The wanderer

Lohri 2012 @ Stanford

2012-02-12T22:56:00.001-08:00

Even for someone like me, it took a while to see people standing so close to each other and still having a blast! And it wasn't a rave party I was attending...

A performance underway...school kids in full force!

This was actually my first picture, a girl having a blast all alone :)

Pretty girls, never away from my camera...

Music was a blast and food was way better than average Indian at a local restaurant, especially the cholas, which were terrific! And chai...subhanallah! Someone please get me tea more often here...

As I parked my bike and saw a small crowd of mostly Indians, I was unsure how the event would turn out, especially when we were celebrating Lohri almost a month after its actual date. Also the fact that most Indians actually spoke to each other in English, rather than Hindi. Not surprising as even I often do that here.

Dhol, dhamaka...

This young boy all set to perform!

Ah! I love the light on some faces sometimes...

The couple recently got married, and looked very much in love :)

As my numerous Indian friends came pouring in (non-Stanfordites), the place became alive. Joking and meeting new people, and drinking even more chai, the evening became even more fun! No, I didn't miss home in anyway; but yes, it was great meeting so many Indians and having a great time with them all :)

Happy audience!

Another face, or wait...is it the same woman?

And the food getting cooked...these guys had a hard time keeping up with the appetite of guests!

Colorless

2012-01-27T10:01:00.000-08:00

I see just too much color on this blog, and considering the wet, foggy and gloomy weather here today (of course I enjoy it all), the lack of colors just feels appropriate.

The images are all just random, though most from China Town. I am beginning to really like the place, might just spend many weekends there...

Man reading a newspaper at the Portsmouth Square, China Town

The woman looking out for someone to join...life in parks can be lonely too.

Jagdish; we had the most expensive lunch so far at this Chinese restaurant! Regrets...

China Town market...

For some reason, I like this :)

Arguments on while they take a walk, hand in hand...

She was a very pretty woman...you can just see her neck here.

San Francisco, my experiments with new people

2012-01-23T19:12:00.001-08:00

It took me a while to take out my camera and start clicking, and even after spending a couple of weeks here, I am yet to feel comfortable with the camera in my hand. And I guess that even shows in the pictures I click, I am much more restrained in what I click, who I chose as my subject.

Just like any other place, there are some extremely beautiful moments to capture even here…but I am apprehensive to explore, only slowing getting into the mode of a stealth photographer :)

In any case here are some images I clicked over the past two weekends. I haven’t yet ordered the regular 18-55mm lens, so everything is clicked with a zoom lens.

This one was the most beautiful woman on the street that day, I wished she had looked up and into the camera!

The park had many artists, this one was sketching the leaves...

Another beautiful woman at the restaurant...Mama's

Afro-Americans aren't a common sight either, though they are amazing to photograph

A bit of bird photography at China Town

Again smoking isn't as common here, China Town is a different story though

Lost tourists...

Rather cliched, but she is the kind of American I thought I would see everywhere :)

He had his three dogs, he is looking out for them

Prerna getting her coffee...

Shopkeeper at China Town, some screamed at me for clicking them, while most simply smiled :)

Something about the getup, the light works here...

Something about her really works, almost as is she is Mafia...

Another pretty one...

She was beautiful, I just captured her at the wrong moment :)

Kanishk's mom!

Lady withe seagulls; as she ate, several gulls came and begged her for food :)

Pretty again on the road!

Louis Vitton...that's his name :)

Nice, right?

Unlike Europe, I find couples cuddling to be a rare sight here...

Musician on a crossing in China Town

Rather lame, but I had to use sea somewhere :)

Do the Diu!

2011-12-19T18:30:00.000-08:00

So when was the last time you did something for the first time?
I did skinny dipping with a bunch of friends in the Arabian Sea at Diu! :)

We can't ever do a trip without a jump :), Abhishek trying out something different here!

No the image isn't grain, its all the sand on Tej! I am obscenely hidden under the sand on the right

Manoj looks on as Tej gulps down another bottle of beer

Confused Salil early in the morn, looking for me in the ground outside while I was calling for him from the roof

Bijoy being the absolut Mallu dude :)

We can talk about it and frown at our own stupidity, but back then under the influence of beer in the frothing sea, that seemed like the most natural things for us to do. The ever reluctant Project Manager Salil also agreed after much dithering, though with disastrous consequences; our dear friend Abhishek is now scarred for life.

However, I must admit the feeling is great! We all took turns to describe how it felt, however, such x rated conversation might not be suitable here. But it feels good, I have already shortlisted a fall in Kerala for next such experiment, Manoj is a pro at this and is always ready with suggestions!

p.s. I must mention that this was done in high sea waves, and apart from Salil everyone came back with their izzat intact :)

Towing the ship!

Morning from our Church/ Museum/ Hotel's rooftop

A sailor enjoying the afternoon sleep

Jumping again! Salil again on the camera...

However, the trip was truly exceptional, especially because beer flowed freely and we were drunk most of the time. Tripping in our walks, bike rides (especially Tej) and swimming, we managed to survive the weekend with no permanent damage.

A few things did get damaged though, for example Tej's spectacles by me! Unfortunately he was exceptionally sentimental and every time he got high he would take me in a corner and tell me how much he loved them. I basically found all this funny, but he was dead serious. I promised him another one just like that, which so far has proved to be a fruitless exercise.

Salil taking a sunset walk...

The sunset!

Manoj, John and me at the fort

Tej trying a header...

The dark water!

We all went in our own separate ways in the afternoon of the second day; I, of course, went alone to the market to meet some people and click life. It was afternoon and very slow, a pace which went well with my state of mind as well. The lack of non-zoom lens made me click less and observe more.

I was fascinating to see two elderly French (they sounded very French) buying fruits and right next to them a young Indian man trying out new shirt to purchase. None seemed to mind the presence of the other. The tiny square next to the market reminded me of the huge sprawling squares of most European city, maybe long time back in the past even this served the same purpose...

Tej (trying to look like a Chinese here) and me having a blast, despite the broken spectacles :)

A pigeon enjoying the sea view :)

A pretty lady at the local market

Abhishek and me, when drunk we did some awesome Bollywood numbers

Needless to mention that the place has some fabulous places to eat sea food with beer. Also some amazing places to stay! We stayed in an old church converted in to a museum and a small hotel. I would strongly recommend a climb to the curved roof top in the night for a smoke, some talk and a bit of sleep. it also gives some really cool views of the town early in the morning.

Salil has an eye for good places to eat, he claims that he smells them :) So we managed to eat some superb fish as also amazing pancakes! Plus lots of chilled beer and hot black coffee. And a very pretty waitress, perhaps one reason he frequented the joint so many times ;)

The kid looked surprised as I jumped out of the window towards the sea

A contemplative man sitting alone...

