The true getaways in Himachal Pradesh now lie beyond its congested capital. And every year more and more tourists are using Shimla only as a night’s stopover before heading out to these greener, quieter , wilder places beyond.
Narkanda is one such small town. It is a hinterland deep in Shimla district which offers visitors not only peace but a chance to explore the beautiful apple orchard countryside.
Sep 12, 2011 | Categories: Travelogues | Tags: apple orchards himachal, baghi ratnari, hatu peak, himachal, himachal pardesh, images himachal pradesh, images narkanda, narkanda baghi, narkanda shimla, rural himachal, shimla himachal, travel photographer in India | 4 Comments »
If Petra is Jordan’s historical heritage, Wadi Rum is its Arabian Nights. Its in Wadi Rum where folklore meets imagination. No matter which part this small peaceful Middle-Eastern country you travel in, all reference points are invariably of the desert. Its just as well. Over thousands of centuries, the life of the Jordanians have been shaped by the deserts. Almost seventy five percent of Jordan is desert-like, much of it uninhibited. The civilization is squeezed to a narrow strip around river Jordan and the Dead Sea.
Sep 07, 2011 | Categories: Travelogues | Tags: desert middle-east, documentary photographer india, images wadi rum, indian photographers, jordan images, jordan wadi rum, photographer in India, photographers in delhi, photojournalist india, travel photographer in India, wadi rum deserts, wadi rum jordan | Leave A Comment »
Hornbill festival like most cultural festivals is essentially manufactured exotica. It is a big draw for exotica seeking tourists and for lazy journalists like myself who get to see the shoot Naga tribes in their tribal finery all under one roof without getting into the trouble of going into the hinterland where the real tribes actually live.
That of course takes a lot of perseverance, time , sweat and given the condition in Nagaland some degree of personal risk. Unfortunately I had stomach for none
Jul 13, 2011 | Categories: Travelogues | Tags: hornbill festival in nagaland, land of the nagaa, naga dance, naga tribes, naga warriors, nagaland, nagaland insurgency, nagaland state, nagas, north east India, north east India photographs, north eastern states of India, photographs of north east India, photographs of the hornbill festival in Nagaland, rural india, rural indian in north east, seven north east states of India, state of nagaland, strife torn north east | 1 Comment »
Why would Prince William and Kate Middleton want to spend their honeymoon in Jordan of all the places in the world? Like everyone else I had wondered about it when I read the news. But on a recent trip to this middle-east country I realised why. Jordan is an oasis of peace in an area where suicide-bombings, repressions, reprisal shellings and political uprisings are a daily norm.
Jun 01, 2011 | Categories: Travelogues | Tags: ancient caves at petra, ancient city of petra, aqaba jordan, aqaba sea port, biblical sites in jordan, dead sea jordan, desert in jordan, floating in the dead sea, jerash jordan, jordan, jordanian girls, jordanian people, jordanian women, middle east asia, middle-east, middle-eastern country, middle-eastern desert, monuments in jordan, mt nebo, petra, petra by night, petra monuments, photographs of jordan, photographs of middle-east, photographs of petra, rock-climbing in wadi rum, seventh wonder of the world petra, wadi rum, wadi rum cliffs, wadi rum desert, wadi rum mountains | 4 Comments »
It can be pretty cheesy doing the usual exotic activities a country is famous for. Riding a reindeer sledge in the Arctic a la Santa is certainly one such. Its almost like jumping onto a bullock cart or a rickshaw ride in India. But Reindeer Sledging is something much more. No matter how old you are you cannot help but think of partaking in a Christmas legend you grew up reading through school.
