Shutter Wide Shut

Photo Hunt - Theme 'Free'

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 04:00:00 +0000

I need not say much about how my photo below fits this week's theme 'Free'. This flock of pigeons symbolize freedom and free spirit as they fly past a Buddhist 'stupa' or 'chhorten' in Sikkim, India.

Enough said...

Photo Hunt

Photo Hunt - Theme 'Heavy'

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 03:55:00 +0000

Taken at a small railway station in India. Railway wagons are the primary means of transporting heavy industrial material across India. They are cheap and they are fast. Indian Railways incidentally is the second largest employer in the world. Apart from transporting an incredible number of passengers each day, it also carries more than one million tons of freight every day.

Photo Hunt

Photo Hunt - Theme 'Narrow'

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 13:09:00 +0000

This is the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone (not to be confused with the famous 'grand' Grand Canyon at Arizona). Over millions of years, the narrow Yellowstone river has carved out this canyon from the bowels of the earth. Notice the red tinge on the canyon walls - this is because the canyon wall has 'rusted'! Rust is iron oxide (chemistry, anyone?) - and that is exactly what the rocks in the canyon walls are made of.

Photo Hunt

Oh Calcutta! Part One

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 14:41:00 +0000

Ever since I first started my blog, I had been thinking of featuring the city in which I was born and where I have spent all my life (well almost, but for a year or two here & there!). Its better late than never and from time to time I will try to present different facets of my beloved city in this blog.

Calcutta (or Kolkata as it is called now) is rather difficult to summarize, or introduce in a few sentences. In terms of age, Kolkata is rather young (believed to have been founded in 1690) as compared to Delhi or Beneras (Varanasi). Despite its short history, it was the capital of British India till 1911. During that time the city was at the forefront of a mini-Renaissance and produced some of India's greatest thinkers, social reformers, politicians, poets and scientists in the nineteenth & twentieth centuries. On the other hand, post India's independence in 1947 and especially post the politically turbulent period in the 1970's, Kolkata slumped into what some called (rightly, or perhaps a wee bit too harshly) a 'dying city'. It's fortunes have since looked up and it has regained some of the earlier economic & social dynamism.

The short, yet eventful, history of Kolkata has had a deep impact on the basic fabric of the city. I will be touching upon the various facets of Kolkata's life & culture in the forthcoming posts. For now, I wish to touch upon currently the only visible aspect of the British 'Raj' in Kolkata - that is the architecture. Many monuments and important buildings in Kolkata are a remnant of the 'Raj' and examples of typical nineteenth century colonial architecture.

The Victoria Memorial was built by the British as a tribute to Queen Victoria. The white marble palace stands now as perhaps the most famous landmark in Kolkata's skyline. It now houses an musuem where many valuable artefacts of British India are on display. The Victoria Memorial is an even more dramatic & enchanting sight in the evening when it is brilliantly lit up.

The Howrah Bridge spans the Hoogly river and connects Kolkata to it's most important railhead at Howrah. Thousands of people use it every day, both on wheels and on foot. Due to its age (it was built way back in 1943), movement of trucks and other heavy vehicles have been restricted. Apart from being a vital artery of the city's traffic movement, the bridge is also an engineering marvel. It is a cantilever bridge held together by rivets and bolts.

More on other facets of Kolkata in coming posts..

Photo Hunt - Theme 'Old Fashioned'

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 04:23:00 +0000

"Have been out of the blogging world" is a refrain that I keep using. As much as I enjoy blogging, there are times that I just don't feel up to it. Recently it has been a combination of work, multiple preoccupations at home, and some photographic pursuits that have been keeping me busy. I have been reading a lot on post-processing of images via Photoshop and that is something about which I will be posting shortly. I also have been experimenting a bit and you can check out these results of some abstract shots that I took recently.

Anyway, back to this week's theme of 'Old Fashioned'. The one thing that I keep telling my friends & colleagues from abroad who want to know about India is "Never Generalize". India to me is a country of contrasts. Culture, language, dress, food, ideas, beliefs, religion, economic well-being - you name it. Also at the heart of this study of contrasts is the conflict of the old and the new. An example of this is the shot below - this is a National Highway, where you will get to see trucks and the latest cars blazing the trail. What you also have is this - an elephant on the road! So while the well-off zip by in their swanky cars, for some people life goes on as it did perhaps hundred years ago.

