Haveli hopping and frequent flying
charukesi August 1st, 2006
Just in case, a teeny weeny case anyone was wondering where I have been, this is what I did last weekend…
And when I was not sitting by the window, cup of tea in hand, watching the sun go down over the plains in the distance, I went haveli hopping and saw these…
This was in the “gold room” of the Jhunjhunwala haveli in Mandwa in Shekhawati… Three kilos of gold in all those trimmings and borders - how much of it still remians is anyone’s guess…
And oh, I made friends too…
I got chastised for not waiting for girl with brand new bag and had to take another picture, featuring said bag as hero… all in all, worth the heat…
And I played hide and seek with this boy for over five minutes… rather, he played and I waited patiently, camera in hand…
This was a weekend at Surajgarh in the Shekhawati region of Rajasthan. I will eventuall get around to writing about wonderful, heart-breaking Shekhawati and those brilliant frescos, some of them surviving, even thriving despite all that decay and negligence… Till then, for your reading pleasure…
***
I was actually in Delhi last week on work; I have never seen Delhi before, as in seen anything really. So I set off one morning, camera in hand to one of the most photogenic of them all - Qutub Minar… And it was such a dull rainy day, just perfect for washed-out colors on your photographs that I almost gave up hope. Till I decided to shoot in sepia…
The Qutub complex really does not need a sepia setting on the camera - it is sepia.. You walk around the place, marvelling at the how beautiful ruins can look (yes, I love ruins, so?), and evey corner you turn, you see the Minar suddenly, peeking out from behind an arch, emerging from the middle of squat building, rising from the top of trees… You walk through the pillars and see the sunlight streaming in through the sides, the way it has for centuries…
And the rain is the perfect time to sit there and just watch the world saunter - a pair of lovers cootchie-cooing, the parrots and mynahs seeming to echo their very coos, the fresh air on your cheeks, the camera happy tourists (look who’s talking and all that), the ruin-weary child - mom when can we go home? Everything is freshly washed and happy… No one is in a hurry.. no one is really doing anything…
***
And just a couple of weeks before that, I was here…
For a city (country?) that has no single natural thing to its credit, parts of Singapore are amazingly vibrant and beautiful.
Sigh, I already feel like I need another holiday…
lovely pics. looks like you had a blast.
love the sepias of qutub minar
[…] Charu is back from an awesome holiday in Rajasthan and Delhi and has some wonderful pictures to share. […]
cripsy shots .
Ist one is amazingly beautiful
Fabulous pictures! What camera do you use? Any advice on what model an absolute layman would do well to buy? Would really appreciate any pointers
Wow! Amazing pics. You have a photographer’s eye. In case you ever want to change your profession ..:)
Hey Charu - those are superb pics. Loved the sunset one (obviously!) and my fav. is the hide-and-seek one - very well framed. Looks like u’ve been going places (pun intended) - njoy and keep up the good work.
-Venky
Charu in Singapore, Rajasthan and Delhi
and Singapore, Rajasthan and Delhi here for us.
Lovely pics Ru, esp. the Kutub Minar…
Absolutely gorgeous photo’s - i love the children - the colors -
and the sepia was a wonderful idea!
Looks like you had a great time. Awesome photos.
Looks like you had a whale of a time. Awesome photos… Makes me yearn for a holiday too
hey, thanks all! it wasn’t so much of a holiday as a piddly little weekend - makes me yearn for a longer holiday… Rajasthan was a weekend and Singapore was four days long long ago
What absolutely beautiful pictures.
AWESOME!! … piddly little weekend or not, these photos are awesome. And I’m sure you enjoyed Haveli, Delhi and Singapore!
Thanks muchly for the photos, I now hate you intensely. Equal parts envy for the places and the photography.
Gah!
J.A.P.
wonderful wonderful photos
Oooooo!!!! Envvvvvvy you to the core!!!! Thanks and more envy for those lovely lovely pics
:). I also want to go holidaying….. geee…..
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Nice pics Charu… :)!