Check out my newly uploaded photographs. As promised, my type-nerd friends, I have packed this batch full of Gujarati lettering ‘from the streets’. Enjoy! Trips to Bangalore and Chennai will be shared too, so stay in touch, as I’ll be uploading them soon.
Please click here, or on the photographic teaser above to be directed straight to my stream.
Whilst in and around Baroda we found a̶ ̶b̶o̶n̶e̶c̶r̶u̶s̶h̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶m̶a̶c̶h̶i̶n̶e̶ two street sellers with a sugarcane machine and decided to pull over and have a drink. The sugarcanes are pressed and re-pressed through the two big rollers that are being rotated by the man walking around the machine with the lever above his head. He did this about four times, letting the juice fall nicely into a funnel through to a saucer. It tasted totally fresh and very tasty! Click here for a few nice pictures.
The bicycle is one of the best and most favoured modes of transport for commuters the world over. Whether for necessity, pleasure or exercise, I have always enjoyed the simplicity of getting around on a bike, and my reliance is always re-confirmed when I find myself without access to one in a new place. Bicycles, rickshaws and motorbikes make up a huge proportion of traffic in India, and it was with great pleasure that I added my own two wheels to the unruly streets of Ahmedabad. My classic Hero bicycle was bought in the Old City and transported back — in the back of an auto — through the crazy rush-hour traffic, one evening last week (not one of my most comfortable journeys). Since then I have been able to conveniently cruise around; mostly to the studio, local restaurants, my flat and the gym. The locals generally consider bicycles to only ridden by the poor and don’t seem to see past the practicality of their bikes; missing out on the beauty and style associated with the classically designed frames and Dutch styled parallel handlebars. It’s a shame that most are maintained only to a level that allows the bike to role forward, and not much else.
As usual, there’s a few extra photos on my flickr stream, if you click on the picture above.
Linked in the photograph above are some of my pictures taken at the Indian pre-wedding functions I attended with Manushi and her parents.
I was also able to capture a few videos too – one of which I’m having a great time mixing it up on the dancefloor!
On the weekend beginning 7th January 2011 I travelled to Baroda with Manushi to see the Indian festival of Uttarayan. I stayed in Baroda for three nights with Manushi’s family and had a totally amazing weekend. On Friday, the day of the festival, we spent the evening relaxing on top of a building in the old city, flying kites, watching ( as well as dodging) fireworks, and simply taking in a breathtaking view. “The name Uttarayana comes from joining two different Sanskrit words “Uttara” (North) and “ayana” (movement towards). Uttarayana (Makar Sankranti) is the day when the sun starts to travel towards north as a sign of coming summer. People from all age groups, come to the roof of their houses and apartments to fly kites in celebration of the festival.” – Wikipedia. Throughout the weekend, and particularly on Saturday, Manushi’s mother, Kalindi, cooked homemade Gujarati food – It was the best I’ve ever tasted. The photograph below is a dessert called Gajar ka halwa and is a sweet dish made by slow boiling carrots in milk, sugar and other nice bits and pieces. It tastes a little like treacle tart, but much healthier, I would imagine.
In my next post I will include more photographs and a few videos from Baroda, as well as some other stuff I have been up to recently.
Please click on the first picture to see the whole set of photos that I took from this weekend.
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