Photo Hunt

If you are not from India, remember not to judge 'Incredible India' by one story or one shot. The understanding of the sheer diversity of the country is at the heart of visiting and enjoying it.

Photo Hunt - Theme 'Delicious'

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 04:06:00 +0000

'Delicious' is the theme of this week's PhotoHunt. Say 'delicious' and the obvious, obvious thing that comes to mind is food. Now food photography is a dififcult genre - it requires specialized skill and lighting, and above all practice. I cannot say that I have shot a lot of shots, leave alone good shots, that fit this theme. Here's one that I managed to dig out of from my collection.

Needless to say, these are strawberries. They look fresh and yummy - don't they?

PhotoHunt

Happy New Year 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 04:02:00 +0000

Wishing everyone a very Happy New year 2008 !

I don't believe in new year resolutions as such - just hoping that 2008 brings something new (every few weeks, I keep asking myself - "When is the last time that you did something for the first time?") and that I get to travel a lot.

Looking back on 2007, it has been a significant and enjoyable one - in more days than one. Here's my pick of the 5 best things to have happened to me in 2007

1. The Prince is now the King!

The triumphant return of Sourav Ganguly to the Indian cricket team. One of the most remarkable and inspiring comebacks in Indian sporting history. A victim of politics, tainted by a obnoxious-minded coach, barracked by the media, ignored by selectors, backstabbed by his once friend and deputy, a ripe old of 35 - the odds were stacked pretty high against him all through 2006. But he showed what courage, grit and bloody minded determination can achieve - he made the mother of all comebacks this year. His story has been inspiring to many, including me. The lesson he has taught us all is to believe in the ability we have and never give up hope.

2. Over the Moon!

Attending Roger Water's Dark Side of the Moon concert in St. Paul, USA. As I have said here, this is THE most memorable event in my life so far. Even 6 months from that day, I still cannot believe that I was lucky enough to be there.

3. Champions again!

India winning the T20 world championships in South Africa. Nobody gave them any chance, but the young team surprised us all. The confidence and the zeal with which they played lifted the entire nation. Yuvraj hitting 6 sixes in an over will remain an abiding memory of last year.

4. Trip to the US

I had been to Australia and Europe, but never to the US. That wish came true in February last year. It was a very satisfying 6 months, in many ways. I met some great people from the US office and made many new friends. I also got the chance to travel a fair bit. First to Chicago, then to San Francisco and finally to Yellowstone National Park & Grand Tetons. In particular, the trip to Yellowstone was a memorable one - the raw beauty of the place was mesmerizing, to say the least.

5. My new toy!

This year I bought myself a digital SLR - a Nikon D40X. I had been interested in photography for the last 2/3 years or so, but this year I got really hooked on to it. I am now starting to appreciate and understand the different nuances of the art, and the digital SLR gives me flexibility and quality which I never had before. I am far from being even close to a good photographer. As some great photographer had said "The first 10,000 shots are your worst shots". So I guess I will just have to go on clicking - and hopefully I will improve :-)

Photo Hunt - Theme 'Light'

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Mon, 24 Dec 2007 04:29:00 +0000

'Light' is the subject of this week's Photo Hunt.

Capturing light and its amazing effects on Nature requires both patience and luck. The best time for nature photography is during sunrise and sunset. It is not without reason that these times are called 'Golden Hours' by photographers. At this time, the sunlight is not harsh and hence the details are not washed out. There is an interesting mix of light and shade, more so when cloud patterns form myriad textures. Here is an example -

Photo Hunt

Taken with Nikon D40X with 18-55 AF-S DX Lens fitted with Tiffen 0.3ND filter

Time Is Not An Issue

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 05:17:00 +0000

Digital clocks, multifunctional (calendar) clocks, neon clocks, quartz clocks, this clock and that clock - but what can beat the charm of an old cuckoo clock?