John waited forever for the wave to strike for a perfect picture...sadly it never did!

Bijoy doing a daredevil stunt for the camera...well, not exactly :)

Weirdly it was Salil himself who wanted to be clicked like this!

One must be very wary of the journey back to Ahmedabad. The road is literally non existent and one would have to spend most of the journey flying in the air, no matter what you try to hold on our seats of the sleeper coach. It gave us all bad back aches for the next couple of days, and the journey back home became an inseparable part of the trip!

Also this trip marked the official passing on the 'Abhishek crown' to John! Abhi can now rest in peace as all the jokes are claimed by the new fella John :)

All pictures here are taken here by me, except a few...credit shared by everyone I guess :)

Ajmer - Eid at Dargāh Sharīf of Khwāja Mu'īnuddīn Chishtī

2011-12-02T02:00:00.000-08:00

Beautiful roses sold as offerings, don't make the mistake of smelling them before making the offering! Its strictly not allowed

It was the time for Eid again and we were in the midst of massive crowd at the revered Dargāh Sharīf of Khwāja Mu'īnuddīn Chishtī. I sat with my back against the intricately carved wall and enjoyed the spellbinding Quwwali just outside the tomb, while M went down to the women's section to offer the namaz. I sat there for a long time, listening to the words and thinking constantly, even as M joined me later. The music was still in my head as we walked later through the dargah complex, buying a few souvenirs for family. There is something about sufi music which remains with you, forever and ever. It also makes you silent and contemplative...

A shopkeeper, I loved how the danglers made the bokeh in front of him

I also bought something from one of these shops, a checked scarf which made me look more Muslim than the rest of the junta at the Dargah :)

No cameras are allowed inside the Dargah, and unlike Pushkar, security is tight. Of course, I saw people with phone cameras taking pictures and recording the events. Once inside, you are on your own, the security guards rarely leave the main gate. We did click a few images, though not the ones I would post on a blog.

I think this guy is a gangster and is making a deal to kidnap foreigners who don't contribute enough at the Dargah! I am serious...he had the look!

Just outside the main gate, there are numerous shops selling food, flowers, incense sticks and anything and everything that you might need in your life. However, we couldn't still find a place where we could eat the customary Eid meal. Of course, later we did find a great place (where we had coffee, cigarette and some nice food) which was ridiculously close to our sprawling RTDC hotel.

Oh! The pretty women...they never fail to keep my camera busy :)

A begger's child - blurred image, but I liked it

Soniji Ki Nasiyan is another interesting place worth visiting, especially for the suspended golden boats. Entrance to the main Jain temple is allowed only to the Jains and we had to make do sitting outside the gate and clicking people.

The floating golden boat

There are more ruins as one takes the lane on the side of the Dargah, eventually leading to the Adhai-din-ka-Jhonpra Mosque. Do not miss this place if you are in Ajmer. When we visited the ruins, the place was teeming with people and animals and I could take come interesting shots there. Exploring the lanes around the Dargah is also quite an experience, I especially loved the old shops selling all sorts of food.

She gave me the look, eventually!

Two old women wishing each other 'Eid Mubarak'by shaking hands, odd? I don't think so :)

Sister-brother...reminded me of my sis and me when we were kiddos

Men sleeping on the mosque floor

There is something I like about the composition, maybe its the life it captures...

Another of my fellow travel blogger friend was at the dargah on the same day. Do have a look at how her day went - Eid, Dargah Sharif and Ajmer.

A few lazy winter mornings in Nainital

2011-11-24T08:30:00.001-08:00

I haven't been home for a while and feeling quite nostalgic about it. So a collection of a few pictures from Nainital, they are not my favorite either.

Now that I look back at the pictures I took only a couple of years back, I realise how I have changed. A lot of it can be contributed to the Euro trip, where M forced me to click people living their lives on the streets. That somehow also changed how I looked at everything else around.

Another post on home - Rediscovering Joshi Villa

Tiny siblings enjoying the morning sun...

Kanishk looking into the Naini lake

A walk on the Kilbury Road...

The view outside...

I used to smoke rarely those days, but loved clicking the smoke nevertheless

Nainital Golf Course, most people don't even know this place exists!!!

Ah! Home...Joshi Villa!

Home again...

Predictable, yet pretty!

St. Joseph's School

Can anyone guess the book? Clue: Its damn famous!

That's me looking into the horizon...

Pushkar...a place to meet friends, make friends...

2011-11-21T05:14:00.001-08:00

A set of women arguing to make some absolutely non-essential purchases!

Pushkar is a small town and if you know someone, you will surely bump into them! Though we did miss a close friend, we kept bumping into NIDians everywhere, starting from the musical concert on the ghat. And with NIDians, its always a chain...it keeps extending and extending. Having made the first contact, we soon did everything which we wanted to for the complete Pushkar experience.

We met numerous NIDians here, the concert was great too!

Little Hanuman

Studious kid at the shop!

Needless to say...I am inspired with the hair!

Akash took us to a restaurant which served chilled beer, and we had that with dinner. Just as we were getting a little tipsy, more charsi friends from NID found us and we chased them to their hotel terrace for some out of the world moments. It was great to get updates on people we are no longer in touch with, hear interesting gossip about people we were in touch with, and generally talk crap about our own selves!

Ah the beard!

The crooked tooth lady!

Cataract man, but he still stared hard at me!

The clock turned its hand, and it was soon 2AM, which was also our deadline for leaving for our hotel...a couple of kilometers away. Filmy drama followed, we lost our way and walked in the wrong direction, least bothered about sleeping and more interested in animated discussions. Of course we reached back safely and slept blissfully, and also ate humongous amount of food the neat morning. But this is what Pushkar does to you, you can do all sort of random stuff and still get up early morning, eat an English Breakfast and behave like a perfect well-groomed couple :)

Laughing camel

Beautiful hot air balloons in the morning from the terrace

Very pretty lady, M's favorite!

Meeting friends also means that you get some great recommendations for eating even more food, especially sweets. And Pushkar is famous for Rabri Malpooa, which is a must to gorge on! Foreigners love Pushkar and so almost any decent place would serve great pancakes, I especially liked the nutella pancake with some black coffee. The place is pure vegetarian, but you might find eggs in some obscure corners if you look hard enough.

The ever attentive Indian policeman :)

Another pretty lady :) Red rocks!

The fair is high on music all through the day, but evenings come alive with live dance and play performances at the mela ground. Its a must watch, and trust me you would love it! The songs, dances, costumes...everything is pure Rajasthani to the core and essentially out of this world! One can sit for hours and enjoy the show, taking food, cigarette and loo breaks in between.

The dance!

The dance again!

Meditating Krishna...in the middle of the dance performance!

