Fish Market
The one in Pondicherry is tiny but rich with the sound of women auctioning off the morning's catch. It was also a lesson for me when it comes to issues of consent when you're using a camera. It was 6 am and I was yelled at for taking pictures, one woman asked me for 500 Rs. while another went on a tirade about how people come early in the morning to torture them. I wouldn't have understood what they were saying if it wasn't for a friend who happily translated for me and told me to ask for permission before I go on a clickathon. Apparently foreign tourists love such places and flock to them to get a taste of "India", and so they feel harassed. Suitably intimidated by the huge women, I meekly asked before taking pictures so I ended up with 3. Each one taken with permission by the way. One woman sounded like she was telling me to fuck off, so she isn't in any of the pictures below :) Market:
Fisherwoman:
Fisherman:
Broken Melons and Red Kumkum
Over the past few months I've noticed the tradition of breaking melons and smearing them with red kumkum to mark an auspiscious day. The broken fruit is left in front of a shop or hotel, and red kumkum mixed with oil and fruit is smeared near the entrance of the shop. A few shopkeepers near my place even did this on Pongal.
When I asked around I was told it's quite common in Tamil Nadu. Apparently, this is done to ward off the evil eye on auspicious days, family functions, etc. It's also done when important purchases are made like a new vehicle or home. If its a new bike or something, the bike itself will be used to smash the melon. Before going on long journeys, the melon is at times hung from the front of the car. Most of the internet searches I did on this topic turned up discussions complaining about the mess that's left on the road after this is done.
An interesting story turned up when I was looking for the significance of this. Breaking melons in this way is also done to mark the death of Narakasura, an evil demon king. The broken melon is a re-enactment of Krishna's victory over him, and it represents the bloodied head of the demon. After smashing the melon, people may smear the red mix on their forehead. This signifies the blood that Krishna smeared on his forehead after victory. Apparently in some places they do animal sacrifices (goats) so there's real blood, but most people choose this way as its cheaper and more humane. I've read that this is done during Diwali, or more specifically on Nakra-Chaturdashi or Chhoti Diwali.
Switzerland bans Minarets
It's sad to see the levels of intolerance and ignorance in a supposedly developed country like Switzerland. They banned the construction of minarets in Nov. 2009. and a majority of 60% of the votes was FOR the motion. Check out this shocking example of posters that were put up all over the country, convincing people to vote for this ban:
Image Via http://muslimmatters.org/2009/11/30/the-case-of-the-swiss-minarets/
The Poster says: "Stop", and "Yes to the Minaret Ban."
What an excellent example of Swiss Graphic Design! Because it worked, and the ban is in place. Of course, there are protests against the motion now, but the fact that it was passed by a popular vote cannot be denied. It makes the Swiss pretty similar to all the Muslim countries that don't allow any other religion besides their own. Intolerance and hatred is clearly rising on both "sides" of the fence.
Update: This article by Spiked editor Brendan O'Neill is a must-read: Don't ban the burqa - but don't celebrate it, either - Why we shouldn't invite the state to police our beliefs and thoughts.
Pongal Kolam's
The last 4 days marked Pongal, a celebration of harvest and prosperity. Simple everyday kolam's were replaced by intricate and colourful geometric patterns. Though of course it's always fun to spot urban symbols like ducks and hearts in our modern-day kolams! :) I'm used to calling this Rangoli, however the tradition of drawing kolams in front of your home every morning is mostly South Indian. It's not just decoration. Kolam's signify welcoming, harmony and prosperity.
Kolams are drawn first thing in the morning by women, and in some cases the kids of the house. In my experience, the bigger and more elaborate, the better :) At first I avoided stepping on them, but its pretty much impossible because they cover half the street on most days. The whole point is that it fades and smudges over time, only to be redrawn the next day.
midnight hunger pangs
There aren't too many places to go if you get hungry around 1am. The only 24 hour restaurant I know in Pondicherry is pretty shady. Everything else shuts by 11pm latest (even the bars). So the alternatives are places are like this one, serving roadside Chinese food or instant dosa.
Their egg fried rice was pretty good. The seating is in this makeshift garage, but most of the time we pack and go due to the late hour.
When I took a photograph of the painting below, I was told that it was made by a man with no hands. He had painted the picture with his feet.