This is a shot taken at a cuckoo clock shop in Interlaken, Switzerland. The clocks, we were told, were manufactured in Black Forest (Bavaria, Germany). The clocks are all handmade. They do not have any electronic circuitry and therefore don't need batteries. The gears are driven by a mechanism of chains & counterweights - to wind the clock one has to simply pull on the chain once each day.

And yes, I did buy one for my home too :-)

Photo Hunt - Theme 'Small'

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 04:07:00 +0000

This week's Photo Hunt theme is 'Small'. Somehow I struggled to identify a photo that would fit the bill. I am not very good at shooting macros, which I think would have been the best bet.

Then I settled on choosing the following shot. This is a baby Himalayan Leopard, and being small (in size, and in age!), I hope it matches the theme.

PhotoHunt

Even if it is a baby, the big cats are always a sight to behold. Sadly in India their numbers are dwindling rapidly. Rapidly growing human population is resulting in alarming deforestation and loss of habitat. Poachers are at large too - skins and all other body parts of a big cat fetch a fat price in the market. Coupled with that is lackadaisical governance and lack of public awareness.

The question is how much longer will these gorgeous creatures be able to hold out?

Shots from the Past - 4

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 04:05:00 +0000

The Nobel Prize is probably the highest recognition of human excellence. Yes, there are conspiracy theories and some odd omissions. But if one thinks of the great men and women who have been awarded this Prize over the years, there can be no doubt of the collective contribution they have made to human society.

When I visited Stockholm, Sweden in July, 2005 I had the privilege to visit the Stockholm Concert Hall. The Hall is the home of the Royal Swedish Philharmonic Orchestra. This is where the Nobel Foundation honours the Nobel Prize recipients each year on December 10, on the occasion of the birthday of Alfred Nobel, who instituted this Prize. The Nobel Peace award ceremony though is held at the Town Hall in Oslo, Norway.

When we reached the Concert Hall, the Hall had already closed for the day. But on hearing that we had come all the way from India, and perhaps seeing the disappointment on our faces, we were let in! The Director personally walked us through the Hall and even let us get on the stage itself. It was a extremely kind gesture from her, and something which I will never forget. I was really moved to stand on the very stage where so many of the great men in human history have been honoured.

More from the Shots from the Past series here

Photo Hunt - Theme 'Long'

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 04:14:00 +0000

Have been out of blogging action for about two weeks now. Work took me away from Calcutta for a while, hence the ceasefire. Hope to make up for the lost time by posting regularly from now on.

In line with this week's theme ('Long') here are two shots, one in color and one in B&W. These shots were taken at Muir Woods near San Francisco, California. These trees are called California Coastal Redwood or the Giant Sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum). They are the tallest variety of trees in the world, growing to a height of 50-85 metres, on average. Sequoia's are found mostly in California and the Sierra Nevada mountains.

PhotoHunt

When you walk through Muir Woods, these tall (and I mean TALL!) give you the impression that you are entering a cathedral or a hall with huge high doric columns. Being there made me feel small and humble - could not but help wonder again how wide & wonderful Nature's creations can be.

Photo Hunt - Theme 'I Love -----'

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 06:12:00 +0000

This week's PhotoHunt theme is 'I Love ___'

Travelling and photography is what I love the most. And as much as I like travelling in general, what I enjoy most is going to places of natural beauty. There is nothing more grand or awe-inspiring than being mesmerized by the beauty of Nature. I like mountains and forests more than I like the sea, by the way. For the same reason, I enjoy landscape photography more than portraits or street photography.

Enough said. Now I leave you to one of my favourite shots. A shot like this is what the effort of travelling and lugging around heavy camera equipment & tripod worth it in the end. This is a sunset taking place over Jackson Lake in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming, USA.

Photo Hunt

Taken with Nikon D40X with 18-55 AF-S DX Lens fitted with Tiffen 0.6ND filter

Tagged by Celine

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 08:47:00 +0000

Celine has tagged me here and the following is the response to her tag questions.