Also highly recommended (at least by me) is walk at the ghats late in the night. We went there around 11PM, and the place was absolutely deserted. There are enough policemen around to make you feel safe, yet they remain inconspicuous. You can click the numerous ducks floating around, or just click some beautiful night shots; or just walk and talk. You can also walk hand in hand, sing stupid songs, make movie-like promises, jump steps, pretend to be dead, or basically just fool around.

The typical Indian Sadhu! One day I will have beard like him...

Women getting ready for the holy dip!

Another Sadhu, quite an interesting one!

Pushkar Fair...a fairytale...

2011-11-17T22:57:00.001-08:00

An early morning view from the terrace...

There are certain perks that you get when the hotel where you are planning to stay messes up with your dates of stay, one of which is that you can potentially get a room upgrade (with a beautiful pink balcony, exceptional view of the lake, delightful view of an old yet beautiful temple roof with monkeys jumping around and a huge four poster bed)! Of course, I was delighted that our dates were mixed up and we stayed in a room we couldn't originally have afforded :)

A sunbathing Camel!

Gods on sale, one Krishna with numerous Hanumans :)

The fair in the evening from the hotel terrace

However, Pushkar isn't about the hotel room, though we spent quite sometime there. Pushkar isn't even a place; for the lack of better word, I would call Pushkar an experience. I regret not going there earlier, in fact even this time around it wasn't originally my plan. Its like an addictive substance, you go there once and you would want to experience the place over and over again even later on as well.

Awesome threesome...monkeys playing on the temple top

She doesn't look pleased with my camera, though later she did smile :)

Family at the ghat after the holy dip...people generally stay back till they are dry before venturing out in the street...

A halwai...

Mother-son, a candid moment...

Pushkar Fair makes the place even more special. There is festivity all around, the roads are all filled with people and colorful shops, the air is miraculously cool and despite everything, you never really get tired. We had only a couple of days there and believe me, that's much less than what you would want to spend there...perhaps a week would be a better idea. It would be a blissfully long and relaxing week, everyday would start late (unless of course a few, when you would want to go out for an early morning walk and enjoy the sunrise from a hill top or near the Pushkar lake), breakfast would be with a book on the terrace restaurant with small, broken conversations, shower would be delayed indefinitely or until you decide to actually leave to roam around, shop, eat and make merry!

The most beautiful girl in the entire town! She had the most killer look :)

A camel quenching his thirst with a tap...even people used the same tap for drinking, bathing etc!

A family just finishing their lunch

Ah! A smiling lady...not everyone hated me there :)

The place completely rocks for anyone with a camera - professionals, amateurs, wanna photographers as well as non-photographers. Its tough to go wrong with the pictures, even if that is the intent! Click people, buildings, camels, lakes, temples, shops, monkeys, crows, sadhus and so on...and trust me, everything will come out beautifully :)

Lovely kohl eyes...

I like this one, they both shared a bedi...something I was tempted to try as well, but didn't!

Radha, Krishna in a procession through the streets on Pushkar

Another one of my favorite...

p.s. I managed to break one of my lenses (18mm-55mm) just before the trip, so there is little variety in the pictures. Took a few more from M's camera, will try and share them later.

Socializing in Jaipur...camera on rest!

2011-11-09T11:21:00.000-08:00

A very relaxing weekend in Jaipur with friends, some from India, some more from Mexico. We stayed in a fabulous hotel right in the middle of the old city, and spent most of our time socializing and taking in the place, rather than clicking (which is quite unusual).

Most pictures I did take don't fit in here, though all I did most of the time was click people, happy smiling people, chatting people, eating and drinking people. Here are a few f the pictures which do make sense here...

At the hotel, a lazy breakfast, most time spent locating our missing Mexican friends!

A roadside shop selling bangles...a beautiful sight, found all over Jaipur

Ah! The fabrics...

Trying out the bangles, after about 45 minutes of efforts, two were finally purchased!

Loved this man on the street!

Tired of walking, a little girl relaxing while her parents checked out the Persian carpets at the Museum

The begum giving me a smile :)

Hmmm...a lost umbrella?

Women and kids sharing food across the window at the fort.

A very young woman with her tiny kid, she loved getting herself clicked!

I just like the DOF here :)

A couple enjoying their moment together...

An old lovely fan at one of the numerous palaces of Jaipur

Andrea and Marua in the small tunnel at the fort

Some jewelry on display, its an impossible task to keep the women away from these!

Smiles :)

Trying M's shades and attempting to look cool (and ultimately failing miserably)!

Mumbai greens...

2011-10-27T09:28:00.000-07:00

Spent a lazy Sunday afternoon at the Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Mumbai, expecting nothing and coming back really happy and satisfied.

I had absolutely no clue about the place, and when Ankush suggested a trip while we lazed at his place, both Ruchi (his wifey) and me agreed. I was keen to go out and click and the weather was pleasant enough for an excursion.

One of the smaller caves from outside

The carvings, admittedly I clicked very few of these

Ruchi inside one of the most intricately carved cave

There are a set of about 110 Buddhist caves (seriously! in Mumbai!) spread over within the green park and they are absolutely fantastic! The place is maintained well and is quite clean (though nothing can be done now with the scribbled names on the walls everywhere). The biggest Buddha is huge and his presence can be felt everywhere.

The huge Buddha!

There were very few people, I caught these two women as they ran away from my camera :)

Of course we were more ambitious and since Ankush was already a regular we decided to trek to a hill which looked far far off! The trek was nice, though often slippery (post monsoon moss) and the view from top is stunning. As you cross the hill and go on the other side, you can even see the Vihar and the Powai Lakes. Absolutely no one comes here, and the silence is heavenly. I smoked while the husband-wifey struggled to keep off each other :) Their chemistry was absolutely amazing and it shows in all the pictures I clicked that afternoon.

The first of the series - tum kahan kahan kahan...

Oh my god! These guys are actually kissing 70s style :)

At this moment I left them alone...not sure what happened next :)

I thinking he is planning to build a house here!

Ruchi looking pretty, the lakes make awesome background

See these before the moral police (the husband-wifey duo) forces me to remove such lovey-dovey stuff from such a public space :)

That's my cheap shoes...

The lakes, the city beyond...

Matheran, no?

The trek!

Pray/ Play at the Sarkhej Roza

2011-10-22T00:40:00.001-07:00

Over the years I have come to believe that Muslims are generally prettier than Hindus in India. I also agree that making such a sweeping statement without any study or taking feedback from more people, could render it completely defenseless!

A girl selling these balls outside, they are a big hit inside with kids

A very beautiful woman sitting with her kids, looking thoroughly bored

Anyway as I sat in the huge open space at the Sarkhej Roza mosque (Ahmedabad, of course), I couldn't help thinking about it over and over again. The place was full of people of all age groups, some offering prayers, some playing with Red/ Pink/ Blue balls, some enjoying the impromptu qawwali session, while others just spending a lazy afternoon under a tree and catching up on each other's lives.

