Green Daze...

Traveling in "Patna Super fast" looking out of the window I am left in a green daze. Serene beautiful green fields spotted with white corn shaped grass, beautiful yellow white cottages situated inbetween nowhere basking in the golden sunlight, butterflies flittering around and birds gliding by. Heaven must shy in comparison.

To me this sight seems to be a temporary relief as what I am going to witness in the next few hours is death, destruction and sorrow. I am on my way to witness the largest evacuation of people ever in this country, the displacement of 30 lakh inhabitants of Bihar due to the flooding of the Kosi river. The green fields, the beautiful light and the chirping birds no longer make any sense to me.

I am traveling in a second class non ac compartment with some really costly gear to one of the poorest states in our country and I am mortally afraid to flip my camera out and snap away. My friend and co traveler Dhiraj was dead against it, yet we did manage to shoot each other just to keep some memory.




As I am approaching my destination now after journeying for the past three days, I am nervous of what is in store for me. I have never shot floods and I can hardly swim in a swimming pool. The urge to document this historic evacuation has bought me this far, and I pray that I can do some justice to an event of this magnitude.

I am left staring out of the window in a blue daze...

Independence Day Again

Here we had our independence day again and I observe the spirit of Indianness coming forth with the intention to make a quick buck. Patriotic movies are shown, patriotic songs are played and patriotic feelings surge forth from every media channel in order to increase their trp's. Radio shows are giving away independence day freebies. The general public is happy with one more day of holiday and unhappy with another dry day. Things move on but somethings don't change, for the past 18 years of conscious existence I have seen children selling flags every year incessantly without fail. It makes me wonder was our independence a compromise in the hands of the diplomats and politicians? Do we as people of this country actually follow democracy for the people?
My independence day would be the day when these children actually get off the streets, go to school, choose their leaders and decide the future of their country. Jai Hind!!!

Mumbai Blues

Mumbai... a bustling city teeming with millions, teaches a million lessons a day, lives a million stories a day, does it ever stop, does it ever take a breather, where is the time? Everyone is running...now and forever.

Environmental Pollution and Global Warming

Look what we have done!!!!!!!


In 1931, the same year he died, Edison told his friends Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone: “I’d put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don’t have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that.”

It makes me wonder is it all worth it? I would have been as happy in a tree throwing seeds at my friends...

Mumbai Rising

How tal will things get before our lands gives away, who is responsible for natures destruction?

The Real Heros

The madness of cricket is seen through the IPL,

The escort the Indian cricketers got after their 20-20 world cup win was breathtaking.

I wonder what kind of escorting the soldiers from Siachin glacier or Kargil get when they get home. I wonder if they get paid enough to build a house for themselves, I wonder if they are proud of us the common citizen? Do we know who these nameless faces are who died for us?Does life mean so little to us? Their blood is on our head.

But what do we know are the cricketers, and their faces...

Graffiti on the Streets of Mumbai...

Graffiti on the streets on Bandra Mumbai.... very colourful and creative...

Graffiti on street

Photography Not Allowed!!!

Last night I was at a contemporary art photographers exhibition in NGMA south Mumbai. Loved Pablo's work. As I was looking around I saw this sign "photography is not allowed", paradoxically the exhibits were photographs themselves (see pic above). Photojournalists and street photographers are facing this problem of 'off limits' or 'no photography zones' thus reducing their canvas to paint their pictures. I cannot see a rationale behind charging them a fees to shoot at some place as common as the railway station. The thought of permissions many a time deters me to shoot an image which could be decisive. I and my colleges shoot anyway, and sometimes face the consequences, but the reason for no photo zones or permissioned photo zones eludes me. Please add your views on the same.

As I was returning from the exhibition I met this good looking taxi driver. Young chap from UP. I was suggesting to him to try modeling as an alternative career and I learnt he pursues bachelor's degree in commerce (bcom) during the daytime. I was amazed at his spirit, he drives the cab the whole night. I have read about this in books and biographies of great men. This was one of the few encounters in real life.

As Shakespeare would have put it " He wears the rose
Of youth upon him" I am impressed and inspired. Way to go!!!

BUDGET BLUES

Caption: Men cook flatbread as an international flight passes overhead near the airport in Mumbai, India, on Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008.

India awaits the new federal budget for 2008, supposed to be an election friendly one, but I am sure I am going to be taxed even further, India's GDP is down by 1 %, lets see where we go,

INDIA's NEXT LEAP

For the last few days I am on a whirlwind tour of meeting billionaire CEO's in India and there is an interview before I take pictures. I cant yet name any as the story hasn't been run yet. But everyone of their talk had one common point.

The question in all the cases was, where do you see India going?

The answer commonly proposed was, India neesd to transform itself into an innovative hot bed. A land where people can innovate and where the next IPOD,s and Nano's come from. I can see us taking the innovative steak across the world but not in our own homeland. There are a million reasons for it and I am not the best person to comment on that. They say we missed out the first industrial revolution 300 years ago. Can we as a country start a new one..... It just sets me thinking...

INDIA GROWTH

The Indian story of growth has been on the media scanner for over a few years now. The economy opening up, high performance, infrastructure growth, salaries on the rise increasing the disposable income, there are new malls and shopping culture setting in, families with high value for money attitude are changing their outlook. It looks like the best of times.

I was in a a shopping complex yesterday and was seeing signs everywhere, end of season sale buy 2 get 2 free, 50% off flat, etc etc etc. So tempted I walked in and saw a shirt and really liked it, The price tag said INR700 and it had me thinking, what percentage of Indian population can actually spend this kind of money on one shirt... and to say the least, is it a reflection of the developing only for a few, is the 12% growth much talked about actually tickling down???

I have my doubts...


8 year old boys play in a garbage dump, they are paid Rs10 and a meal for collecting scraps for Rs100. exploitation at every level...

WORLD PRESS AWARDS!!!

The most prestigious awards of the Photojournalistic world is released tonight and I hate it. The single picture that should be the picture of the year is not iconic at all. The pic is about a war which only concerns one country, USA and another land called Afghan. The rest of 148 odd countries care two hoots about the war there. Even if it lasts forever it is just a money making arms deal for the United States. Why should World Press go to a pic of a Soldier sitting there. How is it of any global consequence anyway. I have been extremely disappointed. By the way all the pics are out of focus... is this world press arty photography awards... can anyone justify the World Press Photo of the year for me????

www.worldpressphoto.org

Some Great Work

I came across the work of Stephanie Sinclair in the Vii network through a friends recommendations. Loved her work. Please go through the same.

Click on the link below and search for her name and bingo!! her photographs appear... (kidding)

http://viiphoto.com/vii_network.html

Also please look at Benjamin Lowy and his work India work...

http://prashanthpix.com

Restarting My Blog

Hi All here I am restarting my blog for pictures that are lost from public view as they are deemed super arty shots and not meant for news...so enjoy the frames...

Starting with this one...