simply run away if you try going near to them. So, I had to go to my terrace to click this snap. It was a distant shot, and with my 18-55 mm Nikkor lens, it was impossible to shoot a close-up. Anyways, am saving some money to buy a better lens... till then, this is it..!!

Aura

2009-06-16T17:55:00.002+05:30

The distinctive alive atmosphere that this lampshade generated attracted me to click this snap. As if, the light was a spiritual emanation surrounding the body of this lamp, making it come alive. I loved the aura so created.

I was sitting in a restaurant in Jodhpur when I clicked this one. It was my last day at NLU (call it my informal farewell dinner with my best friends).

Blackout

2009-06-07T21:22:00.003+05:30

I was in Kota (Rajasthan) when I saw a blackout for the first time, in 2002-03. I know I shouldn't admit, but it seemed fun then. Today I was sitting in my room checking some snaps on my Nikon when suddenly electricity went off. In the limited sunlight coming out of the window, I could make out the outlines of this lantern kept there. Any person who needs more cues to actually click a snap of this lantern does not have an instinct for photography. Well, all these events just made me tag it blackout. The shot has been clicked at an extremely low shutter speed of 1/15th of a second, 5.6 being the aperture settings.

Suspended

2009-06-07T21:10:00.003+05:30

These are dew drops suspended on morning grass clicked from an extreme macro zoom level. The snap might look artificial, but let me assure you its an original click. Taken from my Nikon L5, sharpness might be an issue, but nonetheless the pic is worth a view, especially for those who've never noticed the morning stranded dew on grass from such a close angle.

I clicked this one way back in winters of 2008 at our Hanumangarh home, but never got the time to upload it. The only problem I faced was that the temperatures were nearing freezing point and it was a pain to hold my Nikon still to click this one.

Scales

2009-06-07T21:02:00.003+05:30

A leaf trying to scale the sky- what may matter be not the act but the intent. I was sitting in the lawn in front of my home and staring at the sky when suddenly this leaf obstructed my view; guess it was good enough an effort by it to get clicked. Its leaves are creating a look as if they're trying to create a measuring scale.

Solitude...

2009-06-02T11:13:00.004+05:30

I was in Mehrangarh, the magnificent Fort of Jodhpur, when I clicked this one. Solitude, as is obvious, is the tag given to this man, standing all alone. Wearing a jodhpuri turban, he seemed to have been standing there only to be clicked. The beauty of the fort lies in its Jodhpur Sandstone, which is one of the world’s finest sandstone.

The present is a snap of a jharokha, a common architecture style followed in the desert districts of Rajasthan. This finely carved decorative window frame takes you back to royal Rajasthan, where kings appeared before their subjects on ornately decorated balconies. This large Jharokha is an example of the artistry of traditional craftsmen from Rajasthan. Their craft was previously meant only for Rajasthani royalty. For anyone who's not visited this place, I would strongly suggest... Its a must visit...!!!

Orgasm!

2009-05-24T18:20:00.003+05:30

Hmmm.... I know the tag sounds controversial. Orgasm is such a taboo tag to fit this snap, but still, I guess it justifies the vigour, the energy, and the momentum of the moment in which this spurt of water oozes out. Well, its water gushing out of a pipe at a good pressure. I took this snap at a very high shutter speed of 1/1000th of a second; the lighting effects been given artificially.

Unparallel

2009-05-24T18:13:00.006+05:30

Another abstract description. The leaves depict lives; unparallel... incomparable with each other. No two of us share the same destiny.

Satiated

2009-05-24T16:54:00.003+05:30

Midnight Rains... water drenched leaves, satiated of their thirst in their fight against the summer sun. These Phycus leaves, which were going brown due to the rising Rajasthan temperatures suddenly were filled with all life. I was very happy clicking this snap coz these leaves belong to a 8-year old phycus (tree) that we just planted a few days ago in our home. I need not mention here that the leaves coming alive gave me such respite...!!

Inexperienced

2009-05-24T16:37:00.003+05:30

A new person, his nascent experiences with life... some good, some bad, and rest unaffecting his being. Thats something similar to this tyre's life... Ready, waiting to begin his unending journey. A journey that would take him to places, paths- smooth and broken; and all this would allow him some experience. Yep! Like a kid who learns from his deeds, making up for his inexperience.

