A mere mention of Jaipur brings 'The Pink City' tag to our mind.
Naturally.
Because the famous Hawa Mahal, Johari Bazar and large parts of walled city have all been painted in pink. But the same Johari Bazar is a riot of colour as this short picture story tells you. Colours other than pink- be it the bangles or the dresses being sold. Or, even the water kiosk in summer, Jaipur is ever colourful.
Ghumakkad's pictures for you.
Of course Hawa Mahal हवा महल and the buildings around are all painted pink and that is why the name Pink City.
If you haven't bought bangles in Johari Bazar, you haven't been to Jaipur!
The world is indeed flat! Look at the bangle salesman donning a tee-shirt with a Californian logo and selling Jaipuri bangles!
Jaipur is famous for block printing-- dyeing of the cloth by hand and printing also by hand. Choice of colours-- unlimited!
Even the water kiosk run by a charity is painted brightly-- reflecting the spirit of Jaipur city!
Nature too does not lag behind in adding colours to the city.
Ghumakkad's earlier post on 'Changing Face of Jaipur' had portrayed the emergence of new icons of Jaipur. Two of these are reproduced below. The first one being a famous Jewelery outlet.
And the next one--the World Trade Park!
Jaipur offers tremendous photo-ops. But this visit of Ghumakkad was primarily a family reunion. Hence a short picture story. Many of you must have been there. Feel free to share your pictures.
Bye till the next post.
Thanks for browsing.
- Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ Jaipur 31st March 2016
Clouds and rain-- that is how we associate the two. Or, at times clouds and storm. But Rabindranath Tagore gave another perspective to the clouds. Specially clouds in an evening sky! Do the clouds not add colour to the sky? Enjoy the next PQ- picturesque quote in Tagore series.
The pictures used here was shot while moving in a bumpy 4x4 safari vehicle in Kawal Tiger Sanctuary, north Telangana. Despite a stabilised lens, the picture is not sharp because the camera rocked continuously. But Ghumakkad loved the colours and the frame.
Previous quotes in Tagore series, in case you missed browsing it:
Darkness and light
Leave the past behind-- Dry river bed
Defeating the defeat in life
Thanks for browsing,
-Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ 28th March 2016
Everyone loves a rose.
Ever admired or loved a leaf? That too a dry leaf?
Ghumakkad had shot many a dry leaf. One picture which left an imprint forms the backdrop for this PQ- picturesque quote. This quote is not from Tagore-- though more from Tagore will follow soon. This one comes from a net-based collection. It echoes my thoughts on dry leaves and their beauty.
A dry leaf symbolises our life or others' lives when they encounter adversity or tougher times. People throng to you when you succeed but very few reach you when you are in distress. Remember the dry leaf. Learn to love it. One day it could be you.
Enjoy the PQ.
Special thanks are due to Hemant Bhargava in Davis California for making this hike to the Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve happen. I loved the trail. Am sharing few other PQs based on pictures taken on the same hike below. Hemant-- keep hiking!
Previous PQs on similar themes just in case you missed were:
Like wildflowers allow yourself to grow
Peace comes from within
Nature is awesome
Thanks for browsing.
- Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/24th March 2016
Who hasn't experienced ups and downs in life?
For a child-- it's the swing. Up-down-up again!
For a school going teenager-- it's a win for the House team or many times a defeat!
For a cricketer-- it's the thrill of hitting a century but at times getting out on 20 nor less!
For all of us-- life teaches us to take ups and downs in our stride. Sometimes we cope with failures, some other times we need help.
Continuing with Rabindra Nath Tagore's writings, look what he said about life. He told us to be hopeful always. Because if we give up hope, that signifies the end. He compares 'being hopeful' with 'darkness' and 'giving up' with 'blindness' in his famous quotation below:
"darkness travels towards light,
but blindness towards death"
Ghumakkad has used an early morning shot in a tiger sanctuary to present this PQ- picturesque quote-- for you.
See how nicely Tagore conveys that if you are hopeful, you will see the 'light' after the phase of darkness. But if you give up after being confronted with problems in life, your 'darkness' will get converted to permanent 'blindness' and you may not recover from it. Here is the next PQ for you.
Tagore also wrote another brilliant line on night's darkness which leads to the gold of dawn. To depict this PQ, Ghumakkad has used a picture of golden glow at dawn at a hill station in India. Enjoy the PQ.
Some other PQs on being positive in life are listed below (just click the link):
Winner never gives up
Rose petals and life
Be like water
Thanks for browsing
- Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ 21st March 2016
Postscript: Talking of darkness reminds me of the motto of many educational institutions in India which reads "तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमयः " meaning 'Lead me from darkness to light'. And education is supposed to lead us from darkness to light. (25th March 2016)
'The dry river bed finds no thanks for its past", wrote Gurudev Rabindra Nath Tagore almost a century ago. His writings earned him a Nobel Prize. But more than that, he weaved magic with his words. Words which were few, simple and yet conveyed deep thoughts.
This PQ- in Ghumakkad's Picturesque Quote series- is inspired by Tagore's writings. The other day browsing through RSI library in Secunderabad, I came across a collection of Tagore's quotations titled 'Stray Birds'. A beautifully compiled book. Actually a collector's item.
Next I had to select a picture of a dry river bed. Few months ago when we had visited Kawal Tiger Reserve in Adilabad district of Telangana, all the rivers and canals had dried up. This picture of the dry river bed matched with Tagore's timeless words. Enjoy the PQ. More PQs inspired by Tagore will follow.
You may like to browse some of the previous PQs on similar themes listed below. Just click on the link to browse.
Silence nourishes wisdom
Rivers flow not past but through us
Life reflects our mind
Thanks for browsing
Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/17th March 2016
"Man can never be a woman's equal in the spirit of selfless service with which nature has endowed her", said Mahatma Gandhi. How true?
A woman plays
many roles in her life.
All with ease.
A woman is a
Mother
Daughter
Sister
Wife
Grandmother
Mother-in-law
Daughter-in-law
Teacher
Working professional
Pilot
Defence officer
Cricketer
Chess grandmaster
you name it-- a woman has done it!
Then, why discriminate women?
Treat them as equal partners in life.
At home
at place of work or
in society at large.
We men are here because of women- our mother.
Women deserve respect, dignity and honour.
From each of us.
If women prosper, human race prospers.
On the eve of International Women's Day
Ghumakkad would like to say
Women's Day
is not only today
but everyday.
To all the women in this world-
Happy Women's Day!
May your smiles grow.
I end with few pictures with a message.
This one has been created for Women's Day this year. It shows women in sixties rocking together in Kodaikanal.
The next picture comes from Ghumakkad's archives. It was created in 2015 capturing the smiles on women's faces on the bank of river Cauvery in Coorg.
And this last picture shows the importance of educating the girls.
Borrowing from Ghumakkad's post last year on women's day, we would like to end with W.R. Wallace's famous lines:
"The hand that rocks the cradle
Is the hand that rules the world"
Thanks for browsing.
- Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ Women's Day 8th March 2016
And the next one--the World Trade Park!
Jaipur offers tremendous photo-ops. But this visit of Ghumakkad was primarily a family reunion. Hence a short picture story. Many of you must have been there. Feel free to share your pictures.