Two names you go by (besides your given name):
1. Nanda (Friends at school, college and some colleagues - abridged version of Ananda, I guess! )
2. Mota or Mote (quite literally meaning fatso - no explantions needed here)

Two things you are wearing right now:
1. Black trousers (I love conservative office attire)
2. Yellow striped formal shirt (Do I love being a loud dresser too??)

Two longest car rides:
1. Salt Lake City, Utah to Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming (roughly 500 kms)
2. Kolkata to Digha (roughly 200 kms)

Two of your favorite things to do:
1. Photography
2. Travelling

Two things you want very badly at the moment:
1. A Nikon 12-24 mm super-wide angle lens
2. A month off from work ("No wayyyy", says my boss looking over my shoulder)

Three animals you have or have had:
1. Never had one (not a pet lover)
2. Never had one (not a pet lover)
3. Never had one (not a pet lover)

I hope I have not harped on the same thing for too long :-)

Three Things you ate today:
1. Noodles (lunch at office canteen)
2. Manchurian Chicken (lunch at office canteen)
3. A 'Darbesh' in the morning (a Bengali sweet)

Two things you are doing tomorrow:
1. Office (during the day)
2. Go back home (in the evening)

Overall, that sounds like an exciting plan - or so I hope!

Two favorite holidays:
1. Durga Puja (enough said here, especially the comments section)
2. Christmas (less work, more play)

Two favorite beverages:
1. Darjeeling tea (no sugar or milk, please!)
2. A cuppa of cappuccino

Thanks for tagging me Celine. I hope I have answered your questions sincerely. I am not tagging anyone in particular, but anyone reading this can pick this tag up.

A Change of Seasons

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 05:44:00 +0000

This year we have seen a rather early arrival of winter in Kolkata. The days have become pleasant and there is a slight chill at night. Last year (in 2006), I was in Eagan, Minnesota (US) during winter. That was the most bitter winter that I had ever experienced with very heavy snowfall and more disconcertingly, the howling & bone-piercing winds.

The two winters before that (in 2004 & 2005) I was in Copenhagen, Denmark. Though it snowed regularly, the winters there were less extreme. The days were really short though, with sunlight lasting for only about 6 to 8 hours in a day. Even while it lasted, most of the time it remained muggy and overcast. One of my favourite places in Copenhagen was very near to where I lived - the Frederiksberg Castle (Danish: 'Slot') and the surrounding gardens (Danish: 'Have'). Right below is a shot of the Frederiksberg Slot during the height of winter in Copenhagen (owing to the snow and the poor light the shot is not tack sharp, I must admit)

But in summer, it was a different story altogether. Danish summers are the best that I have ever experienced. The weather is extremely pleasant and not too hot. The skies are clear for days at a stretch. Also it seemed entire Denmark came out to party to make the most of the short summer. The change is pretty obvious if you now take a look at the photo below - it is the same place as the one above. In summer the skies are blue and the grass is green :-)

Photo Hunt - Theme 'Flexible'

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 03:47:00 +0000

This week's Photohunt theme is 'Flexible'. This photo is from San Francisco's famous tourist attraction - Pier 39. The bungee trampoline this boy is bouncing on is called 'Frequent Flyers' :-)

PhotoHunt

Pier 39 in San Francisco is one of the most visited places in the US. It is part of the larger tourist district called Fisherman's Wharf. The entire area is abuzz with shops, restaurants, a carousel, street performances (the World Famous Bushman, among others) and many other attractions to keep tourists entertained. In most days families of sea lions can be seen lazing around Pier 39. Fisherman's Wharf is also a delight for the seafood lover - the signature dish being clam chowder served with sourdough bread. It is also the place from which ferries depart to Alcatraz island, the infamous prison-island which can be seen across the Bay. Ferries can also be availed for 'Bay Cruise' - an hour long journey which takes tourists under the Golden Gate Bridge and around Alcatraz island.

For more photos of San Francisco, see my post here.

To Bear Or Not To Bear

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 17:02:00 +0000

I have been reading PG Wodehouse since I was a teen, and his books remain an eternal favourite. The layers of comedic complication that the stories have simply overshadow the simple, and sometimes formulaic, plots that they are based on. The principal charm that his work holds is the humour and the wit, often conveyed in a somewhat obtuse language.