The Forgotten Mini-Bus
An abandoned mini-bus lies in the middle of a dead-end area, complete with rust and enthusiastic vines. This is the view from inside the thing:
Pondicherry Port
Happy New Year everyone! Sorry for not updating in so long, but my holidays were really busy :) What better way to start 2010 than to do a post on exploring restricted areas in Pondicherry. The port is closed to tourists for some reason, but there are two ways you can still get in. One is to take official permission which takes about a week, and the other is to convince the guard to let you through in whatever way possible. It would be good to remember that we only got in on our third try so getting permission is a good idea!
It is a completely abandoned area, left to literally rust. Once you enter, this statue stands in the middle of the road.
The pier:
The lighthouse seen in the photograph below is still functional. My next aim is to get to the top of the lighthouse. Though we will have to get official permission for that. Security is pretty strict by the beach side because of "terror threats". The coast guard can be seen doing regular rounds from the beach.
The end of the pier:
View of the promenade from the pier:
Electric City
A camera lens, traffic in Mumbai, and long exposure times, these are some of the results. Check it out! :)
See my other posts on Photography.
Powai Lake
One evening in Mumbai, a 2 hour traffic jam drove me to take these photographs. Eventually I had to get off the bus, because I couldn't wait any longer and I'd missed my movie already.
Corrupt Politicians: Quit India
Graffiti photographed on Mumbai streets. It's temporary, drawn only in chalk, but the message is clear. As far as I know, even when it's erased it always makes a comeback.
It says: "World corruption champion 2008 Politicians US$ 1456 Billion in Swiss Bank Secret Account." Here's another voltage box with similar stuff written on it:
"Corrupt Politicians Quit India" - I saw this slogan all over this street and the surrounding areas.
Once I started noticing the hand written slogans, I saw them everywhere :P
The Department of Art and Culture
"Should not stand at the entrance of department;" the sign said. I was hooked, so I entered to find out which government department this was.
"Dont stand and hinder the passers who are coming to the department" says the sign in the deserted corridor.
I finally discover it's the department of Art and Culture. This is on Beach Road, and very hidden away. Check out the anti-bribery Notice below.
I found one person working in a small office at the back. Looks like he is taking account of the handicrafts etc. that are sold from here.
Right at the back I found a larger building, but wasn't sure if I was still in the Dept. of Art and Culture :)
Harishchandragad Trek
There are a lot of weekend trips you can do from Mumbai, and one of them is Harishchandragad in the Western Ghaats. You have to camp out in ancient caves midway before continuing the trek to the top. It's beautiful but tiring, especially for someone like me who doesn't trek too often :) On the way to the starting point we stopped by a lake:
The view as we just begin the 2 to 3 hour trek to the base.
A small temple at the first point at the base. Several other trekers were already camped here, and we got chai and misal, absolutely yummy after the trek, and a relief from the freezing cold. We are now more than 4000 ft. above sea level.
The main temple looks like its still in use for worship, but completely forgotten by the government or any authority responsible for maintaining it. Why am I not surprised?
We camped out in ancient caves that were carved out of the rock face. We went with an organized trekking group which arranged for our food and shelter. But if you're planning the trip on your own, you can also rent a tent once you reach the point for about 150 Rs. Do not camp here without a tent or cave because it is absolutely freezing and windy once the sun goes down.
One of the views from the second day:
Near the top:
An ancient shiv ling at the top of the ghaat:
Chidambaram Temple
The ancient temple was built around the 5th century, although it was frequently renovated from then on. It's spread across 40 acres, and you can spend more than two hours exploring the spaces within it. "In Hindu literature, Chidambaram is one of the five holiest Shiva temples, each representing one of the five natural elements; Chidambaram is space. The other four temples in this category are: Thiruvanaikaval Jambukeswara (water), Kanchi Ekambareswara (earth), Thiruvannamalai Arunachaleswara (fire) and Kalahasti Nathar (wind)." - Read entire Wiki
Women at the temple entrance:
Keep your shoes here:
One of the gates:
One of the several beggars that spend their days within the temple walls:
An old man takes a nap:
No photography is allowed in several parts of the temple, especially the interiors of the temple where all the deities are kept and worshipped. So most of the photographs are of the exteriors. Below is a stone carving detail. Note the scribbled chalk marks on the walls. It was sad to see that the temple was dirty, at some places graffiti covered ancient artwork, and even the recent renovation looked ugly. They used patches of cement is some places :(
Beautiful temple floor detail.