May 17, 2011 | Categories: Travelogues | Tags: arctic circle, arctic cold, arctic in finland, arctic in Lapland, arctic snow, arctic winter, beyond the arctic circle, cold, cold countries, cold temperatures, Europe, European country, Finland, finland in spring, finland in winter, Finnish people, finns, land of santa clause, Lapland, life in the arctic, near the north pole, north European country, northern lights, photographs of finland, photographs of Lapland, photographs of snow, santa clause, Scandinavia, Scandinavian country, snow, snow bound countries, snow in the arctic | 7 Comments »
Imagine a man thinking of making a 347 room luxurious villa for himself out of the misery of the people he is supposed to serve. Surprisingly the Maharaja is glorified to this day for this `noble’ gesture. Today Umaid Bhawan Palace is divided between a luxury hotel , a museum and the residence of the Maharajas’s successors. It still remains the largest private residence in the world.
May 07, 2011 | Categories: Travelogues | Tags: cenotaphs of mandor, colours of rajasthan, documentary photographer india, forts of rajasthan, indian forts, indian photographers, jodhpur, jodhpur eatries, jodhpur sweets, mandor, mehrangarh fort, monuments in rajasthan, omelette shop, photographer in India, photographers in delhi, photographs of jodhpur, photographs of rajasthan, photojournalist india, rajasthan, rajasthan people, rajasthan photographs, rajasthan sweets, sashi samosa shop, shri mishrilal hotel, street photography jodhpur, street photography rajasthan, streets of rajasthan, travel photographer in India, Umaid Singh Bhawan | Leave A Comment »
What do you do with at a place that has only one season? Cherrapunji the land of perpetual monsoons has the same scenery of mist , clouds, fog and the rain-washed hills no matter what time of the year you arrive here. It has already begun to rain in Shillong when I take the undulating road to Cherrapunji approx. 60 kilometers away. Thankfully by the time I reach Cherrapunji the rain has spent itself and is reduced to occasional busts of drizzle.
Apr 28, 2011 | Categories: Travelogues | Tags: caves in cherrapunji, cherrapunji, cherrapunji wettest place on earth, documentary photographer india, highest rainfall in the world, indian countryside, indian photographers, khasi hills meghalaya, khasi people, meghalaya landscape photographs, meghalaya state, north east India, north east India photographs, north eastern states of India, people of north east, photographer in India, photographers in delhi, photographs of north east India, photojournalist india, rural indian in north east, seven north east states of India, sohra meghalaya, travel photographer in India, waterfalls in cherrapunji, waterfalls in india, wettest place on earth meghalaya | Leave A Comment »
Whenever you enter a Tiger Reserve you are told – enjoy the rest of the forest and the other mammals and birds too. But that’s impossible. Everyone has eyes out only for the tiger.
Apr 21, 2011 | Categories: Travelogues | Tags: animal conservation, animal photos, animals in nature, asian mammals, bandavgarh fort, bandavgarh photographs, bandavgarh tigers, bandhavgarh national park, bandhavgarh tiger reserve, documentary photographer india, Indian animals, Indian eco-system, Indian environment and forests, Indian forests, Indian jungles, Indian national parks, Indian nature reserves, indian photographers, Indian wildlife, man animal conflict, photographer in India, photographers in delhi, photographs of animals in India, photojournalist india, preserved animal habitat, tigers in bandavgarh, travel photographer in India, wild animals in India, wildlife, wildlife in asia, wildlife in India, wildlife photographer india | Leave A Comment »
Its not just the deer the animal loving Rajasthani’s idolize. At the Karni Mata temple 30kms short of Bikaner you encounter the wildest freak show of your life. Known as the `Rat temple’ around the world, the devout here however mean serious business. The temple run over by more than 20,000 rats are revered, fed and encouraged to crawl over your feet for good luck. This temple is definitely not for the squeamish and we beat a hasty retreat from the threshold.
