In Praise of the Commonplace

The Honda Brio and Hanuman, a photo by Shubh M Singh on Flickr.

I have been writing an extremely boring and irritating book chapter about something I know nothing about. And there is a voice that tells me to write something about something that I know about.
So let me talk about photography. Or rather my article of faith.
1. A photograph should look like a photograph. I have no need or time for a photo that looks like a painting. If I wanted a photo that looks like a painting, I would much rather have a painting.
2. There is a photo, there is beauty everywhere. One does not have to go to an exotic location (all the time) to get a photo. There is always something to be found around you.
3. Less is more. There is no need for clutter. In real life, I am an extremely untidy person. But I like my photos to be clean with a few straight lines.
4. Don't cheap out. In whatever you do, equipment, effort, vision whatever.
Have fun. And others will follow some day.

Expensive Stuff

A few days back, I was at the contemplation phase of taking a decision that needed to be taken for some time. And a couple of my residents came to me talking about  a couple of guys who died before their time. And this spurred me again (after a previous splurge on the Nikon D200) on to a bigger splash. That of the Nikkor 70-200 2.8 VRii.
Man, if it wasn't such a beautiful piece of glass, I would have checked into the Psychiatry OPD and asked for an urgent admission into the ward.

It's Been Some Time

Yeah. I know. Photography, wife and kid, academics and misc other activities have taken up most of my time. And yeah, I know that I should be here more often.
So here is me, starting to try again. Like an addict, who, again is trying to remain sober.

Hooray For Noise Pollution

It is about 1 AM, and I cannot get to sleep. And it is not even noisy any more. About half an hour back, there was a party going on. Very close to where I live, and past midnight, the stillness of the night was being broken asunder by very loud music, and people dancing.
Was I being disturbed? Probably yes. I could not sleep and I wanted to. But my mind would go back to the thump of the bass, and the fact that the watch told me that it was way too late. Probably booze flowing too. I could find the keys to the gate, and after a while I jumped over the iron bars and walked into that house. I knew a couple of persons vaguely. I was filled with a rage that surprised me. And I was full of vile abuse, and said all I had in mind. Shortly thereafter the music stopped.
Its been half an hour since, and I am still wide awake and I spoiled someone's party.
I am so sorry.

Looking back

I was going through some posts in my blog today and suddenly it dawned on me. I have been on blogger for almost five years now. And there are certain conclusions that I could draw.
1. The readership of my blog is still crappy. I get maybe 7-8 visits in a day, and sometimes not even that.
2. The annual frequency of blogposts has gone down alarmingly.
3. The quality of writing has remained the same or maybe has deteriorated with a few bright spots.
4. I still think that I used to, and still do write fairly competently.
5. Reading some of those posts brought back a host of memories, more good than bad.
6. I love my blog.

Gurudwara Nankana Sahib-Pakistan

Gurudwara Nankana Sahib-Pakistan, a photo by Shubh M Singh on Flickr.

My most viewed picture on flickr, and by a long way. And it is not even a good picture.

Qutub Minar

Qutub Minar, a photo by Shubh M Singh on Flickr.

This saturday, I went to Delhi to get back a lens that I had given for repair. Luckily, and many many rupees later, it seemed to have been fixed up OK and seems that it wants to stay that way. Anyway, I had a few hours to kill and I decided to kill them at the Qutub Minar. I have seen it from afar on a number of occasions, mostly from the metro, but never actually got around to the sandstone myself. And I must say that it is one of the most interesting things ever.
The way that architecture involved, the hindu elemnets, and the people milling around. All made for a very interesting and enriching afternoon. I took my 300mm for a walk as well, and it is now ok.
As an aside, I realized that the Saket metro station is probably closer to the Qutub minar than the Qutub Minar railway station.

The Lion Capital of the Ashokan Pillar in Vaishali

The Lion Capital of the Ashokan Pillar in Vaishali, a photo by Shubh M Singh on Flickr.

It has been a long time since I was in Vaishali. I got down on a train that was way too late at the Chakia railway station and made my way through unending paddy farms and water to the Kesaria stupa. The first view of the stupa through the bus was immediately electrifying. And it grew as I walked and climbed through the terraces and the headless statues of the Buddha in the Bhoomin Sparsh mudra. And before I knew it, I had missed the last bus to Hajipur. So I hired a cab and a very expensive cab at that who sulkily dropped me off a Kolhua where I saw this lion who had been waiting for me for a thousand years and more.

Books I am Reading These Days

There are some books that I am reading these days. SOme of them are books I turn back to again and again, and some that I am reading now and will probably not go back to in a long time.
In the former category are 3 books:
1. Si-Yu-Ki by XuanZang and translated by Samuel Beal. Always something new to discover. You can just open it up at any point and be sure of having fun.
2. The Life of Hiuen Tsang by Shaman Li and translated by Samuel Beal. A comapnion volume to the above.
3. On Yuan Chwang's Travels in India by Thomas Watters. A book that is a commentary on the above books. Sometimes unnecessarily abrasive and sarcastic, but ok as a source of digested knowledge.
4. The Ancient Geography of India by Alexander Cunningham. Absolutely indispensable. And full of startling insights.

In the latter category is:
1. The story of my Assasins. By Tarun Tejpal. Now this author who is probably better known as the editor of Tehelka magazine follows a certain method to his madness in writing. This effort is a biography of various people and one follows the other. It is deviously funny and in some sections I just could not stop laughing out aloud.
2. River of Smoke by Amitav Ghosh. As usual, painstakingly researched, deliberate and absorbing. But no where as brilliant as the Calcutta Chromosome.

Back Home

Its been a month and some more, and I am back. Through all those hot, sweaty days and nights that were spent under a slowpoke fan, and those mornings spent in the dread of having pockets picked in a public bus, I waited for this day. And I waited for this time more than I have waited for anything else. And for a change, I got it.
Its good to be back.