One of the ancient water bodies is shown below. The water comes from 8 underground wells below the surface. People bathe here by the steps, but its dangerous to go further in because of the underground water currents. You can also feed the frenzied fish, which is quite fun.
Another temple gate:
Detail:
An ancient wishing well inside the temple. The triangular grooves on the sides look like steps that would help you climb down the well.
One part of the temple had been completely demolished! We had no idea why, and one of my friends who acted as our guide and is a local from Chidambaram said that this used to be a very beautiful structure. She had no idea what happened, since it was untouched just one year back. It's really sad to see that nothing is being maintained well here.
Souvenir shop outside the temple, selling statues of Natraj, the main deity at Chidambaram.
See related posts: Pondicherry | India | Architecture
Ramoji Film City
An entire city of film sets, from Bollywood and Hollywood to famous monuments and what not. Located in the outskirts of Hyderabad the place seems to be more of a tourist destination than a place for movie directors to find their perfect location. Apparently, it isn't as popular as it once was in the film industry, but it's still an entertaining experience. A bright red tourist bus takes you around the massive place, while a guide rattles off the number of movies and famous directors that have chosen locations here.
Hollywood...!
This is called Hollywood st. for some reason, where the houses look western, perfect for a scene in a foreign country :)
Jimmy's Drive In
The gas station near Jimmy's:
A train engine which says Texas Mail:
The wild west area has several actors and stunt men who perform an entire action sequence, blowing up banks, etc.
Now for the more local, Indian sets! A fort, or it would be more accurate to call it the entrance to a fort.
Chikatpally police station, although the set was dismantled to some extent, it was worth a shot :)
A fake airport, looks like what it may have looked like 10 or 20 yrs ago. Completely outdated.
Inside the airplane set, look at the number of tourists!
One of the several palace sets, lit up at night.
Giant creepy statues that line some of the pavements.
The North-West Monsoon Madness
The north-west monsoons arrive in Pondicherry, bringing torrential rains and lightning storms. A dark cloud arrives, dominating the skies.
An absurd evening at The Office
* The sky was that dim dark blue that makes you realize its past seven and you're going to be at work for another hour easy. I was, predictably, still following up on things that were probably not my job due to the fact that we were under-staffed. Making sure the damned Finance department would pay my vendors on time became more important than design work, since without printers you can't get anything done anyway. In this case, 'on time' was long gone and it was quickly turning into paying my vendors 'ever'. Add to that the internet is down (again) and the emails are not working (again). So my numerous replies and follow ups must be done via phone. It was during this process that I had a very strange twlight-like conversation with the HOD of Finance.
[The Finance dept. lost all the bills, and I had sent them copies the second time].
"Hi, FM."
"Hi, yes Aditi"
"I just wanted to tell you that I have sent all the bill copies to the Purchase dept. again. My email is not working, so I just wanted to say that I gave it to them in the afternoon."
"Good, good. okay. Once Mahesh tells me he's recieved it, I will go ahead."
"But he has recieved it, I gave it to him in the afternoon."
"Yes but nowadays I don't trust anybody, not even you, not even Mahesh."
"Okay..."
"I don't even trust myself. Finance dept. is such, the kind of work that we do. You can't be too careful. I don't even trust what I am saying and doing."
"(Laughter) You don't even trust yourself? But how...?"
"I'm telling you. You never know if the bills are recieved, with accounts, with purchase, finance or wherever. Once I know where they are, then I will take action."
"Okay, but I gave them to Purchase today."
"You already told me that. Are you telling me twice because you had to give copies of the bill twice?" (Laughter)
I forced a laugh out of myself. I don't think giving copies of bills again and again is funny at all. "But I'm just telling you FM, that's all."
"Good, good. And once I am certain of what's happening, I will definitely take action." At this point I gave up since I realized we were having a circular conversation.
"Enjoy!" FM continued. This was the most strangest part. I had never had such a long conversation with him, but this was definitely a weird way to hang up.
"Okay... Thanks then." (For nothing, I added in my head).
"Enjoy, enjoy!" he repeated merrily and then hung up. I stared at the phone for a couple of moments, wondering what just happened. Clearly someone was making a fool of me. I looked around, but everyone was seriously typing away at their cubicles. So I shrugged it off and got back to work.
*