The general ambience

I don't think they even knew each other, they just made an interesting composition. I loved the wall behind them!

The Heena session...

The friendly young man calling out to his friend

The old man was discussing the carvings with the younger one (not seen here)

I looked at some, clicked some, yet spoke to none (except a few kids). It was one of those days when you are at peace with yourself and your surroundings and feel happy to be in a place where you are a complete stranger, yet no one looks at you as an outsider. Even inside the main mazaar, I just sat and relaxed while others welcomed me with smiles.

Look at those innocent eyes! Mashallah!

My favorite little girl, she played football all alone :)

The girl with her mother (I think she loved my camera and gave me a smile :))

Another little beauty!

The high point was the unexpected qawwali in the main courtyard; it was absolutely fantastic, the voices, the songs and the tempo. Maybe I will spend a few more lonely Sunday afternoons there, enjoying the soft breeze under a tree and looking at the beautiful world pass by. And of course taking an occasional picture as well.

The qawwali in session

The praying women (I am not sure if should have clicked them in such a private moment)

Another man prostrating in submission

Just after the evening ceremony (it almost sounded like an arti in a Hindu temple)

Two old women waiting...I loved it!

Many who visit Ahmedabad, skip the Roza and there is nothing more sacrilegious than that! Read a little about the place here and here. Maybe the next time I visit, I will post more images of the structure and let the place cast its magic on you!

Sridarshini dosas, a dead body and plenty of colors

2011-10-16T23:32:00.000-07:00

The man reaching out to his parrot, it was quite an accidental shot...

One of the first things we saw was a dead body fished out from my dear Sabarmati (or whatever survives of it) on the banks of Sunday Market, not that it deter the mood of the market! We took some pictures (I decided against publishing the disturbing images here) and then decided to be gulped down by the market itself, that's how the experience is when you visit Ahmedabad's Sunday Market.

Nothing new about the snap, but her smile is just so beautiful

Bidi! Something to try out...

Located on the river front towards the end of Ellis Bridge, its a treat for any Amdavadi, especially if you are looking for some great snapshots or making cheap purchases. The market starts early in the morn and goes on till at least late afternoon. If you have an eye, you can possibly find anything here.

Ah! My favorite!

Old age catching on, but she was high on spirits...

A popular drink to kill the heat; no, I didn't try it out

A lone pandit...

This post isn't exactly about the market, though it formed the backdrop of all these images. Its about the people who come here, either to sell, purchase or even to just see and observe. I have purchased everything from this place, including LP records which don't even play and mournfully just hang on my walls. But its a hot hot hot place, the punishing Ahmedabad sun will extract every bit of fluid in your body even in October!

You get everything here, even a gramophone on a good bargain price!

The woman even danced for me :)

Many birds are sold here, somehow pigeons are a favorite, a man checking a pigeon before purchase

For those who do not know, Sridarshini is a popular (at least with all current and ex NIDians, and all South Indians in Ahmedabad) South Indian food joint on the new city edge of the iconic Ellis Bridge. The food is good, cheap and todally value for money :) I strongly recommend set dosas followed by super strong filter coffee on any Sunday morning!

Eid @ Jumma Masjid

2011-10-07T04:50:00.002-07:00

This is for M.

We didn't have a holiday on Eid in office, but I was keen on having one for myself. Taking the second half of the day off, I drove off to the old city. After many evenings of mayhem in the buildup to Eid (had visited the same area for some night photography a few days earlier), the streets were deserted and most shops closed. A few seen walking were beautifully dressed, and were only hurrying to reach the homes of their relatives, friends and loved ones.

A lone man praying...

I knew where I wanted to be, and it was the iconic Jumma Masjid, located right in the center of old Ahmedabad. Its one of the most enduring landmarks of the town, yet the approach to the mosque is absolutely unmarked; and if you are not looking for it, its likely that you will miss it. The guards took no notice as I walked into the sprawling complex with my backpack and tripod.

The most mischievous kid of them all, it was impossible to contain his energy!

The little girls showing off their pretty Eid dresses

Mother and son...time for blessings...

I don't quite remember the song they were dancing on, but this reminds me of Sridevi from 'Chandni'

The mosque has been a favorite with the locals as well as travelers for ages. As a design student a few years back, I discovered how rewarding the mosque was for a photography enthusiast and since then have been visiting it regularly; sometimes to click images, sometimes to just sit in the corridors and look at the life passing by, sometimes to write. Photography was on my mind, but I was busy writing till a group of young kids came to me and wished me Eid. As I took my camera out and started clicking them, their questions started.

An old man sleeping, he never got up while I was there

The old man again (no, he wasn't dead, just sleeping)

Another old man getting ready for the prayers

Though I was initially taken for a Muslim (I often look like one), the eldest girl in the group later asked me about my faith. I said I had none and this took her by surprise, though she declared that I must be a Hindu. Nothing dampened the mood though, they told me about the eedi they got, and their evening plans. They all insisted that I click them while they dance to the popular Bollywood numbers. As it dawned on them that I was perhaps a kafir, they sang a Meera bhajan and danced on that as well...right in the mosque! I was delighted, and this somehow also made me proud of my city. Despite a difficult recent history, people somehow managed to co-exist beautifully.

I just like the reflections in the water...

Another man going through the ablutions before prayers

I had hopes that the afternoon prayers would bring in huge crowds, but that never happened. The kids dispersed as it was time for them to go back home and get ready once again for the evening, and I walked around aimlessly for long. Quite unusually I met Saurabh, a singer-director in-the-making, another amateur photographer studying at CEPT and a couple of French dudes doing a world tour on bikes.

Two young boys getting ready for the prayer

I was happy with how the day went, and had something to share with my loved ones as well. A new bag, few jottings on the notebook, some images and an Eid story.

Holy crap - the super awesome Zanzari falls

2011-09-29T00:05:00.004-07:00

On the way to the falls...one can also ride a camel for this small trek

Ah! None of us, but Manoj, saw this bird...

Everyone has friends of all types (unfortunately am reminded of the latest excessively aired Airtel ad), and one survives through life with them, their support and blah blah. I have a curious friend who has an unimaginable affinity to all sorts of recesses and crevices. The affinity increases multifold every time he is on his bike, on the road, with an unsuspecting pillion friend. With eyes like high speed digital scanners, every pot-hole, every surface change, and every side dirt road is captured and immediate action taken to ensure that the bike misses none of these.

Appreciate the clarity of water here...Tej in full bloom!

Well...can't really explain what we are doing here, its just a random Tridev pic!

Blissfully Manoj!