Mar 26, 2011 | Categories: Travelogues | Tags: ancient cultures, ancient rituals, bikaner and jodhpur highway, bikaneri foods, colourful turbans of rajasthan, colours of rajasthan, culture of rajasthan, desert in India, desert state of India, documentary photographer india, exotic indians, god of rats, highway in rajasthan, hindu temple of rats, Indian colours, indian photographers, indian temple, jodhpur and bikaner, karni mata temple, karni rat temple, mata karni temple, photographer in India, photographers in delhi, photographs of rajasthan, photographs of rat temple bikaner, photographs of rats, photojournalist india, photos of rajasthan, rajasthan, rajasthan culture, rajasthan state, rajasthani cuisine, rajasthani dress, rajasthani food, rajasthani women, rat god, rat temple, rat temple in bikaner, traditions of rajasthan, travel photographer in India, worshiping rats in india, worshipping rodents in india | Leave A Comment »
(Whenever you meet a foreign tourist in India you inevitably get asked about Goa. I had never been to Goa and had no intention to go there until work took me there in november 2010. I am not a beach person though i have frolicked in some beaches in Malaysia and Zanzibar. In comparison Goa was a disappointment. A magazine however asked me to write a travelogue on the carnival atmosphere in Goa during the year end. I must admit i have not really written so much about my disappointment in the piece.)
Mar 11, 2011 | Categories: Travelogues | Tags: arabian sea, beach, beaches in goa, best beaches in the world, documentary photographer india, exotic beaches, goa, goa beach, goa beaches photos, goa photos, goa state, images goa, indian beaches, indian photographers, photographer in India, photographers in delhi, photographs goa, photojournalist india, tourist destination in india, tourists, travel photographer in India | 3 Comments »
Jaisalmer itself is exotic enough and the smell and feel of the
desert emanates from every street. If you have made the traditional touristy circuit
like I did- arriving first in the capital Jaipur then Jodhpur and now Jaisalmer, you
will see the colour palate of cities shifting dramatically from pink to blue to golden.
Mar 08, 2011 | Categories: Travelogues | Tags: camel man, desert photos, documentary photographer india, exotic india photographs, indian camel, indian countryside, indian desert, indian photographers, jaisalmer, jaisalmer photographs, khuri village, khuri village dunes, photographer in India, photographers in delhi, photographs of rajasthan, photographs of sand dunes, photojournalist india, photos of camel, photos rajasthan, rajasthan, rajasthan photographs, sunset in the desert, sunset photographs in rajasthan, travel photographer in India, travelling in jaisalmer, travelling in rajasthan, travelogue on rajasthan | 5 Comments »
Sarahan, like most small hill stations in Himachal is a pilgrim town – an overgrown village really- where life revolves around its local God. The temple that enshrines the deity is ancient so are the myths and legends that keep changing depending on whom you talk to. No one minds the daily loud chimes of the temple bells mornings and evenings and my mother who is traveling with me as a pilgrim sighs inwardly in her serene way on hearing the first distant bell. Sarahan however has something for both the pilgrim and the traveler.
Feb 25, 2011 | Categories: Travelogues | Tags: hill architecture, himachal, himachal pradesh, himachali architecture, himachali temple, himachali town, himalayas, mountain photos, pagoda roof, photographs himachal pradesh, photographs of himachal, photographs of mountains, photographs of the hills, photos himachal, pilgrim town, religion, sarahan, shimla, temple, temple architecture, travel photos himachal, wooden house | 4 Comments »
However I was so busy capturing them in my camera that I forgot to observe. Today I realise how photography can often be done at the expense of observation. I had even read somewhere that a man can at best work on one of his faculties at one time. Engaging oneself in more than one does justice to neither. I must admit that while I try to keep my angle right my focus and exposure right I often miss out on the human details that can be observed in stillness of mind and contemplation.
May 02, 2010 | Categories: Kanchenjuna Expedition Diary 2004 | Tags: adventure in Himalayas, adventurous climb, army expedition, asia, climbers, climbing mountains, dancing, glaciers, Himalayan mountain photographs, himalayas, ice, ice cap, india, Indian army climbers, Indian army mountain expedition, Indian army mountaineers, Indian Himalayas, kanchendzonga, Kanchenjunga, Kanchenjunga mountain, mountain climbers, mountain expedition, mountaineering, mountaineers, mountains, Nepal, nepali dance, nepali dances, nepali sherpas, photographs of Kanchenjunga, photography, photography and observation, receding glaciers, Sherpa mountaineers, sherpas, sherpas dancing, snow, south east asia, third highest mountain | 5 Comments »
take quite a lot of shots of the members climbing up from the `crampon-point. I was also in time there to catch them descending. Today the team members besides Jaidev who is in Ramche, consolidate in Base Camp. According to Kazi who himself arrived here today, after sorting our some issues with his large employees, there are 42 people in Base Camp tonight.
