Sunday, September 28, 2008

Sunday Flower

Flowers, Mahabaleshwar
from Mahabaleshwar


“If you have an apple and I have an apple and we exchange these apples then you and I will still each have one apple. But if you have an idea and I have an idea and we exchange these ideas, then each of us will have two ideas.”
~ George Bernard Shaw

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Heading off


Am heading off for some time. Posts may be intermittent. But such is life.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Sunday Flower

Flowers
from Mahabaleshwar

"Almost every wise saying has an opposite one, no less wise, to balance it."
~Santayana, Essays

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Hampi. Road Trip, April-May 2008, Rock Sculptures and Structures

Rock Sculptures, Hampi

Rock Sculptures and Structures of Hampi

What I loved most and remember most about Hampi were the boulders. The boulders and the hills and the magnificent sculptures they formed. These magical surroundings house some of the most interesting structures and ruins I have come across. Those people of old must have believed this to be a divine place - as it was indeed. For this is the land of 'Anjaneya'.

I was in so much awe of these boulders that I tried photographing the mood of them. I was late getting up so the harsh summer light gives a hard edge to the landscape. The rocks simmer in the sun almost blinding the wanderer. But this is also a reality of this rocky land. There is a different melancholy and abandonment in the afternoon. The shadows under the boulders become heavens of relief which you plunge into intermittently.



Nandi Temple, Hampi

Rock Sculptures, Hampi

Sister Rocks, Hampi

Tungabhadra and the Boulder Hills of Hampi

Stone Wall and Path, Hampi

Boulder Hill, Hampi

Steps and Wall, Hampi

Rock Structure, Hampi

Tungabhadra and the Boulders

Stone Pathway, Hampi

Structures and Boulders, Hampi

Boulders, Hampi

Hampi. Road Trip, April-May 2008, Part II

Mango Tree
the mango tree

I put 'the mango tree' on top because this trip is dedicated to the peaceful time I spent at this joint just chilling and eating excellent food.

It was very hot. We finished Bijapur in a hurry by 1700hrs, exhausted. The plan was to head for Badami for the night. We headed down the Bagalkot road. But a cop on the way said the NH-13 was better. Head straight down south and then turn right, he said, the interior roads are very bad. So we headed down the NH-13 at about 1800hrs.

This road is straight. For kilometres. The night was dark. The land lonely. The road full of trucks. Hundreds of them. It was a very tough and nerve racking drive for me, especially since the lazik surgery has screwed my night vision. We missed the Badami turn. We contemplated staying in small towns on the way. But finally kept on to Hospet.

By 2300hrs we were at the outskirts of Hospet, a large town in central Karnataka. This is the jumping spot to Hampi which lies about 14km away. We found a hotel (but no food) and retired for the night.

Next morning we headed for Hampi and three days of relaxation.

The Hampi Hut Stone Structure

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Poem: Pushkin

Ring Waterfall
ring waterfall

"I loved you..."

I loved you, and I probably still do,
And for a while the feeling may remain...
But let my love no longer trouble you,
I do not wish to cause you any pain.
I loved you; and the hopelessness I knew,
The jealousy, the shyness - though in vain -
Made up a love so tender and so true
As may God grant you to be loved again.

~Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin

Monday, September 15, 2008

Sinhagad

Sinhagad, entrance.
in the clouds

Drove to the top of the Gad. The road is screwed but they have started collecting Rs.50/- at the base - supposedly to clean the fort and remake the road. Lets see if it happens. We, as Indians, are pretty good at being lazy and corrupt and apathetic. I drove alone, so when a chap with a fractured leg and an amputee arm asked for a lift, I stopped for him. He was a local and kept up a non-stop stream of small chat and sundry details. He felt that he was obliged to treat me to a tea and some onion bhaggi's. I went along because it was easier than refusing. When I wanted to head back, the dude cancelled his plans and came back with me - I guess he liked my driving. heh.

The top 20% of the fort was in the clouds. I was early so the hordes of Punekers were still an hour away. The locals in their dirty soggy clothes and their small shacks were still cleaning yesterday's dirt away. But the air was so fresh that it reminds us of what we miss in the filth of the city. The rain came in tiny droplets from all directions.

I liked it.

date:17th Aug 2008
photos by quasi with the Olympus 850SW


wares at a fort
wares in the rain

Sinhagad, on the top
food stall

Sunday, September 14, 2008

Sunday Flower

Flowers
from Mahabaleshwar

"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe."
~John Muir, My First Summer in the Sierra, 1911

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

Randha Memories

Randha, waterfall Randha

Two times I have been to see the mighty Randha falls. Once in October when the dam was overflowing and the falls, fed by that water, roared in splendour and once in late Feb when it was much sedated.

I want to go there again soon.

Sunday, September 07, 2008

Sunset Colours

Sunset, Goregaon.
sunset over Goregaon

"Sometimes it's necessary to go a long distance out of the way in order to come back a short distance correctly."
~Edward Albee


The low level clouds have gone, replaced by clearer skies and glimpses of higher scattered clouds. This one is clicked from the terrace of the building.

View Large

Sunday Flower

Flowers
from Mahabaleshwar

"To believe with certainty we must begin with doubting."
~Stanislaus I of Poland

Friday, September 05, 2008

Bacchu's Hall

Bacchu's hall
Bacchu's Hall

Same day 4 years back I shot this photo. We were at Sudhagad organizing a running race. Kaka Joshi was in charge. It was a lot of fun as we impressed the villagers with my Toughbook. heh.

Tuesday, September 02, 2008

Sunset Colours

Goregaon Sunset
sunset over Goregaon


“Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.”
~Rabindranath Tagore


Today was another magnificent sunset over the dindoshi depot. I got to it at the fag end.

view large


- next morning update!
Goregaon Sunset
This is another angle with more sky.

magic flower


wildflowers


the rain that we chased
on the distant horizon
the water thundering around
my mind confused, my senses crashed down
I just wait
I just wait for you

the cold blast of the winter wind
takes my breath away
the mystic smile on your face
takes my heart away
I just wait
I just wait for you

that mad dash southwards
to the room with the silent face
your whispers in my ear
and that magic flower
I just wait
I just wait for you


hehe, silly old stuff. but I did have that magic flower, for a long time ... but then the one who had given it to me asked it back silently, so I gave it ...

In Memory: Chandrakant Gokhale

Chandrakant Gokhale
Chandrakant Gokhale

This veteran passed away at 1830hrs on Friday, 27 June 2008. He was 87. We have lost a pillar of society in him. This is in memory of him. I shot this on the sets of the marathi movie "Dombivili Fast". I am honored to have got the chance.

Monday, September 01, 2008

Wildflowers




You belong among the wildflowers
You belong in a boat out at sea
Sail away, kill off the hours
You belong somewhere you feel free

Run away, find you a lover
Go away somewhere all bright and new
I have seen no other
Who compares with you

You belong among the wildflowers
You belong in a boat out at sea
You belong with your love on your arm
You belong somewhere you feel free

Run away, go find a lover
Run away, let your heart be your guide
You deserve the deepest of cover
You belong in that home by and by

You belong among the wildflowers
You belong somewhere close to me
Far away from your trouble and worries
You belong somewhere you feel free
You belong somewhere you feel free

~Tom Petty

Legacy code (and thoughts)


fun times

Yesterday I attended my first Techcamp after Cleartrip. It was a talk given by Michael Feathers titled "Working Effectively with Legacy Code". It was nice to meet old friend Sandeep Shetty and meet a few new people too.

The photo above is the name plate we had for our Mahalaxmi Office. That was the time when a simple printout did not make us feel too small. That was a great time at Cleartrip.