The sole objective of the entire exercise, of course, is to break balls at every opportunity which presents itself, and this happen very often on Indian roads (as often as every two seconds). A fascination to overtake every moving object (unsuccessfully, often) also adds to experience of any ride with him.

One needs to have an eye always on the road and I would personally advice the pillion to do so; it would be for his/ her own good and well being. Also one needs to be agile and exceptionally fit to jump, raise or do numerous other agile activities if one wants to survive the journey (don't listen to those who say that the journey is more important than the destination, with my friend destination is all you constantly wait for).

Blissfully Manoj again!

I think this is one of the best pic, Bijoy the dude!

So for the curios ones who are wondering why this unusual conversation on a travel blog, well...its just a break from the convention as the post is about a trip we friends made, yet not only about it. The place is called Zanzari falls, and is located about 80 kms from Ahmedabad. For anyone interested in reaching there, use tools like google map etc, but do take my recommendation and do visit it before the water dries off. Right now is perhaps the best time for the place, with water just a foot above your heads at the deepest and some awesome flow.

It isn't exactly a photography heaven, unless clicking unknown/ random men in their inner-wear is your genre (and no we had proper swimming trunks, the comment was purely general and informational in nature). Apparently taking such pictures is our specialty and we had some good hands-on experience that Sunday. A few birds/ trees/ rocks can also be clicked, if you have Manoj's eyes and his zooooom lens.

For some unknown reason they wanted to play dead and get clicked, Manoj's soul just returned at this instant (as water entered his mouth) and get got up!


After trying the baba pose, we decided to abuse Bijoy (who was half in water and clicking us)!

The pictures are just a blatant attempt at showing some skin here to get more people to come and see my blog. Also these have been used without any prior permission of the unsuspecting men in them.

For anyone still curious about the bike friend, well...its Tej!

Note: The camera used is Manoj's D5100 and pictures have been clicked by all of us...

The beauty never ends...more women from Tarnetar...

2011-09-13T10:10:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite, this woman laughed uncontrollably...finally spilling her chai also :)

None of us in the group were married, though some are close to getting hitched soon. For us men it was impossible to make an umbrella and declare our availability, so we insisted that the girls wear red skirts and pretend to be available. The plan didn't work out and we all looked completely out of place and like regular urban visitors (from US or at least Mumbai, or so I was told).

This is from a distance, this girl had no idea I was clicking her

Perhaps the most scandalizing, yet pretty picture on my blog!

She had a sad face, but I really liked the colors on her

A few women, many layers of clothes

Women watching came to me much later, only after we were completely exhausted in the sun and running dangerously short on our water supplies. And as soon as I started clicking, others called for an end to the stay at the fair. Of course I found this to be a good time to disappear with my camera and to start clicking.

A classic pose, I think she had no clue how good she looked that day!

The lady was pretty but stern

The pretty little girl, the only one I saw dressed in dull clothes...

Sometime around this time Roshni almost collapsed and Tej came to her rescue by giving her company in our blazing hot Tavera along with Khalbali. With Manoj, Vishakha and Bijoy missing and still looking for the elusive umbrellas and red skirts, I got some more time for conversations and occasional pictures. Dead with the heat and lack of water, I gained some energy with the huge bananas on sale there!

The husband in the foreground, I loved the pose...

Most had their head covered due to the heat...

Two women fighting the sun!

Shortlisting the pictures was the toughest part of making these posts, and I ended up using those that I connected with the most. While some of these ran away from me, most warmed up to have small talks. Almost none of them had a problem with me clicking them, including the men with them. Often others around them would tease them, and then I would have to click many many more of them. But I loved it all, and I hope so did they.

She was dressed in red and was eating bright red watermelon...

Such a serene face...

Ah the smile! Wonderful!

I didn't exactly give her any money, but I think she was happy with the pics :)

Another one of my favorite...She had beautiful light on the hair

I have some very interesting pictures of the men as well, especially from the men's only area around the temple pond. Tej found them all scandalous, and so a post can never be made about them.

The women of Tarnetar

2011-09-04T22:42:00.000-07:00

This little girl was possibly the prettiest one there. I chased her for quite some time for a little glimpse.

Tarnetar is an annual fair which happens around the Tarnetar Shiva temple near Surendranagar, Gujarat in the month of September. Men and women from the surrounding areas come and look for a partner to get married. The festival is, in fact, women centric as they are the ones to pick the man whose umbrella they like the most. I won't get into the details and more could be read here.

During the fair, the artisans also live close by. This woman cleaning after the afternoon meal...

The bandit - bangle seller with a golden tooth

Such a beautiful old woman...she had such grace!

Half scandalized by my camera focused on her, she also laughed constantly :)

Mother-in-law/ daughter-in-law, or so I think!

She gave me one of the brightest smiles for the day!

Generally smiling, she went into a pensive mood when I started clicking

There is lots to talk about, yet I choose the women that I saw there to be the subject of this post. I spoke to many of them in my halting Gujarati, though most didn't understand one bit of it. They thought of me to be someone from the press or even better from USA (extremely common in Gujarat).

This young woman posed for me like a professional! She had an intense gaze...

The boisterous woman ignored me completely :)

Apart from the yellow, pink and orange, green is the other very popular color!

I cannot do justice to them all in post, so there would be another follow up post with some more images. So often the images all look the same, but its far from the truth. Each face speaks its own story, each set of eyes hides its own set of secrets. Look carefully and you will see them all.

A visitor, surprisingly in muted colors by the fair standards

Another very beautiful woman...

The water girl, serving water for free...

Really liked her profile, didn't chase her as her husband was right next to her!

A mother, so full of poise...

She was beautiful, of course, yet her jewellery pulled me the most...

Chittorgarh, the legend...the history...

2011-09-03T21:30:00.000-07:00

Gaumukh Bawli

The fort is famous for many landmarks, but my favourite are the - Gaumukh Bawli (Cow-mouth water reserviour) and Vijay Stambh (Victory Tower). It was an image of this Bawli which Tej innocuously shared with me on Friday morning which convinced me to visit Chittorgarh, with friends or simply on my own. The Bawli is fed through natural water and is full the whole year. As the day changes, so does its beauty. From the hustle bustle of morning when men come and take a holy dip, it turns into a serene seductress with golden walls and green water by the time sun sets.

Situated on the rear edge of the fort, its water is supplied through a cow-mouth like opening all through the year, hence the unusual name. A tunnel connects the bawli with the Queen's fort through which royal women used go there, hidden from the eyes of the men, though now its closed for public.

Gaumukh Bawli from the other side

Men with elaborate padgis going down into the bawli to pray

I was amazed that people were still allowed to climb on the Vijay Stambh, most such structures have been locked in India (including Qutub Minar). Its a cramped climb of eight stories, sometimes in absolute darkness on tiny and narrow steps, with people walking up as well as down at the same time. There are still moments when you are completely alone in that darkness and its a great feeling. I loved it and even managed to click some pictures, though the famed view from the top was disappointing.