Mar 04, 2010 | Categories: Kanchenjuna Expedition Diary 2004 | Tags: advanced base camp, adventure in Himalayas, adventurous climb, army expedition, asia, base camp kanchenjunga, camp at kanchenjunga, climbers, climbing members, climbing mountains, glaciers, Himalayan mountain photographs, himalayas, ice, ice cap, india, Indian army climbers, Indian army mountain expedition, Indian army mountaineers, Indian Himalayas, kanchendzonga, Kanchenjunga, Kanchenjunga mountain, mountain climbers, mountain expedition, mountaineering, mountaineers, mountains, Nepal, nepali sherpas, photographs of Kanchenjunga, receding glaciers, Sherpa mountaineers, sherpas, snow, south east asia, third highest mountain | Leave A Comment »
The food had been very bland and tepid until Col Sharma arrived at the Base Camp with Lama-our cook and waiter on 16th. By 17th every member is in the Base Camp except for Jaidev who is looking after the steady supply of provisions from Ramche to Base Camp.
Mar 04, 2010 | Categories: Kanchenjuna Expedition Diary 2004 | Tags: adventure in Himalayas, adventurous climb, army expedition, asia, base camp, base camp kanchenjunga, camp, climbers, climbing mountains, glaciers, Himalayan mountain photographs, himalayas, ice, ice cap, india, Indian army climbers, Indian army mountain expedition, Indian army mountaineers, Indian Himalayas, kanchendzonga, Kanchenjunga, Kanchenjunga mountain, mountain climbers, mountain expedition, mountain expetidions, mountaineering, mountaineers, mountains, Nepal, nepal photographs, nepali sherpas, photographs of expeditions, photographs of Kanchenjunga, receding glaciers, Sherpa mountaineers, sherpas, snow, south east asia, third highest mountain, travelogue from nepal | Leave A Comment »
It is daunting to say the least and I seriously doubt if the likes of Amit who stands horrified next to us will be able to make it to Camp 1, let alone the summit. I am using the old Olympus Manual camera and the 600mm lens to take pictures of them crawling tediously over the sheer vertical climb of the mountain.
Mar 04, 2010 | Categories: Kanchenjuna Expedition Diary 2004 | Tags: adventure in Himalayas, adventurous climb, army expedition, asia, base camp, climbers, climbing, climbing mountains, glaciers, Himalayan mountain photographs, himalayas, ice, ice cap, india, Indian army climbers, Indian army mountain expedition, Indian army mountaineers, Indian Himalayas, kanchendzonga, Kanchenjunga, kanchenjunga base camp, kanchenjunga climbers, Kanchenjunga mountain, mountain climbers, mountain expedition, mountaineering, mountaineers, mountaineers in nepal, mountains, Nepal, nepal mountain photographs, nepali sherpas, photographs of Kanchenjunga, receding glaciers, Sherpa mountaineers, sherpas, snow, south east asia, third highest mountain | Leave A Comment »
t began to snow after our dinner around seven. We are put up in what Gary informs me are `Artic tents’. It is pretty bland after our days in the fancy `North Face tents. However it is round and huge with accommodation for about 8 men unlike the North Face. One can stand and move around erect in it , with the pole being over 12 feet in the centre
Mar 03, 2010 | Categories: Kanchenjuna Expedition Diary 2004 | Tags: advanced base camp, adventure in Himalayas, adventurous climb, army expedition, artic, artic tents, asia, base camp, climbers, climbing mountains, glaciers, heavy snow, Himalayan mountain photographs, himalayas, ice, ice cap, india, Indian army climbers, Indian army mountain expedition, Indian army mountaineers, Indian Himalayas, kanchendzonga, Kanchenjunga, kanchenjunga base camp, Kanchenjunga mountain, mountain climbers, mountain expedition, mountaineering, mountaineers, mountains, Nepal, nepali sherpas, photographs of Kanchenjunga, receding glaciers, Sherpa mountaineers, sherpas, snow, snowing, south east asia, tents, third highest mountain | Leave A Comment »
My hands are numb and when the time comes to leave I cannot zip up my rucksack. Today was perhaps the toughest walk ever. It took me and my two fellow travellers Mahi Ram and Balwant over 5 hours of constant walk through glaciers , soft sand that sucked your foot in, boulders that threatened to roll over you or twist your ankle mortally and slopes that could drop you down into the snot-green glacier waters where one was sure to die of hypothermia even though today the sun shone its best.
