Tree Shade

On a hot Mumbai afternoon, trees on the sidewalk provide a much needed respite from the harsh sunlight.

 

Sunrise

Tulsi

Ocean Waves

I visited Sri Lanka in monsoons. There were limited tourists; the water was rough and the sky was cloudy.

The beach town was covered in different and new colours. Sometimes the view was covered in a sharp yellow of sunlight but mostly it was dull grey. The water was deep blue at times and a deep grey at other times. Often enough, the waves were scary rough.

I had fun taking pictures of the beach and waves in monsoons.

 

While I had heard of Stilt fishing, I came across this view without planing during a drive down the coastal road.

The water was rough and fishing was on halt that day. Many fishing boats remained floating near the beach.

Found this while driving down the coastal road.

View from an unplanned stopover on the way.

While we were chilling at the beach staring at the waves.

Waiting for sunset

Morning tea at the beach.

Blue water on a rare afternoon with no clouds.

Waiting for lunch… given the weather, the beach restaurants and cafes were empty… the only sound I could hear was that of the crashing waves.

 

Nainital

Nainital is a small hill town in Uttarakhand. The key highlight is the lake in the center of the town. I visited there at the onset of winters. There was a little chill in the air and a soft sunlight played hide-n-seek with us. One moment you feel warm and then cold. The whole town seemed to have come out for a walk near the lake. Some were playing in the open stadium, some went boating in the lake, a few were shopping in the small market hidden in the shadows of the mountains. And there were a few simply chilling in the sunlight staring into nothing.

The buzz around the town, people walking on the roads, the electricity wires interrupting the view of the sky and the incessant chatter of people sitting by the lake gave a very unique character to the place. While the beauty of the early winter sunlight, blue water and mountains in the backdrop would keep you enchanted, every once in a while, the people and town demand attention. You alternate between magic and reality.

Jim Corbett National Park, Uttarakhand

My recent visit to Jim Corbett National Park went quite uneventful. We spent two days in the hope of spotting a Tiger and only managed to see pugmarks. But there was something special about those two days. We were haunted by the silence of jungle occasionally punctuated by sounds of animals or light breeze passing through the dense trees. The harsh sunlight in the open fields overcompensated for the cold winds through the deep jungle. The beauty of an early morning in the forest is difficult to capture in words or images. I tried anyway.

We met on the way…

And a friendly elephant on our way back…

We stopped at two points in the safari and had rare moments to admire the beauty of the jungle. Interestingly, we had a flat tyre in the first leg of the safari on first day. We were warned not to step out of the vehicle in case the Tiger decides to show up. After 20 minutes of struggle to change the tyre, our guide allowed us to step out. We were not allowed to wander away. We stood there soaking in the eerie silence, staring into the morning sky and admiring the colors of sunrise partially visible through the trees flanking the road. There was a unique beauty to the uneven path and natural growth of trees around it.

During the second part of the safari, our guide stopped the car near a fork in the road and told us to hear the sounds of the jungle. Instead of driving around looking for Tigers, it’s important to sit quietly for a few minutes in the deep silence of the jungle and observe the sounds. ‘Listen to the jungle’, he said. While we couldn’t manage to find a Tiger, we got a unique opportunity to observe the jungle. The wild felt more real than the artificial symmetry of the city we came from. In the chaotic layout of jungle, everything felt right. There was an uncanny beauty to the irregular landscape with various waterways spread through the jungle, cluster of smooth grey-white rocks and pebbles covering a small patch of land, dense trees and large fields with uneven growth of the grass.

After 3 hour ride deep into the jungle on the second day, we reached a point near a large water body. These lands open up for outsiders only for a few months in a year. We were not allowed to go close to the water where a huge group of animals was congregated for what seemed like a daily picnic. We were so close yet so far. For the first time, we did feel like a part of the jungle. We had come in so deep but most animals felt like tiny dots on the vast open fields with a backdrop of mountains and river stretching far back to the horizon. The grandeur of the scene is hard to explain. While there was an excitement to capture some of it through the camera, soon enough I just sat back and looked at the view in awe.