Its a JK Ultima Radial (they're not paying me, but still..!!) and it belongs to my car. Just got the ol' ones replaced and brought my car home but the tyres were dirty by then, so put some water over them to have that new look again, and then CLICK!

Volcano

2009-05-09T17:08:00.003+05:30

Hmmm... I know flowers are denoting peace, and volcanoes are the signs of war. But here I have tried to bring some congruency between two opposite entities. Actually this Lily made me think of a volcano- its orange colour, fully blooming with energy, and the way stamens bursting out of it; all signs of a volcanic eruption.

Mom's Watching!

2009-05-09T16:13:00.004+05:30

Its an abstract depiction of a mom who's keeping an eye over her kids. A good mother gives her children a feeling of trust and stability; that is what I've tried to portray here... young kids curious enough to run out of the sight of their Mom, but as it always is- Mom's Watching!

It is a Giant Lily that we recently got from the nursery. I took the pic in the morning sun, as would be clear from the shadows of the pollen-filled stamens. It was hard to focus upon them with bare hands, so used a tripod.

Symmetry

2009-05-08T22:09:00.002+05:30

Its a spider, donno the particular species... but it was BiiiiG. When I was taking the pic, all I was concerned was about one thing- that it doesn't climb up my Nikon...!! Anyways, the snap's been taken at a macro mode at very close counters. I kept the tag symmetry because of the position of its legs, in symmetry with each other.

Saviour

2009-05-01T19:13:00.002+05:30

Its a Cactus (as if you didn't know that already!) I somehow have a liking for Cactus generally, have loads of them at Home... and I always laugh at people who say its not good to have them at home. Bullshit! Coming to the snap, its a symbiotic relationship between a cactus and its thorns- How the plant supports the thorns for the protection they provide to it, its saviour!

Culture

2009-04-14T18:08:00.003+05:30

Mehandi forms an integral part of all ceremonies and/or festivals in India. Since childhood I've seen my Mom, my Sis, and other relatives too putting mehandi on all celebrations. I kinda like it too, especially the way it beautifies the already so beautiful Indian female. The skin contains keratin which binds temporarily to lawsone, the colorant of mehandi. This snap was clicked during my sister's wedding ceremonies. Yep! Its her hand only.

Global Warming

2009-04-14T18:05:00.003+05:30

I was travelling by road from New Delhi to Hanumangarh (Rajasthan) in the night when I saw this one. Its an old primitive technique used by farmers in Haryana (and in many other parts of India too) where they burn off the fields to clear the last crop's remains. It was the biggest fire that I've seen in my life (and am not interested in seeing another one). All the while I was thinking... Global Warming, India Burning! With all the talks about global warming on top agenda in various international conferences and symposiums, I guess the Indian Government must do something to educate these farmers too about the issue.

The snap has been clicked from quite far a distance, and that too from my Nikon L5 Digital camera, so the noise is clearly visible. Because of the smoke, the visibility around there had also been reduced, adding to the menace. But I guess still the snap would portray what I wanna convey!

Choice

2009-04-14T18:03:00.001+05:30

This one's been taken inside a jewellery shop, and well, this is the best utilization I could make of that place, which otherwise seems useless to me. When the shopkeeper showed us these, his only intent was that we may choose to our liking, and therefore comes the tag: Choice! Different sizes, different styles, and different prices too.

The Middle Path

2009-04-14T18:00:00.002+05:30

I guess the snap speaks for itself, so I need not explain the tag here. Its the same leaf of Erica Palm that I clicked in the last snap. I wanted to give more depth to the image, but with my basic Nikkor AF-S VR 18-55mm lens, its not so possible. Lets see, when do I save enough to get myself a decent lens.

Sunblinds

2009-03-29T21:44:00.005+05:30

These are leaves of Erica Palm plant taken from such an angle that they look like the usual sunblinds we put at our windows. Initially I was planning to focus upon the view that can be seen from between these leaves, but then I decided to capture these beautifully distanced leaves, curved in a specific shape to give me the perfect view. For particulars, the snap has been clicked at my home.

Apartheid

2009-03-29T21:37:00.003+05:30

Don't ask me why I chose this tag for the snap- its just that this was the first word that hit my mind when I looked at this new plant in my home. All other leaves are a mix of the two shades of green while this one puts a sharp distinction line between the two halves. That is where this colour difference brought me to think of apartheid. Clicked at a slow shutter speed of 1/50th of a second, the snap captures well the reflections of sunlight over it. I donno the plant variety still, will post it as soon as I know about it.