Mar 03, 2010 | Categories: Kanchenjuna Expedition Diary 2004 | Tags: adventure, adventure in Himalayas, adventurous climb, army expedition, asia, climbers, climbing mountains, glaciers, Himalayan mountain photographs, himalayas, ice, ice cap, india, Indian army climbers, Indian army mountain expedition, Indian army mountaineers, Indian Himalayas, kanchendzonga, Kanchenjunga, Kanchenjunga mountain, mountain climbers, mountain expedition, mountaineering, mountaineering photographs, mountaineers, mountains, Nepal, nepal photographs, nepali sherpas, photographs of Kanchenjunga, photographs of mountaineering, receding glaciers, Sherpa mountaineers, sherpas, snow, south east asia, third highest mountain, trekking in nepal, trekking photographs | 2 Comments »
We move through glaciers, big boulders but the soft pebbly mud make it an ordeal for me. To make matters worse it begins to rain. By the time we reach the intermediate Base Camp-after over 3km of walk-I am drenched to the skin
Mar 03, 2010 | Categories: Kanchenjuna Expedition Diary 2004 | Tags: adventure in Himalayas, adventurous climb, army expedition, asia, climbers, climbing mountains, glaciers, Himalayan mountain photographs, himalayas, ice, ice cap, india, Indian army climbers, Indian army mountain expedition, Indian army mountaineers, Indian Himalayas, kanchendzonga, Kanchenjunga, Kanchenjunga mountain, mountain climbers, mountain expedition, mountaineering, mountaineers, mountains, Nepal, nepal photographs, nepali sherpas, photographs of Kanchenjunga, receding glaciers, Sherpa mountaineers, sherpas, snow, south east asia, third highest mountain, trekking in nepal | Leave A Comment »
Jaidev looks quite something when he takes the ear-phones from Gary and pretends to enjoy the hard-metal music Gary listens to. Saunta, closes his eyes and begins to dance. Jagdev says the music is best for morning PT. I couldn’t agree with him more.
