The Beginning.

Ganesh Chaturthi is a month away and the expert artisans are busy making and giving final touches to Ganesh idols, which will be worshiped in the festival. 

The suburbs of Chinchpokli, Parel and Lalbaug in central Mumbai are the headquarters of  all the workshops that work on and give finishing touches to the various idols, large, big and small.

I recently went for a photo walk in these areas with some like minded people. 

Some vignettes

Please click to see the intricate details in a larger image.

Taken on my Canon EOS 1100D camera

Idols in various levels of preparation and details. Material is normally Plaster of Paris.

Finished and adorned idols on display. The small ones are usually taken to homes and large ones are part of a group celebration.

Resplendent in traditional festival jewellery. The Lord waits for His special day..

Prayer In Stone.

Continuing from the previous post .

I was fascinated with the inscriptions/ sculptures and the old ancient history.  And that the technology and the knowledge to build this without any fancy instruments existed as far back as 2nd  century BC.

Taken on my Canon EOS 1100D camera.

Structures and carvings outside the Bhaja Caves

 Detailed carvings/ structures on the outside walls of Karla Caves.

 Inscriptions on the pillars inside Bhaja Caves.

Dark Shadows.

I recently went to a day trip to Lonavala to visit some of the ancient historical places such as the Karla & Bhaja Caves.

Karla and Bhaja Caves are located near Lonavala in Maharashtra. The Bhaja caves are regarded to be from the times of Hinayana phase of Buddhism, which is of 2nd to 1st century BC.

Karla Cave is the largest Hinayana Buddhist chaitya (temple) in India built during Satavahana's rule. Karla is the best example of rock-cut architecture, which is believed to carve out from a living rock. Some of its 2000 year-old wooden beams are still alive. It takes nearly 20 minutes to climb up the steep way of the Karla caves.

A temple has been built recently built at the entrance using pillars from the Buddhist period.

Taken on my Canon EOS 1100D camera.

                                                           Prayer room at Bhaja caves.

       Ruins of carved elephants (one in the dark) at Karla caves.

                                        Looking out from inside an enclosure at Karla Caves.

                                                           The glimmer of light.

Stay tuned for more pictures of ancient structures. Coming up shortly.....

Aging Gracefully.

They don't go to beauty parlous, they don't use botox, they don't do facials or use Fair & Lovely. 

They enjoy their life on a tree and when its time to go, simply float down quietly drying out, showing you their inside strength

That's what aging is all about. 

Taken on my Canon EOS 1100D camera

Clicked against wooden balcony railing.

 The same leaf below clicked against the sky.

Over The Hill & Far Away......

We have a hill and a lake inside the IIT Campus. IITians and Campusite's frequently visit the hill for trekking, picnics etc. I recently climbed it one evening with my camera.

Different kind of developments have taken place on the different sides of the hill, ranging from luxury highrises to slums. Mumbai's water supply line snakes past the hill detouring around the main green area left here which is our campus.

Taken on my Canon EOS 1100D camera.

Looking southwards from the hill. Beyond the hill in the distance is the airport runway.

Powai Lake to the left, Vihar Lake to the right and Mumbai's water pipeline snaking round the base of the hill.

Our campus in the foreground and the Powai Lake with recent construction on its banks.

Chain link fences on the hill to declare ownership but you can still look and live through the gaps.

Looking north-east of the hill, random development and the Thane creek in the distance.

Is this possibly what the future is going to be?

Paradise Found!

I live on the banks of the Powai Lake. Recently visited the boathouse which was earlier in the wilderness but now has a interesting approach road studded with beauties of nature. Slowly winding down the road to watch a great sunset through the oar-rings of the boat is a great end to the walk.

All photos have been clicked on my Canon EOS 1100D camera.

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         The offshoot from the main road circling the lake. Recently constructed.

                                         Some interesting berries in the jungle.

                                                  Mushroom sculptures in paradise.

                                                     Vignettes of a grand sunset.

Beauty and the hyacinth beast clogging the Powai lake.

Dragonfly doing research.

Rusty and trusty oar handles of the anchored boat.

Coming soon The sunset i clicked later from the same spot.

Insect India Fashion Week

"The world is wrong side up. It needs to be turned upside down in order to be right side up...."

                                                                                                ----Billy Sunday

The two insects/ants  doing their stuff below do not mess with changing the world. 

They work upside down themselves  

And just looking at their style, and  attitude, on the wrong side of the leaves, makes me wonder of they are doing a leaf ramp walk , participating in the Insect India Fashion Week......:-)

Clicked on my Canon EOS 1100D.