Here's an example that I stumbled upon in one of the fan sites. The author had himself used this to highlight how he and Shakespeare treated a similar situation - the predicament of a man who suddenly discovers that something unpleasant (a bear, no less!) is standing behind him.

Here's how Shakespeare treated it -

"... Farewell!
A lullaby too rough. I never saw
The heavens so dim by day. A savage clamour!
Well may I get aboard! This is the chase:
I am gone for ever.
(Exit pursued by a bear.)''

And here's the PG Wodehouse version. To the uninitiated (and therefore the unfortunate, in my opinion), Bertie Wooster is a recurring protagonist in many of his stories. He is "wealthy and scatterbrained" and often manages to get into awkward and impossible situations, from which he is rescued by his valet, Jeeves. Now, read on :-)

"Touch of indigestion, Jeeves?''
"No, Sir.''
"Then why is your tummy rumbling?''
"Pardon me, Sir, the noise to which you allude does not emanate from my interior but from that of that animal that has just joined us.''
"Animal? What animal?''
"A bear, Sir. If you will turn your head, you will observe that a bear is standing in your immediate rear inspecting you in a somewhat menacing manner.''

I pivoted the loaf. The honest fellow was perfectly correct. It was a bear. And not a small bear, either. One of the large economy size. Its eye was bleak and it gnashed a tooth or two, and I could see at a g. that it was going to be difficult for me to find a formula.

"Advise me, Jeeves,'' I yipped. "What do I do for the best?''
"I fancy it might be judicious if you were to make an exit, Sir.''
No sooner s. than d. I streaked for the horizon, closely followed across country by the dumb chum. And that, boys and girls, is how your grandfather clipped six seconds off Roger Bannister's mile.

Laughter, as they say, is the best medicine and in that sense Wodehouse's works can be considered to be no less than a veritable pharmacy :-)

PS: I hope I have not infringed upon any copyright by quoting the above!

Happy Diwali

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 08:23:00 +0000

Wishing everyone a very Happy Diwali in advance !! Tomorrow is also the occasion of 'Kali Pujo' in Kolkata. May the festival of lights bring colour, warmth, hope and joy to your life :-)

A handheld shot taken at Navy Pier, Chicago with a
Konica Minolta Dimage Z2 on aperture priority mode (f/16)

Photo Hunt - Theme "Classic"

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 14:54:00 +0000

This week's Photohunt theme is 'Classic'. Perhaps not a very difficult theme to find a photo on, but I did take my time about it. Had a few options to chose and then finally settled on this one. This is Michaelangelo's La Pieta on display inside the St Peter's Cathedral in Vatican City, Rome.

Taken with a Konica Minolta Dimage Z2 on Auto mode

PhotoHunt

There is scarcely anything to say about this magnificent work, I think the picture says it all. This is but an example of the heights in art/sculpture/architecture reached during the Renaissance. The Academia in Florence houses Michaelangelo's David, while the Vatican City has two of his greatest paintings. On the ceiling of the Cistine Chapel we can see The Creation of Man and while the wall above the altar is decorated by The Last Judgement.

The Book Cover Tag

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 13:10:00 +0000

More often than not, I am at a quandary over what topic to choose for a blog post. Fortunately this time around, my friend Pijush has come to my rescue. I have been tagged by him with the Book Cover Tag.

Pijush's tag had one simple rule. All that I had to do is to go to the Advanced Book Search at Amazon.com, type my first name into the "Title" field, and post the most interesting/amusing cover that showed up.

So I went ahead and performed the search with my first name ("Ananda") and the search turned up 156 results. Most search results were rather uninteresting and did not even have a picture.

Here's the one that caught my fancy the most -

Infinite Happiness : Right Here Right Now (The Ra Ananda Sutra (the Teachings on Divine Happiness, Vol. I) (Paperback)

My name translated to English means happiness or joy. So perhaps this was on expected lines. But Infinite Happiness? Gosh - that's promising a lot! Perhaps that's why the book is "currently unavailable' now. I imagine great hordes of Nirvana-seekers would have snapped up this elixir of infinite happiness at a bargain :-)

Photo Hunt - Theme 'Pink'

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 05:43:00 +0000

This is the first week that I am participating in the weekly Photo Hunt. I came to know about this from David's post. This week's theme is 'Pink' - so here goes my two cents!