Mar 03, 2010 | Categories: Kanchenjuna Expedition Diary 2004 | Tags: adventure in Himalayas, adventurous climb, army expedition, asia, climbers, climbing mountains, glaciers, high altitude climbers, high altitude climbing, Himalayan mountain photographs, himalayas, ice, ice cap, india, Indian army climbers, Indian army mountain expedition, Indian army mountaineers, Indian Himalayas, kanchendzonga, Kanchenjunga, Kanchenjunga mountain, mountain climbers, mountain expedition, mountain top, mountain trek, mountaineering, mountaineers, mountains, Nepal, nepal photographs, nepali sherpas, photographs of Kanchenjunga, ramche, receding glaciers, Sherpa mountaineers, sherpas, snow, snowing, south east asia, third highest mountain, trek, trekking in nepal, yak in snow, Yaks | 2 Comments »
The final members of the expedition arrive and we are all set to move up to Base Camp. 8Sep- Final expedition team arrives The weather has been playing spoil-sport ever since we arrived in Tapleyjung. The helicopter has not been able to make a sortie since the last one on 5th sep in which I […]
Mar 03, 2010 | Categories: Kanchenjuna Expedition Diary 2004 | Tags: adventure in Himalayas, adventurous climb, army expedition, asia, climbers, climbing mountains, fields, glaciers, Himalayan mountain photographs, himalayas, ice, ice cap, india, Indian army climbers, Indian army mountain expedition, Indian army mountaineers, Indian Himalayas, kanchendzonga, Kanchenjunga, Kanchenjunga mountain, mountain climbers, mountain expedition, mountaineering, mountaineers, mountains, Nepal, nepal photographs, nepali sherpas, pasture, photographs of Kanchenjunga, rain, receding glaciers, Sherpa mountaineers, sherpas, snow, south east asia, third highest mountain, Yaks | 2 Comments »
After breakfast we go on a trek towards Base Camp. The idea is to acclimatize oneself and I am more than eager to go even though the army guys neither invite us nor inform us. Gary for his part is reluctant but he comes along seeing my enthusiasm.
Mar 03, 2010 | Categories: Kanchenjuna Expedition Diary 2004 | Tags: adventure in Himalayas, adventurous climb, army expedition, asia, climbers, climbing mountains, glaciers, Himalayan mountain photographs, himalayas, ice, ice cap, india, Indian army climbers, Indian army mountain expedition, Indian army mountaineers, Indian Himalayas, kanchendzonga, Kanchenjunga, Kanchenjunga mountain, mountain climbers, mountain expedition, mountaineering, mountaineering in nepal, mountaineers, mountains, Nepal, nepal photographs, nepal terkking, nepali sherpas, photographs of Kanchenjunga, receding glaciers, Sherpa mountaineers, sherpas, snow, south east asia, third highest mountain, trekking, trekking in nepal | Leave A Comment »
There are over 80 yaks I am told with the herder who has the stone-hut nearby. Three of them are bulls and they snort powerfully. They probably want to mate, but none of the female Yaks are in heat, all have calves and Balwant tells me, when they wallow in the lake-they do so to cool off their sexual hea
Mar 03, 2010 | Categories: Kanchenjuna Expedition Diary 2004 | Tags: adventure in Himalayas, adventurous climb, army expedition, asia, climbers, climbing mountains, glacial waters, glaciers, Himalayan mountain photographs, himalayas, ice, ice cap, india, indian army, Indian army climbers, Indian army mountain expedition, Indian army mountaineers, Indian Himalayas, kanchendzonga, Kanchenjunga, Kanchenjunga mountain, mountain climbers, mountain expedition, mountaineering, mountaineers, mountains, Nepal, nepal photographs, nepali sherpas, photographs of Kanchenjunga, photographs of mountains, ramche, ramche nepal, receding glaciers, Sherpa mountaineers, sherpas, snow, south east asia, third highest mountain, yak herds, Yaks | 2 Comments »
However I am lucky to be in Ramche as the weather `packs up’ soon after . I am in the third sortie –today’s second and no other sortie comes through bedsides the two today.
Mar 02, 2010 | Categories: Kanchenjuna Expedition Diary 2004 | Tags: adventure in Himalayas, adventurous climb, army expedition, asia, camping, climbers, climbing mountains, glacier, glaciers, Himalayan mountain photographs, himalayas, ice, ice cap, india, Indian army climbers, Indian army mountain expedition, Indian army mountaineers, Indian Himalayas, kabru peak, kanchendzonga, Kanchenjunga, Kanchenjunga mountain, mountain camps, mountain climbers, mountain expedition, mountaineering, mountaineers, mountains, mt kabru, Nepal, nepal mountains, nepal photographs, nepali sherpas, photographs of Kanchenjunga, ramche, ramche nepal, receding glaciers, Sherpa mountaineers, sherpas, snow, south east asia, third highest mountain, Yaks | Leave A Comment »