The majestic Vajaya Stambh

View of the town through the fort wall, the blue houses are simply stunning

A woman inside the Vijay Stambh, typical beautiful Rajasthani sari...

One of the lit sections of the steps, rest of it was completely dark though

My guide told me that a request to walk the entire fort was rare and not more than two such requests came in an year, I was impressed and proud of myself. However, by the time the day ended, I realised why most people preferred vehicles to see the place. My feet ached and all my body wanted was a chair/ bed/ floor to lie down. The absence of any meals and my chappals added to the misery. But then it rained once more and I could finally walk barefoot in water...it was therapeutic.

Jharokha at Ratan Singh Palace

The fort wall...we walked on it for a long time in a light drizzle...

Chittorgarh is a town swathed in history, perhaps another reason why I was so keen on visiting the place. The list of illustrous rulers is huge and each one has a very interesting story to tell. One of the most famous story is that of Rani Padmini and how she threw herself into the raging fire with thousands of her maids, once her Rana (king) was murdered and the invading king (Khilji) obsessed with possessing her came for her. The act came to be known as Jauhar, and was repeated twice again after this; everytime an invading army won the palace women immolated themselves rather than fall into slavey in their palaces.

An old toothless and almost blind Meerabai bhakt, mesmerizing silky voice though

Another very intriguing story is that of Meerabai who was married to the King of Mewar, but never accepted him as her husband. For her she always belonged to Lord Krishna, and sang bhajans for him which are popular even today. I find the tolerance of the king commendable as he allowed his own wife to belong to someone else, there is even a temple within a fort dedicated to her. We always read about her even in school as part of Bhakti movement, but somehow the story now seems more real.

A lane in the old town, most houses are beautifully painted in blue

As I write this, I am down the hill in the new Chittor town, waiting for my bus. Tired and waiting to sleep, I am glad that I could live one of my dreams today.

I lived a dream...Chittorgarh...

2011-08-30T01:55:00.008-07:00

Chittor new town from the top

It was a long dusty day, and the sweltering summer heat and AC-less car ensured that we were drenched in sweat, mud and sand. In the pre-bottled water era of the mid nineties, we were carrying water in a huge Milton container. At the same time, dad and me were also trying to convince amma and sis that we should take a detour to Chittorgarh, instead of going directly to Udaipur. That day we both failed, when faced with the unrelenting women in the family.

Cows in the early morning, waiting with me for the museum to open :)

I thought of all this and more as I called my sis (now married with two kids) and told her that I was finally in Chittorgarh and sipping chai right in front of Vijay Stambha (Victory Tower), one of the most enduring landmarks from the fort town. We both remembered and laughed about that day, but she was really happy that I was finally here. It took me 16 full years before I could do what I wanted to do as a school going kid...

Entrance to the main palace, we are getting ready for the first rains

The palace from inside

In one word, Chittorgarh is simply stunning! One of the oldest surviving forts in India, it was originally built by the Mauryas approximately in the first Century AD. Since then it has changed hands numerous times, but its grandeur only increased with time. It was only in the beginning of the last century that the consistent repair work on the fort stopped and it was left to die a slow death. Today its a fort in decay, yet the marvelous past will meet you at every single building that you visit.

Steps up to one of the oldest temple within the fort

Another upset Rajasthani woman!

I was traveling alone and reached the fort well before the town got up completely (i.e. around 6 am). I was keen on staying within the fort itself and so had to stay at the Birla Dharmashala, the only option for accommodation on top (I realised later that there are also no restaurants within the fort, so lunch or dinner unless you inform the Dharmshala in advance). At Rs. 200, it was decent room, though I left it before 7, ready to explore!

King's palace

One of the few completely intact temples

Ratan Singh palace

The Chittor fort is simply huge and if you intend to go beyond the usual tourist places, you would surely need time as well as a guide. I had time, and took a guide (something I usually skip). Prakashbhai was great, always ready to help me out, whether I wanted to climb up a gate, a wall, or simply walk on the fort wall in the rain. He was on a fast, and I had to u unitentionally skip all meals as I had no clue about the lack of food within the fort. I drank cups and cups of tea, till I managed to find a shop selling packaged chips, and later a kirana store selling five star bars!

Beautifully dressed local woman

Before she could stop me, I shot her :)

The tale continues in part 2...

A condom, just in case...

2011-08-27T07:35:00.004-07:00

More stories flow from the weekend which is long gone already...

The super stars of tomorrow :)

A condom, just in case...

As we were on our way to the Ratangad, one of us declared how he always carried a condom in his wallet. His mantra was to be prepared just in case...

Hmmm...a good one again by Manoj!

Abhi...is he high?

With our 'other' guide...

Since we were a group of five grown-up men trekking to live in a cave, this precaution seemed highly unnecessary unless the plan was to meet a nubile village belle on the hill top (less than remote possibility), or doing a goat (much less remote) or letting the demon out and playing mischief while we were all high and sleeping in the cave.

However, from what I finally understand the packed remained unused, though none of us checked!

A bottle for all purposes

The story of plastic bottle/s we refused to part with during our trek, the bottled went up, was abused and then had to come down as well, only to find its resting place (for a while at least) in a dust bin...

The dude of all dudes...

The Abhi giving his best smile :)

We were a group of sensitive men and were keen on not leaving any ecological footprint no matter how tough to carry the waste. Especially odd was carrying the bottles without crushing them (Tej had ideas he wanted to try in the cave), though these were useful in collecting water before the morning ablutions. However as we wore our wet clothes and went out to provide fodder to the overgrown flora, the excessive showers ensured that no extra water was necessary.

However, continuing our Dediapada tradition, the potty jokes continued through the trip, often fed by Abhishek's own fears and nightmares :)

The walk down the falls...

The last day of the trip was spent doing random and aimless trekking at Dugarwadi, a beautiful weekend getaway near Nashik.

This is good!

On the edge!

The jungle instincts are on!

We often decided to walk away from the trek and went into the forests, and it was awesome out there. We would be out of our clothes in seconds if we saw any water body, especially Manoj who turns into a Mahatma when in water.

Hahaha...damn funny! What exactly is Abhi doing here???

We walked down to the falls, though unfortunately missed out on going right to the bottom as we had no clue that a trail existed.

Ah! The dudes :)

Manoj and me wandered separately into the meadows, while the rain kept growin steadily. Walking in costant rain had stopped bothering us completely a long time back and so had slippering in the mud. Our paths crossed in a far off field, but by then both of us had lost the trail completely. Much more aimless wandering and we found a couple of drunk guys waving their jackets to us, and we had to head back to the car. A worried Bijoy welcomed us on the trail which was already flooded and looked more like a fast flowing mountain river.