PhotoHunt

This, of course, is the Hibiscus flower. They are fairly common in India, with the red variety being most prevalant. This one turned out to be matching with this week's theme - pink!

Luna-tic

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 04:02:00 +0000

Moon over Kolkata, India on 26th October, 2007

Nikon D40X with Nikon AF-S DX VR 55-200 mm lens on a tripod

Yesterday in India the moon was the brightest and the biggest of the year, in fact the biggest since December 1999. The moon was said to be 14 per cent bigger and 30 per cent brighter than the average full moon (source: The Telegraph, India). Yesterday was also the occasion of 'Kojagori Lakshmi Pujo' here in Bengal. Kalyan's blog here gives an excellent account of the occasion.

I had, in fact, hoped to capture a few more details of the moon's surface. But looks like I had either underestimated the distance between the earth & the moon, or had overestimated the power of my 55-200mm zoom! All in all, what you see above is what I got.

Somehow any mention of the moon gets instantly associated in my mind to Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. Seeing yesterday's bright moon, I could not but help wondering what it must be on the 'other' side :-)

"The lunatic is in my head
The lunatic is in my head
You raise the blade, you make the change
You re-arrange me till I'm sane
You lock the door
And throw away the key
There's someone in my head but its not me.

And if the cloud bursts, thunder in your ear
You shout and no one seems to hear
And if the band you're in starts playing different tunes
I'll see you on the dark side of the moon"

Brain Damage by Pink Floyd. Album: Dark Side of the Moon

Puja 2007

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 05:07:00 +0000

Another Puja has come and sadly, now gone. As it does every year, the four days of heady celebration (culminating on Sunday, 21st October) have left behind a terribly empty feeling, an equivalent of a withdrawal symptom.

Durga Puja is the biggest festival in Bengal. Its significance is not restricted to the religious aspect only. It is a celebration for the senses and the emotions. For four days the city of Kolkata is lit up with brilliant lights. Puja pandals (temporary structures where the worship takes place) sprout up all over the city - some done to a particular 'theme' and more modern, others retaining years old traditions and artistic styles. People descend on the streets all day and all night long dressed in new clothes. Puja also means a gastronomic extravaganza with everybody from the street food vendor to the 5 star restaurateur doing brisk business all day long.

Puja also means coming together of friends and families. Bengalis all over the world, wherever they are, wish to come back to their homes at this time. The lucky ones who make it feel special, the ones who don't - well, lets not dwell on their agony.

Personally for me, this Puja went like a dream. Most of my closest friends from school-days were in Kolkata. We celebrated like we always do - with good food! The meal at Sanjeev Kapur's Ivory (formerly Grain of Salt) on Saptami night was especially memorable. We also went out to Waldorf's on Park Street for Chinese food and Orchid's (a favourite small place at Elgin Road) for momo's, among others. And then of course, close friends coming together means one very special thing for Bengali's - "adda" (a very rough equivalent of what others would call 'good conversation').

Then this Sunday, it has all ended with Bijoya Dashami. The festivities are now over, my friends have gone back to the cities they work and it is back to mundane life. That's how it is every year - 4 days passing like a heady dream and then ending leaving one heavy hearted. But there is also hope for the future - idols (Bengali: 'protima's) are submerged in the Ganges amidst chants of 'Aashchey Bachor Abaar Hobey' (rough translation: 'Till we celebrate again next year')

Puja 2007

Click on the photo above to open link to photo album

Wishing everyone Subho Bijoya - let the festive season bring you happiness and joy :-)

Shots from the Past - 3

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 05:40:00 +0000

In this post, I am showcasing the ruins of the ancient city of Pompeii in Italy. As many of us know, Pompeii was a Roman city which was completely buried in volcanic lava & ash after a cataclysmic eruption of the nearby Vesuvius volcano. The eruption took place in 78AD and was rediscovered in 1748 (source: Wikipedia). Since then it has captured the imagination of many, and became a subject of many a book & movie (most famously, The Last Days of Pompeii).