Forlorn

2009-03-29T21:31:00.003+05:30

This guy was pitifully lonely: standing still amidst all the greenary around him as if only with a hope... a hope that is unlikely to be fulfilled. I clicked this one only because the combo of life around this dead tree attracted me.

On The Rocks

2009-03-29T21:26:00.003+05:30

Nothing special about this one as such, just an abstract representation of the term- On The Rocks. I clicked this snap on my way to Pushkar. The way is a paradise for photographers; every second thing looks clickable!!

The Saffron Brigade

2009-03-29T16:02:00.003+05:30

White walls and Orange windows... ??? Doesn't go well, unless you belong to the Saffron Brigade. Orange is my fave colour (after Black) but since this saffronization's started biting Indian cities, I've come to hating it.

Tall, Dark & Handsome

2009-03-22T21:32:00.004+05:30

Tall, Dark & Handsome... isn't that whats in demand always? ha ha ha. When I clicked this snap I had no such intention of putting it this way. Then suddenly it clicked me, and so its here! Clicked in the evening, I specifically took the sun as background to give this tree the blackout effect.

Unbidden

2009-03-18T15:30:00.006+05:30

Somethings are not in our hands- Howsoever we may try, we can't control them. Well, this snap is one such depiction where I'm trying to chain the sun, but its glimpses are there in between the chain locks. The snap has been clicked on a cloudy evening, at a shutter speed of 1/800th of a second. I had to use a tripod to click this snap because even a little bit of vibration would have spoilt the position of the sun.

Stand at Ease

2009-03-18T14:55:00.005+05:30

Another Cobra snap! Please click here to see the earlier Cobra snap. This guy was majestic- so huge! Its one of the biggest hoods I've ever seen (except on TV). I guess thats why, he was standing at an ease against any of the passers bye. But you see, stand at ease here has a dual meaning- howsoever fearsome a Cobra may look, he won't come and attack you; so if you see one, you may as well stand at ease and appreciate his beauty.

India

2009-03-17T13:26:00.004+05:30

People love clicking birds, but (un)fortunately the only bird that visits my home is a Peacock. Well, this is an Indian Peacock [Pavo cristatus (Asiatic)] and I feel proud to say that its my country's national bird. Whenever I look at this bird, I'm reminded of India, since this bird is symbolic of qualities like beauty, grace, pride and mysticism.

In 1963, the peacock was declared the National Bird of India because of its rich religious and legendary involvement in Indian traditions. The criteria for this choice were many. The bird must be well-distributed within the country so it could truly be 'national'. It must be recognizable to the common man. It must lend itself to formal depiction, i.e. abstract depiction on government publications, etc. It must not be confused with the bird emblem of any other nation. It should be associated with Indian myths and legends. The peacock fit the bill. It is a sacred bird for Indians, protected not only by religious sentiments but also under the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.

Honeycombe

2009-03-17T11:16:00.002+05:30

Its a Dahlia 'Arabian Night'. And its leaves really are curved that ways, as if at any moment some honeybees gonna fly out of it. The flower is such a beauty, I can't chip in words to describe it- All I can say is that it was huge! I'd put this beauty in the sun at the perfect angle to have that hollow effect being created by the leaves' shadow due to sunlight.

Gendered

2009-03-17T11:06:00.003+05:30

Let me at the very outset confess that the term gendered has no significance to the dictionary meaning- All I wanted was to portray how we've associated the colour blue with guys and pink with girls. When I'd tagged this one, I thought the term did not exist, but out of curiosity I put it in google, and blah! there was everything I never wanted to know about the term.

The beautiful flowers are Asters, which had been gifted in the form of a bouquet. I felt like preserving their uncontaminated beauty before they became a prey of time, and so my Nikon got in action. The bouquet wasn't big enough so I focused intentionally upon the front flowers, such that it looks big.

Slide

2009-03-17T10:27:00.003+05:30

I was just moving about with my Nikon in my home garden when this Dry Cena plant attracted me. Especially, the focal point of the leaves merging into the dark. I manually set the focus of my D60 into this vent, and came out an amazing effect of blurriness, bringing clarity to the central vent. When I looked at it, it seemed like a long slide whose end is unknown. I liked it so much, I had to put it here.