Drenched near the falls...

Manoj attaining Nirvana, not exactly reaching too far high up though!

Fauna of Ratangad

Frankly speaking we failed to meet anyone, including the monkey attack on our cave/ tent in the night. Manoj did, however, manage to find these to showcase to our readers! It seems efforts are being made to conserve these for the future generations of trekkers.

An exotic dog

An exotic bovine

An exotic crow

Meet the family

Actually the Lumium family. It was a perfect tear jerker moment when the two separate groups accidently met at Ratanwadi. Our group had all singles, and the other one had couples and kids.We all hugged, ate omelets, smoked cigarettes, and took numerous group pictures. It was a typical filmy family saga moment.

All of us in one nicely taken picture :)

So what next? We have Kalsubai and harishchandragad peaks in sight for our next Sahyadri outing, though it might have to wait till the end of this monsoon season.

And the boys climb higher and higher...

2011-08-18T05:49:00.008-07:00

An illustration of the last leg of the trek. Courtesy Vikram Tej :)

The only picture of us all!

Its a random collection of thoughts from an amazing weekend of trekking. The five of us (Manoj, Vikram, Abhishek, Bijoy and me) had the best of our time walking and slipping through the Sahyadris. The following are some tiny snippets from the trip, the first ones that come to my mind, in no order whatsoever. More will follow in the days to come. The pictures are random too, since we could take none during the trek due to the rains...

Part of the gang, Manoj busy clicking us selflessly :)

The Climb to the fort

Bijoy from Bijoy's camera!

Abhishek sliding down fast into us!

As I climbed up the second stairs, I was left confused as the trail led nowhere. There was just a steep hill with a recess and lots of water falling down directly on my face. The guide called back again from behind me and asked me to continue walking. Surely we were not expected to climb up on this steep rock cut! I moved on, having little choice and no clue about how to move forward. It’s great when survival instincts take over and lead you, the mind works independently and leads the body.

The few tense minutes passed, so did the climb up on the rocky and extremely slippery steps leading up to the fort in constant rain. We were relieved, till it dawned upon us that tomorrow morning’s climb down would be even more challenging. Abhishek flatly refused any further walking and insisted that we call a helicopter for a rescue operation :)

The bonding moments (through the night)

We saw the vibrant colors in the cave only later, the night was too dark to notice anything!

Sleeping comfortably, before Tej and Bijoy also squeezed in!

Lack of preparation ensured that the five us had to sleep in a tent originally meant for only two grown up men. A few clicks and some random jokes later, we were ready to sleep around 8 pm in the cave temple in the fort. Manoj, Tej and me continued talking for a while more, while Abhishek constantly complained about falling water, while Bijoy snored loudly. I was stuck in the middle between the huge frame of Manoj and absolutely unrelenting Tej, and had to wake them both up through the night to even turn! The cold weather, gushing water, pitch darkness and crushed bodies came to define our long night of bonding!


Tej's body hair ensure nothing else is seen in the picture.

The trek

The disappearing falls...

Plastic bags working in the fields!

The dog had no name, but it surely was faithful. It followed us through everything on the way, including some crazily flowing water in the rivers on the way. His faithful partner also gave us company. We were wet right from the beginning as it rained insistently. Soon we didn’t even notice the water, as our eyes strained to look beyond the mist at the hills, trees, falls and each other. The heavy bags too disappeared as our body accepted them as part of our bodies, only to reappear towards the end. The small meadows, the steep climb, the slippery stones, falling bodies and lack of camera was how the trek went.

The ride to Ratanwadi

Trying to be a dude!

Tej the dacoit!

Bijoy after a close call with a villager's potty!

Tej doing his trademark jump!

Nashik to Ratanwadi is one of the most beautiful drives, especially in the monsoons. The greenery all around rejuvenates the senses, while the constant rains whet them. A punctured tyre, funny raincoats, chai with more than a ton of sugar, and constant jokes set the tune for the trip. Ratanwadi was our base camp and as the trek to Harishchandragad failed to take off due to excessive rains and overflowing rivers, it became the end of our trek as well.

Manoj missing again, we at Bhandardhara

P.S. Almost all images are courtesy our official photographer for the trip Manoj and his D5100 (with 55-200 VR lens). The rest are by Bijoy (through his Nokia), Tej (Sony) and Handu (our guide)...

Note: Do read about our other trip together to Dediapada almost an year back...

Some more Odisha through the lens...

2011-08-04T08:55:00.002-07:00

Another set of images from Odisha (I guess the name is no longer Orissa)...

A pandit looking out into the busy bazaar...

Just a man smoking on the road,
I didn't light my cigarette till evening out of Snehal's fear

A very corny looking Oriya movie poster, I loved it :)

Another woman unimpressed with my camera

Mr. Dude actually made me take his picture as he smoked happily

He knew exactly how to pose, even before I took out my camera to click :)

She is lovely...

Some love making on the walls of Konark Sun temple,
this one remained with me long after the trip got over

Muz, Snehal, Kiran and Bhavin attempting to pose like Kiran!

Saajan ki baahon mein - Sangeeta running into Vijay's arms...

Lovely Snehal :)

Leisurely in Orissa...

2011-07-27T09:00:00.004-07:00

The breaks between posts seem to be growing longer and longer, though I am traveling as much as I always did...

Posting a series of pictures here from Orissa, these are taken either by Muzayun or me. After quite sometime, the pictures are less about architecture of the place and more about the people on its streets. A bunch of us was there for a friend's wedding, but ended up being more of tourists than baraatis!

More than anything else, its the colors in the state which stand out. Especially when its monsoon time and the weather is heavily pregnant with possibility of rains, these colors are absolute mood up-lifters.

Hopefully there would be time later on to write more about my experiences...

A quick lunch at Mumbai's famous Britannia before we took the train to Puri, the fish was the toast of the afternoon apart from some rather funny conversations with the owner

With Nandita (as usual all my pictures are almost always taken by Muz) outside Britannia

Finally in Puri, on the way to the temple...

Bright colors were all around on the cloudy morning. The sarees looked beautiful!

Muz was extremely keen on clicking all the beggars...Snehal walking away from one.

Our roadside vendor with some bright colors, everyone was pleased to be clicked :) I was tempted to take a beedi drag, but managed to refrain :)

Another beggar clicked by Muz...

Snehal and me eventually bugged him with our attempted 'candid' photography!

Another beautiful woman in a saree...

I simply adored the small temple on the wall, no great pictures as it was an extremely busy junction...

Daulat Mahal and its very original graffiti, Idar

2011-07-03T13:31:00.001-07:00

As you walk up the steps to the 'Daulat Mahal' (originally Idariyo Gadh, or Palace of Wealth in English), the ruins look anything but impressive. This was my second visit to this Palace in Idar, and I wasn't expecting much this time either. We were all tired and sweating profusely, but were nevertheless keen on visiting this prominent landmark in the town.

