Dargha Sultanpuri Vasant Kunj

Far from the hustle of a busy road connecting two important crossings is the Vasant Kunj - Andheria More Road. On of its sides a monument stands witness to its daily struggle of existence. Get off the road near ISIC and the noise is left behind. Dargha Sultangarhi will always stay close to my heart. A Dargha is a pious place and the moment to enter the connecting avenue from road to the darha its influence begins. Cannot write or express in words the peace you experience when you are there. You just have to feel it. I just landed at the Dargha on a windswept wet afternoon & soaked in all that the rain kissed trees and the damp walls had to offer.

Hope you all enjoy seeing this photos as much as I did clicking them with my mobile.

Chamba in Uttranchal

Our official offsite took me back to the place where I have been many a times, Chamba in Uttranchal. Had always enjoyed the views from this place but watching the Himalayas from this Resort was a different experience. Tho the mountains were not as close and as always my camera was limiting ... I need a 20x zoom .... I liked a couple of shots that I took from my mobile ...
My mind does race back to the images of the Sikkim Himalayas there is a the closeness of the Sikkim Himalayas which diminishes the commanding yet distant glory of the Uttranchal Himalayas. Uttaranchal Himalayas have their expanse and Sikkim Himalayas have their towering presence.
My room mate and me got up at 0530 am by mistake and thank god for that .... the tethered sky combined with the infiltration of the orange sun rays was something which I will not forget. Mankind was asleep and Nature was quietly painting its canvas. At that moment felt privileged that I was allowed a peep into this beautiful tapestry. Every direction I look from the Hilltop was a different vistas. If at one end I was looking at 15,000 plus feet snow covered peaks the other end had translucent clouds were in slow march over hillocks waiting to engulf me. Emerald green mountains wrapped with white muslin clouds is a sight to behold. The sea is vast and open mountains are mysterious and ever changing in seconds and minutes. One day one spot and a photographer can capture so many moods of Nature ... Maybe it is unfair to compare the sea and the mountains ... lets just say I'm in love with the mountains. When I reach them I feel I'm home.
Do share which landscape you are most at home in. . . . .

Enjoying Macro and Close -Ups

The one aspect that always interests me during my travels are the people of the Land. Every place has its unique stamp and the people of the land carry the imprint. A ready smile, a weather beaten face and exquisite pieces of jewellery stay with me forever. I really enjoy is portraits with Macro. Then one can freak out with different portions of the frame. For e.g.: the jewellery of the woman can be zoomed in to bring out the details. Love when the camera does that. Its like finding multiple frames in one photograph.


Macro and tele are two of the most amazing lens in a camera. They allow you to capture more than what the eye can see and more. Watching the stigma come alive and the geometry of its design is mesmerizing. Macro photography opens up a new world which is not available to the eye. Where you capture fungus on a tree trunk or the close up of a inside of a flower Macro captures it all for you. While taking a macro always use a stand. However if putting a stand is not possible then hold the camera in both hands and keep the hands close to your body to ensure stability. Using an anti blur setting is always a good idea. It helps prevent any shake that may occur while taking the shot.

The beauty with digital photography is that you can always play around with it on your computer. Tweak it and voila you have a prize winning snap : )

HAPPY ZOOMING !!!!

A Moment in Time - Snaps From My Mobile

Taking photograph's from a mobile are simple and easy ... They help me capture a moment in an instant. Sometime I click a frame even when I'm driving (Risky though I agree!) so much for responsible driving : ) ... Cannot resist when you see a frame and feel that you just need to capture. It just has to be in your collection. A moment in Time. Some of my captures have been leave turning translucent against the sun or the shape of a cloud that is absolutely unique. The 3 frames I present here are not the best of them and the resolution is of course very wanting but what I enjoy is being able to capture the feel or the atmosphere.