I visited Pompeii as part of my trip to Italy in March, 2005. Since it is not very conveniently served by public transportation, we took a guided tour from Rome. Our guide was a colourful character - animated, alive and with a lilt in his voice. I love the way most Italians speak English, with their soft 't's and almost musical accent.

The shot above is of the Forum of the city of Pompeii, with the Lattari Mountains in the background. It was the social, political and religious center of the city. The shot below offers a tantalizing & touching insight into how little time the citizen of Pompeii had before fate struck them a cruel hand. When Pompeii was excavated, the archaeologists poured Plaster of Paris into the cavities left where human bodies once had been. Then they broke open the natural casts formed by ash & lava, and found shapes like the one below.

The two shots below illustrate how the houses of ancient Romans used to be. Well to do families had a open courtyard in their houses, quite literally the center of all activities in the home (first photo below). The second photo below shows a kitchen hearth, preserved almost intact under the ash.

The last one is my personal favourite. This is an ancient zebra crossing to allow pedestrians to cross the road. Note how the stepping stones have gaps between them to allow the chariot wheels to pass through - ingenious!

More from the Shots from the Past series here.

Trip to Gangtok, Nathula & Chhangu Lake

noreply@blogger.com (Ananda Niyogi) — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 09:30:00 +0000

"These mist covered mountains
Are a home now for me..."

- Brothers in Arms by Dire Straits

That is exactly how I felt last weekend on my trip to eastern Sikkim. Usually bad weather never fails to accompany me when I go on vacation, and this time it was no different. The mountains were shrouded in mist and were soaked by occasional spells of rain. I missed out on the a sight that is worth dying for - a view of the majestic Kangchenzongha. Added to the trouble caused by the rain gods was further trouble in Siliguri (the major rail head for North Bengal & Sikkim) when we landed from Kolkata.

But in spite of the hiccups and the irritants, overall the trip turned out to be fantastic in the end. Most of all I was glad that finally I had got a jinx out of the way. Though Soumyajit and I been friends since we were 3 year olds, somehow this is the first real long distance trip that I had made with him. We had planned & persevered many times before but never failed to match our schedules.

We had pre-booked the ride to Nathula Pass & Tsomgo (Chhangu) Lake from Kolkata itself. Foreign nationals are not allowed at Nathula and even Indian nationals need to get a permit to go there. It is a good idea to pre-book as the number of visitors the Army allows in each day is limited. One cannot be sure of getting a permit at short notice, especially during peak season.

The experience of travelling through stunning mountain landscapes and reaching Nathula Pass at 14,000 feet was awe inspiring. There was a sense of history as we travelled through the famed Silk Route of yore. It was touching to talk to the Indian soldiers posted in these heights. Equally moving was to be able to trade handshakes with their Chinese counterparts across the barbed wire. The album below contains photos from the Nathula & Tsomgo (Chhangu) Lake daytrip.

Nathula & Tsomgo
(Chhangu) Lake

We utilized the only other full day we had at our disposal to do some local sightseeing in Gangtok. Of course, the bad weather robbed us of the chance to get good views - but Tashi View Point, Ganesh Tok & Hanuman Tok are all nearby and offer excellent views on clear days. Rumtek Monastery is the headquarters of the Kagyu sect of Mahayan Buddism and is about an hours drive from Gangtok. I would also recommend a trip to the Himalayan Zoological Park - it is extremely unlike a typical Indian zoo. It offers unrushed and upclose views of Himalayan animals and ample scope for photography.

Gangtok Local Sightseeing

The album above contains photos from Gangtok as well as that from the resort (The Hidden Forest Retreat) where we had put up. We found the accommodation to be expensive but it was an extremely nice place to be in. The resort is family run. The food was fresh, cheap and great tasting. The staff were extremely polite & courteous. Most of all, the resort is far from the crowds & nestled in the hills. The forests that border the resort abound in orchids, rhododendrons & many varieties of birds.