Almost Pickpocketed...

Prodded by a friend and inspired by the talk of Raghu Rai I decided that today I shall be trying to capture moments from the energetic, enthralling, drunk, procession of Ganesha enthusiasts, celebrating this 100 odd year old festival.

So me and Dhiraj set out, after a lot of "should we go or no need to go" talk. Obstacles galore, we were swathed by lashing rains, and my desire to shoot died down so I stood at a random shop window next to a mannequin, two men came by and stood there as if like mannequins. I wondered is this the way we Indians are, always waiting for the rains to pass by. Taking the thought further, are we waiting on the world to change. I would never wait if it is raining, I have headed out to the cost of twice my camera getting repaired due to moisture. People can call me careless, but I can't help it, that is just plain me. So I headed out immediately, I could not imagine how I would have looked, a pot bellied mannequin. lol.

So I walked ahead came across a very energetic young crowd dancing for their Ganesha and I was enjoying shooting the energy they had, till I reached the spot where the epicenter of all the energy was, the LalBaugh cha Raja. ( to know more about this idol pls google) I was below in the throngs, and I looked around for my co-patriot photographers and I saw Ritesh Uttamchandani on the bridge. So excited I put my hand in my pocket to fish out my phone to give him a call and guess what! I find another hand there receding, I gripped the hand like a leech and swung around and luckily my elbow caught his chin and out fell my phone from his hand. If Gandhiji was alive today he would have found his reflection in me in terms of physically hurting someone, I can never get myself around to hit someone so I was glad it happened automatically. But I was so angry that I shouted my guts out and local people around me hit him a bit. In all the pandemonium I never shot one image of the guy, that would have been a cool shot to have. Anyway there were cops and they took him away. So I decided I would just leave from there, as there were a million people around and someone else can pick my pocket too and guess what I feel another hand in my pocket on my way out, this time I literally pulled him by his collar and marched him down to the cop without one word, and the cop put him in a standing van. As I was leaving from there I noticed a good 8 to 9 stalwarts sitting inside..well a sense of false security came over me, I am not the only one being robbed I guess. I felt safe again....lol.

Please enjoy the pictures below..I tried to catch the action in my images, I am so sad I could not record the sounds for you...well next time for sure.