It is interesting as to what all kind of innovations one can do to employ filters on an image while taking it. The first image which I titled a 'Burst in the Sky' was taken through my Polaroid and anti glare black sun glasses. As a result I got this tinge of grey and black stronger than actual.

Moving on, I cherish this snap more than any of the others that I have taken simply because this frame was taken on impulse on a very cold bleary winter morning. I like the framing especially the branch and the Monument which though silent speaks so much. There is a romance in the frame due to the lack on the sun. I love it : )

The lights at the Presidents House and the North and South Block are breathtaking. Take a look at the mirror reflection of the south block. It is complete with the 'night sun'. While photography can be serious I feel take snaps from your mobile are fun and informal not studied or exacted. They are impulsive and candid and therefore natural.

I enjoy this carefree medium a lot . . . Please feel free to share your comments and experiences of photography through your mobile.

Tsomgo Lake - Tranquility Epitomized

Can a place bursting with Tourists still create a sense of Tranquility ? Yes it can .. Tsomgo Lake 34 kms from Gangtok has that unique capacity. I was told that everyone who visits goes to see this lake. But I was not prepared to handle the landscape enroute nor the serene beauty of the lake that was frozen.

We drove to reach snowline and saw the vegetation change from forests to scrub to mosses and then barren mountains kissed with snow. With gigantic monilith tumbling in ravines and valleys the landscape was as austere and wild as can be described by Emily Bronte in Wuthering Heights. All this and a valley filled with white transulscent clouds rising to reach the limitless blue above them. Craggy overhangs and a narrow road that allows only one side passage. Although it is a two way access. You can not only see and feel wilderness you can actually even smell it .... Perfect !

As we continue to acsend around 8 - 9000ft to reach the lake we drove through Sub Alpine Forests. Silent, meditating trees weighed down by the snow on their branches they stood in quiet habit. The entire landsacpe was black and white not color disturbed the pallette of Nature. And I got a chance to be in this frame and feel this creation that stood before me waiting to be captured. Absolute Bliss !

A bend in the road and we are there - Tsomgo Lake at 12, 400 ft. It lay there ahead of us sheilded by low rise mountains all around it .... The shores were dotted with so many tourists and there was a constant chatter of people and yet it as so easy to melt that and merge with the serenity that you eyes beheld. The lake a huge mass of ice was tranquil. We started our short walk towards Baba Mandir and snow started to fall. The voices died down and we were one with our surroundings ..... the snow was meting and gushing down the slope to meet the lake. A single Prayer Flag at the almost start of the Lake held fort for all. One could 'hear' a chant in silence. You do not need to speak here you do not need to express.

You just absorb ... you inhale the beauty, the calm of Nature. Your mind is clear and your heart is a blissful void and all you can do is smile : )

Love at first sight - Mt Kanchenjunga

We recently visited Sikkim the exotic land of flowers and towering presence of mountains. Sikkim grows on you. At first it looks similar to the many Himalayan Destinations you have been to and then its magic unfurls. The valleys the steep slopes the high ridges that challenge you to come hither and see what lies beyond. Two places will always be very dear to me in Sikkim Pelling and Tsomgo Lake (check a more recent posting for details). Pelling a small town nestled in the top ridge of a mountain offers spectaular views of the Kanchenjunga Range. We needed to wake up at 5:30 am every morning but the sight was worth it ! These snow covered mountain encompass you and this 'warmth' needs to be felt not sure if it is coming across to you.

Kanchenjunga is majestic and elusive. It is the mighty mountain which determines who it discloses its glory to. Yes I can understand what the mountaineers mean when they say the mountain allows you to climb it. Nature rules supreme and its wonderful. From Kabur to Pandim to Kanchenjunga the almost 360 Degree view is mesmerizing. Who needs a camera when your memory stays etched with this glorious sights ... for some things and moments in life just your memory is enough ... You never loose them .. those special moments never get erased. Seeing Kanchenjunga was one such moment ... Yes I can say once again Himalayas are my first love : )))