My pictures with their little stories

Tabo monastery, Spiti Tabo Monastery in Spiti Valley , Himachal Pradesh was established in the year 996. It is the oldest continuously operating Buddhist enclave in both India and th e Himalayas. Loved it for the rustic and simplistic approach apart from the wonderful textural quality of its surfaces. This picture of Tabo monastery will be on display at my show at Nehru Centre, Worli, Mumbai from Tuesday 16th August to Monday 22nd August 2016. Experience it at my show.

Wrinkled beauty at Sangla Wrinkled beauty at Sangla This picture will be part of my solo photography exhibition at Nehru Centre, Worli, Mumbai from 16th to 22nd August 2016. I found this lady to be very remarkable for her features and composure. This was in 2010. Could not spot her again during my subsequent travels in this region in 2011 and 2014. Hope she is in good health.

Menu card at Jalori Pass, Himachal Tea and paratha (prantha to use phonetically correct spelling as the word is pronounced) dominated the graffiti on all possible areas where something could be written at this place at Jalori Pass in  Himachal . We did not go in here, we went into another shop where the fellow was making fresh mithai. (Jalori Pass, Himachal, 2014)

At Tabo monastery, Spiti Being an ancient and important Buddhist monastery, I expected Tabo to have grandeur befitting its status. It turned out that the monastery was unpretentious. There was a serene and mystical beauty in the simplicity at Tabo. (Tabo monastery, Spiti, 2011)

Wooden house at Raksham As we were walking around in Raksham village, noticed this fairly large traditional wooden house although the slate roof was gone and a tin one had taken its place. The incoming fall season meant that colours of the vegetation all around - on the mountain slopes as well as grass and plants around had started to change. (Raksham, Sangla Valley , 2014)

Tabo monastery entrance The feeling is of sheer awe when you are entering a structure which was established more than a thousand years ago and is in continuous operation. Visiting ruins dating back to few thousand years is one thing but entering Tabo monastery established in 996 was a different feeling altogether. Tabo is the oldest continuously operating Buddhist monastery in both India and the Himalayas . ( Spiti , 2013)

Mountain ranges and forest near Jalori Pass, Himachal Greens with a small tinge of yellow, olive green, dark green, dark green turning blackish, add a tinge of blue, grey, smokey and then it is infinity.  What a colour palette that is. These are the mountain ranges seen from near Jalori pass in Himachal. These are the moments when even earth seems infinite. (near Jalori Pass, Himachal , 2014)

Setting sun at Shoja, Himachal This moment was an unexpected gift from the sun, the clouds, the mountains and the GOD. What more can I say. This was the same evening when I was walking towards village Shoja and this play of light was unfolding right in front of me. I spent as minimum time as I could in handling the camera as I would have missed those precious moments of looking at this divine phenomenon and experience it with all my senses. (Shoja, Himachal, 2014)

Just before sundown at village Shoja This was the moment when different shades of browns and greens could still be seen with the inclined rays of the setting sun being threatened to be cut off by the high mountains behind which the sun would soon disappear. Soon it will be different shades of black that would start dominating. It will be difficult to distinguish dark green from black. That moment has started to creep in. (2014)

Sun going down at village Shoja, Himachal The houses of village Shoja are on a mountain slope. As we were walking towards the village, the side profile of the houses with the rays of the setting sun from across the mountain created a wonderful set of visuals. Everything was changing rapidly - the intensity of the sunlight, the colours all around with the chill setting in. (2014)

Sweets shop at Jalori Pass Nothing like a glass of garam chai with some freshly made sweets and namkeen in the crisp cool air of the mountains. The sweets shops owner was yet to put out the mithai for sale, it was so fresh.  On a clear day, the views around Jalori pass are spectacular. It was nice to sit in the dark dingy shop and then stroll around the area of Jalori pass with little shops around waiting for travellers. (2014)

Chitkul seen on way back from Nagashti The walk from Nagashti to  Chitkul  with  river Baspa  on the left gave a very different perspective of the valley and a view of Chitkul which is the last Indian village on way to the border with Tibet. As most stone roofs have been replaced by tin sheets, they reflect the sunlight and that does not make a very pretty sight. It is nice to have few spots of glare but when it becomes commonplace, it is an eyesore. (2014)

Wrinkled beauty from Sangla, Himachal Came across this remarkable lady at the temple at Batseri in Sangla valley , Himachal . She was among the group of village women watching the ceremony of the Devata being taken out from the temple which happens on very select occasions during the year. Her sharp features along with the lines on her fair Himachali face with those deep eyes made a compelling visual. (2010)

At village Shoja, Himachal It was a fascinating walk through Shoja in Himachal, a village on the edge of the mountains. All houses with slate roofs, close knit to be available for each other at a shout and living together with their cattle. To be on the edge all the time is something urbanites cannot imagine. The slate stone shines when the sun rays fall upon it at an angle. From a distance, this is quite a view.

Devata (deity) being taken out at Badri Narayan Temple, village Batseri, Dist. Sangla in Himachal The Devata (deity) at Badri Narayan temple, village Batseri in Sangla district of Himachal Pradesh is taken out of the temple only few times a year.  We were fortunate to be there when the deity was being taken out. Womenfolk from the village were present on this important occasion.  

In deep thought at Mall Road, Shimla Taking a stroll up and down the Mall Road at Shimla is great fun. Same is the case with many hill stations in North India and most of them have the Mall Road. It is good to see people who are not madly running to meet some deadline but are going about their lives in a leisurely and relaxed manner. This was one such moment when I noticed these fellows sitting on a bench with two of them enjoying their softy and the other two in deep thought.

Home in Kumaon Hills While walking in the Kumaon hills, we visited several homes. Stocking up for the winter was an essential task for everyone. Their cattle is precious and they need to be fed during the winters when there is snow all around. This is primarily an agrarian economy in a region where many villages in the hills are not accessible by road.

Save Dhangkar campaign poster at Dhangkar monastery Save Dhangkar is an initiative of concerned citizens which includes architects, photographers, geologists and others who through their collective efforts have done remarkable work in ensuring that this 1000+ year old monastery in Spiti does not wither away due to toll of the natural forces and human intervention.

Temple on the highway in Himachal We have passed and stopped by at this temple several times while travelling in Himachal .  For a change, it is well maintained, clean, there are no beggars here and there is a rest room nearby which does not stink. Actually, the perfect model for what a temple ought to be.

After a hard day's work We met this fellow late afternoon near Chitkul in Kinnaur , Himachal . He was on his way back after a long hard day of work and was carrying a heavy sack. Not very articulate and not very keen to talk, his persona reflected the quintessential hill folk - rustic, hardy, simple, god fearing and content with life. Village Chitkul which is the last village on the Indian side (the mountain ranges would lead into Tibet) can be seen in the background, whereas river Baspa is to the left. I shot this picture in early October when the colours start changing from green to yellow to red and the skies are clear.