Landscapes of Kerala

Kerala is one of the most beautiful places I have visited. It’s always Green with breathtaking landscapes. Nature has bestowed Kerala with special love. And the love is reciprocated by its inhabitants. People of Kerala have lovingly preserved their connection with nature. Kerala has maintained a harmonious relationship with nature while managing to keep pace with the modern world. I don’t think I will ever get tired of visiting Kerala.

Here are a few pictures from my trip last month.

 

Living root bridge of Meghalaya

Meghalaya has been my dream destination. It literally translates to ‘the abode of clouds’. Cherrapunjee, a small hill town in Meghalaya, is known for heavy rainfall. It’s the only matriarchal society in the country. And most importantly, the state is blessed with abundant natural beauty.

I finally managed a visit last monsoon with a friend. Given the limited time, we had to choose a couple of locations to include in the itinerary. The top on my list was the living roots bridge. It seemed like a beautiful trek through the jungle. And the idea of a bridge made from tree roots was enough to get us curious and excited.

The day turned out to be the best part of our journey. The weather was lovely. There were no rains and the clouds kept teasing us. But it wasn’t too hot to make the trek uncomfortable. Here are a few pictures from the trip.

We drove through a picturesque route with a view of mountains. The trek started at an unassuming quiet point with only one more tourist in sight who was waiting for the family to catch up.

Paths covered with leaves going deep in the woods might seem a little scary but equally exciting as they indicated the prospect of an interesting journey and a fascinating destination.

On the way, we found a couple of rope bridges swaying while we were trying to cross it. The walk was unstable with a swinging bridge and ropes under our feet. But that didn’t stop us from making a quick halt in the middle of the bridge to look at the beautiful water body flowing underneath with the shade of blue more pleasant than I have ever seen before.

We met exactly four people on the entire journey up and down. A very old lady who walks up and down everyday since she lives in a village there. A lady who lives in a house with a beautiful garden near the beginning of the trek. A lady in a small hut near the end of the trek selling water and snacks. One tourist trying to find his way to the living root bridge.

The living root bridge was worth the effort we made to reach there. It’s surprisingly stable and it’s beautiful. There was a waterfall nearby with its water flowing calmly underneath the bridge. I don’t remember how long we sat there under the waterfall staring at the bridge.

 

Raindrops in Wayanad

Wayanad is the most beautiful place I have ever visited. It feels pristine and close to divine. Monsoon adds to the beauty. A few years back I went there for a weekend during heavy rains and found myself chasing raindrops. The beauty of a Kerala landscape after rains is mesmerising. The tiny water droplets caught in the leaves and flowers create a very interesting subject for photography and one of the most difficult I attempted in my earlier days of trying to get acquainted with a camera. I still carry the memories of Kerala monsoon.

Here are a few pics from the trip.

View from my Cottage… Chembra Peak and Tea Estates

Capturing raindrops caught in the leaves

Found on my morning walk

Monsoon jungle safari

Road to Lamayuru in Ladakh

On a beautiful night in Ladakh, under the moonlight, I found myself walking down a quiet road in search of a landscape the locals call ‘moonland’.

After wandering around for a few minutes, I didn’t really care about searching the moonland anymore. The walk down that road was hauntingly beautiful. We could see the monastery way up in the distance on a mountaintop. The road was eerily quiet and covered in soft moonlight. Prayer flags fluttering through the fence created strange shadows on the road. I was fascinated by the beauty of that moment.

I wasn’t equipped with the right tools to capture that moment and that beauty. But I couldn’t resist making an attempt. In the absence of a tripod, I used a rock on the sidewalk to balance my camera. Some light was provided by the bright moon in the sky.

This is one of my favourite attempts at night photography… a breathtaking view, light provided by moon and a rock on the sidewalk for support.

 

Moonlit road to Lamayuru and starry sky