The palace ruins through the rocks

A beautiful yellow block on the second level

There is little history shared at the entrance and all I could figure out from the local 'pan shop' was that this was built by a Jain king who controlled a few thousand villages around Idar. Looking at the rather humble palace, one could say that he was rich but not extravagant; or maybe most of the glory is already lost. He married at least twice. When he got his new wife home, the older one was furious and left the king for good. He built her a small palace atop the highest hill close to his own Palace where she lived in company of a horse and another maid.

Tej flaunting his assets in air!

The gang (am missing)!

The palace is all but destroyed by both nature and man. No past glories remains within the palace, except a few impressive arches. However, something unintentional has happened over the years as men and women professed their love for each other on the walls, ceiling and floor of the palace. Every part of the palace is covered with these words, often black with a few colors thrown in sometimes. The fact that most of these talk about love makes them even more wonderful.

Tej with the full-on attitude!

Another friend in love!

Graffiti art

And some of these are actually very beautiful. Since there is little left to be seen in palace, it was a pleasure to acquaint oneself with various modes of wall art. Though most have used the walls for writing, a few are also engraved on the walls and floor.

Art on the floor

Graffiti art

Some art on the walls!

Any opinions on this bizarre art destroying an old palace? The new art is already a part of the experience of visiting the palace, but is it art at all? Should this be retained, if the palace is ever restored to its former glory?

Daman, the often 'ignored' cousin

2011-06-16T10:02:00.003-07:00

It was a warm and sweaty morning when we checked into our resort at Daman. The fact that we had reached earlier turned out to be an unexpected boon as we spent the next two hours immersed in the superb pool sipping beer, and making some absolutely hilarious attempts at diving into the water. We were both learning freestyle at the time, and flaunted it to one and all.

Boats ready to take you into the sea...

I had planned a trip to this tiny union territory on numerous occasions in the past, but was almost always discouraged to do so hence never really made it here. Daman's more exotic cousin Diu had always taken away not just tourists, but also limelight from this little lazy town.

A narrow lane in Motidaman

Daman (along with Diu) had been Portuguese colony for over 450 years and was integrated with the Indian union only in 1961. The Portuguese legacy, however, lives on - in life, in buildings (churches, schools, forts and so on). The Portuguese connection also makes the town a little more exotic for many travelers, though not all. Being the closest wet region in South Gujarat, its a popular destination for those who want to wet their throats occasionally close to home. Beer flows at every corner and one can see the young crowd absolutely in the mood. However, the place is safe for one and all, and hooglism is rare.

The Chapel of our Lady Rosary located within the fort

The Chapel of our Lady Rosary

Daman fort

Boats seen from the Daman fort

There are many places to see, like the forts and the churches and the beaches, however, I would recommend a boat ride into the sea between the Nanidaman and Motidaman. Its a simple ride, but during sunset it transforms into something magical. The boats and the rippling water turns golden as the sun begins to set and birds hover in the sky.

The golden sunset once again!

The boat ride into the sea while the sun was getting ready to set...

Me walking into the sea - Jhampore beach

Carriage ride at the Jhampore beach

The Church of Bom Jesus is huge, gorgeous and one of the main attractions in the town. But even then it would be deserted most of the time. Located within the Motidaman (which is also the heritage part of the two Damans), its one of the best surviving Churches in the area. Flanked by old houses on the sides and tree lined roads, the walk to the Church from the jetty is awesome.

The Church of Bom Jesus

Interiors of Church of Bom Jesus

The Church again

The place is teeming with resorts for tourists and will meet most budget requirements. I would recommend staying in a place with a pool for sure, that would be the best way to kill the afternoon heat in summers. Travel with your friends, drink lots of beer, immerse in the sea water and take some wonderful memorable pictures. With good company, it would be a worthwhile place to visit.

The port wine, it was so bad we had to eventually throw it into the sea!

Some psychedelically attractive light...
extremely representative of the night life here...

Udvada and a brief history of Parsis in Gujarat

2011-05-20T11:09:00.004-07:00

As the sun set and the sparsely populated town plunged into darkness, we sat on the open balcony in front of our rooms and enjoyed our dinner. Power failures are not unusual in this holy town it seems, and the locals blame the apathy of the government towards them. We had power in our hotel and so could spared of the mosquitoes and the heat.

Holy Parsi icons

Udvada is located in the south of Gujarat near the popular union territory of Daman. It’s the holiest pilgrimage site for all the Parsis in India and abroad and they are the most common visitors here. An old fire temple is located right in the heart of the small town, and life for most visitors is centered around that. Here is a quick account on how this place came about...

On the way to the holy temple

Iranshah Atash Behram

A shop outside the temple...

When Persia was invaded and local Parsis harassed to convert, some of them fled the persecution and came to the Indian subcontinent in ships. Diu is where they landed first, and from there to Sanjan; as Sanjan was plundered they shifted base to Udvada and made it their home. As people traveled, the holy fire also traveled with them (the fire had come from Persia with the people) and it finally found its permanent place at Udvada. The fire temple here is known as Iranshah Atash Behram and its believed that the fire here has been burning continuously for over 1250 years.

A stroll after a visit to the temple

No non-Parsi is allowed access to the their holy fire temples (also known as Agiyari) though you can see the building from outside, take pictures and buy the memorabilia sold outside. For non-Parsis like us, there was still a lot to do. The place is known for superb Persian food, and my Persian partner hogged on it on every meal while I ate the humble potato and bhindi. You can walk around in the town for hours without getting bored, its full of old and beautiful roads and mansions which can easily take you back in time. Walk around and observe the local life, though most of the places look deserted. Most people will oblige for a picture, though some might take offense, so be careful with the camera.

A deserted square in the town

Udvada is on the coast, and the walk on the beach is a charming experience, especially around the sunset. It’s not exactly the kind of beach where you would want to get into the water, but it’s a great place to stroll and take pictures. There are old houses which dot the coast and they make a welcoming backdrop for some great pictures. Kids playing cricket, women sitting alone looking at the setting sea, dogs rolling on the ground and a smoke made sure our time was well spent.

Kids playing cricket

The sea! The sea!

Some local women enjoying the sunset

Us :)

Lots of Parsis living in Mumbai own some property here, and we also met such a lady who originally thought that we were a Parsi couple! It was very flattering; especially to me as my family has no Parsi connection, at least not yet.

A shop/ home in the late evening as we walked back home

Udvada is connected by train from both Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Make sure you travel in AC Chair Car and not First Class, unless you enjoy melting in the afternoon sun. Carry lots of water, if you traveling at this time of the year, eat lots of food and let the space grow on you; it makes for a perfect slow weekend away from home.