Wednesday, 28 November 2012

Photo Story As I Perceive It – Part 2

Frame 1

Caption: Meditation in Himalayas


Storyline: At Tunganath (12,500’)in Garhwal Himalayas, the highest located Shiva temple in the world, on a cold and lazy afternoon, the Sadhubaba seated on wall of temple compound gives divine dimension to the place. He is totally focused on Lord Shiva through his inner vision.

Frame 2
Caption: Journey to Salvation 


Storyline: The Buddhist lama at Thiksey monastery walks up the stone steps with resolve and conviction, to go to the Monastery. The peace loving followers of Buddhism, stay round the year at the monastery hostel even in harsh cold winter at high altitudes.

Frame 3
Caption: Peeping Out Of Snow Cover


Storyline: The highest motorable pass in the world at 18,400’, Khardung La in Ladakh is no hospitable place to be in, even in early summer. The glimmer of hope is Rinchen Cafetaria, with its signage trying desperately to peep out of ten feet of snow. The tunnel through the snow leads one inside the cafeteria. It is  amazing to see icicles hanging from the ceiling. However, the hot Kashmiri tea and lukewarm samosas (heated by microwave oven powered by a diesel generator) are immensely palatable.

Frame 4
Caption: Multi-tasker 


Storyline: The young man is a qualified pharmacist having a medicine shop in an under-developed town of Garhwal hills, who doubles up as a doctor (the stethoscope is hanging on the wall) for poor needy villagers. In this frame he is tending to head injury of a patient. In my second visit I found this guy in his dentist avatar, preparing to extract teeth of a poor villager, who was waiting for the injection administered to have its effect. On both the occasions, I waited for at least ten minutes to get my medicines!

Frame 5
Caption: Pensive 


Storyline: In early morning, a pensive looking driver on a tourist car top, waiting patiently for late risers to deposit their luggage for onward travel. The bunch of bananas over his head signifies the responsibility he shoulders for carrying safely the tourists, driving over the difficult hilly terrains of Garhwal region in Uttarakhand. God fearing, honest and hardworking people of Gahwal endeared in our hearts for our trips in that region.

Frame 6
Caption: Instant Happiness


Storyline: The village belles who came to our help when we lost our way in the hills during our Deoria Tal trek in Garhwal Himlayas, enjoy a moment of happiness to see their photos in digicam LCD. For replay of this scenario one would like to get lost in the hills again and again!

Frame 7
Caption: Monsoon bounty 


Storyline: Monsoon time is no lazy time for Garhwali women, who travel long distances barefoot over stone mud track of the hills, with their sickles in hand. Soaking in the rain with the stack of green grass fodder on their back is good enough to bring that satisfying smile.

Frame 8
Caption: Block Printing On Roadside


Storyline: The cloths in various shade of colors and printed with Ladakhi script adorn the entire Ladakh, be it on house tops, at Monasteries and Chortens ( Buddha stupas ). The couple seated on roadside do the block printing on a white cloth and folding it methodically prior to shipment.

Frame 9
Caption: That eager wait 


Storyline: Early morning at Stok trekking point, Stok village, in Ladakh, the Ladakhi child has opened the garage dhaba ( eatery ) and waiting eagerly for her parents to arrive and serve the tourists (who have arrived by car), their morning cuppa.

Frame 10
Caption: School Beacons

Storyline: The villagers of religious places in Garhwal Himalayas, do not lag behind in education of girl children. The child after her puja is all geared up and walks towards school and is determined to achieve her goal. 
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Thursday, 22 November 2012

Spectacular Water Body Images From Ladakh



Nature has endowed its largesse rather liberally on the Trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh. The barren and rugged hills in various locations are snow covered for six months in the year. The snow melts in summer months to feed its principal rivers -  Indus, Zanskar, Shyok, Suru and others, winding their way through the deep mountain gorges or meandering through beautiful valleys, which are any photographer’s delight. Nature has also not been miserly in giving classic look to it’s brackish (salty) water lakes like Pangong Tso, Tsokar, Thatsang Karu and Tsomoriri. My visit to Ladakh in 2010 and 2012 has resulted in images of water bodies, which I think is a worthwhile posting.

Frame 1 Date: 31st May 2010   

River Indus 
Location: Way to Spituk, Zingchen

Frame 2 Date: 24th May 2010 

River Indus
Location: Kidmang village, way to Tsomoriri
 
Frame 3 Date: 25th May 2010

River Indus
Location: Way to Stakna Gompa, Leh

Frame 4 Date: 5th June 2012

River Zanskar
Location: Nemo

Frame 5  Date: 5th June 2012 

Confluence of Rivers Indus and Zanskar
Location : Nemo

Frame 6 Date: 1st June 2012

River Suru
Location: Karchay Khar, Suru Valley

Frame 7 Date: 1st June 2010

River Shyok 
Location: Shyok Valley on way to Diskit ( Nubra valley )

Frame 8 Date: 1st June 2010

River Shyok
Location: Shyok Valley on way to Diskit ( Nubra valley )

Frame 9 Date: 1st June 2010

River Shyok
Location: Shyok Valley on way to Diskit (Nubra valley )

Frame 10 Date: 1st June 2010

River Shyok
Location: Shyok Valley on way to Diskit (Nubra valley )


Frame 11 Date: 29th May 2010

Lake Thatsang Karu
Location: Way to Tsomoriri, Korzok

Frame 12 Date: 29th May 2010

Lake Thatsang Karu
Location: Way to Tsomoriri, Korzok

Frame 13 Date: 25th May, 2010 

Lake Pangong Tso 
Location: Spangmik
  
Frame 14 Date: 25th May 2010

Lake Pangong Tso
Location: Lukung

Frame 15 Date: 28th May 2010

Lake Tsomoriri
Location: Korzok  

* Title frame: Panoramic view of lake Pangong Tso