Saturday, November 24, 2012

Gazing the Sun !

While returning from Jaipur to Ajmer in a local bus, a pink dressed angel sitting (or rather standing) in the front row with the conductor caught hold my attention. It was around 5.30 in evening, the sun was setting down (towards the front window of the bus). The girl was trying her best to gaze at the sun and this is how finally she did it - by encircling the eyes with hands - just like a binocular!

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Random Thoughts about Life: Bend you Genius

Random Thoughts about Life:
God to Man- "You work with this tiny little screw and prove that you are genius!! I made it drop on floor full of grit to thwart your ego!"

(While I was working with some hardware and I accidentally dropped a tiny screw which took me about half an hour to find it. It made me bend down at my knees literally!)

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Lucidity

Via Flickr:
...And when I asked for intro: "Mera naam Somes hai aur mein JCB chalata hu..."
(My name is Somes and I drive JCB)

Saturday, September 8, 2012

The Temple and The Kid

Ever given a thought on the sound produced by temple bells during aarti?

I was out at this artificial lake construction site at and this kid's dad came for a pic. I asked him to stand in from of temple, located nearby since it was giving nice color to background. The first shot I was able to take nicely but it was hard to gather kids attention. And suddenly 7 o' clock aarti started in temple and these are the shots I got. Look at the kid for a moment !! I was amazed to see the expressions of this kid in the last pic - where they are now facing towards the temple - i.e. the temple is at my back.

I made a collage of the pics along with time, just to show the magnitude of attraction from temple bells.

Saturday, August 4, 2012

A monologue to my dream

Colors after long time…

“A Monologue to my Dream”
Moon faced lady, sitting on night clouds, staring at the fishes moving towards a barren tree, on a bright sunny day.

Mixed Medium: Acrylic Paint, Pencil Colors, Charcoal
Size : 12 x 15 inch

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

If time were a color...


Lets start with a simplest observation : Looking at a tree.
How do we look at it?
How do we see it?

We see not only with sensory perception, but also with our mind. The mind creates an image of the tree and we say : 'This is a mango tree.' So our knowledge of the tree from the past, interferes with the looking at that tree at that same moment. Stating it simply, knowledge of the tree prevents us from looking at the tree because looking at the tree in core sense means being in contact with it without identifying it as a tree but observing it completely. And we cannot observe it completely if the past interferes.

Connecting it with life, we cannot enjoy our present if the past interferes. Now imagine we represent past as blue and present as red. In the color spectrum, the blue can never interfere with the way we perceive red as they have separate wave lengths. The moment we experience this fact in our life, we say 'Aha!', and the way we perceive time gets transformed completely.

We attain a state of totality with the present.

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

"Photo, Sir, Photo"

A construction worker, sitting on a boundary wall of a man made lake (under construction) at Bopal village of Gujarat.

Evening 5, I was roaming around the lake with my camera to get some shots and he was sitting on the wall, taking his food, probably noticing me. He called me, left his rotis aside (see left side) and said "Photo, sir, photo."

Look at the kind of satisfaction and completeness he is having on his face which I see rarely.

Friday, June 22, 2012

Gamna...



Gamna, a raddiwallah (scrap dealer) that I met at Bopal village, on the outskirts of Ahmedabad in Gujarat.
I shot his picture around 7 in the evening. Excited as he was, he asked, "Meri photu akhbaar mein chapegi?" (Will my picture appear in the newspapers?)
As his eyes sparkled in anticipation, the contrast struck me: how important a newspaper could be, for somebody who could not even read it. All that newspapers meant for him was waste. Waste, that would earn him his living.

This post also appears in PagalGuy.com news channels: http://www.pagalguy.com/news/gamna-a-17291407/ 

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Conversations: भिन्न भिन्न (Fractions and Life)

वो बोला
तुझे चार चोथाई  ज़िन्दगी दी...
एक चोथाई उसे समझने में निकल दी...
एक चोथाई उसे सोचने में निकल दी...
एक चोथाई उसे खोने के डर में निकल दी...
एक चोथाई रोने में निकल दी...
क्या गलती क्या हुई मुझसे ऐ मानव...
जो मैंने तुझे ये ज़िन्दगी दे डाली ?

में बोला
ऐ शेन्शाह-ए-रुस्तम...
खुद को दोष न दे...
यह कमाल तेरी चार चोथाई ज़िन्दगी का नहीं..
मेरे तीन तिहाई मस्तक का है...
एक तिहाई जो कल को समझ लेता है...
एक तिहाई जो आज को सोच लेता है...
और एक तिहाई जो कल को खोने के डर से रो लेता है...

वो बोला
ऐ कम्बक्थ मानव...
मस्तक में तेरी ज़िन्दगी नई...
ज़िन्दगी में तेरा मस्तक है...
जो कल था वो आज नहीं है...
जो आज है वो कल खो जायेगा...
तू धरा का धरा येह सोचता रह जायेगा
की ज़िन्दगी क्या है मेरे मालिक...
ज़िन्दगी खोना है...
की पाना है...

में बोला...
ज़िन्दग देना आसान है ऐ रुस्तम...
पर उसको पा के खोना...
और खो के पाना तू तब समझ पायेगा...
जब तू एक बार चार चोथाई ज़िन्दगी...
और तीन तिहाई मस्तक लेके इस ज़मीन पर आयेगा....
--


Friday, April 20, 2012

Beauty, is it ?!





When you plant a flower, say a rose. Initially you are excited thinking of what would be the color, the smell, etc, etc. Gently rose comes and you are attracted to it. Suddenly as day passes, you realize fear of losing that pretty flower. You keep it inside your book, safely, in well preserved manner. Sometimes you open the book and enjoy its beauty. But you never think about it again. You find yourself one with the flower as if its inside you.

Similarly when you get to know someone, initially it starts with an excitement, then an attraction followed by fear of losing it. Gradually, as time passes, all their physical characteristics begin to disappear. The mental blocks simply go away. Slowly you start to connect. A state of togetherness appears. You begin to dwell in their energy, recognize the scent of their skin. You see only the essence of the person, not the shell. You don't need your eyes, nose or your body to feel it but only a heart inside. A state of singularity it is! That's the inside, when you really connect with a person, any physical imperfections disappear, become irrelevant. You can clearly see what is inside. And feel the beauty. Because all lies inside is the beauty. And you achieve a state of oneness with beauty.

You become the beauty!








--

Friday, April 13, 2012

A Mute Singer


There was a time when his voice was heard...
far away from great blue horizon...
where tangerine sun spreads and shines...
and heavenly moon glows with divine...
The songs which they used to listen...
lit them up enchanting with glisten... 

The songs of longing…
The songs of ecstasy...
The songs of living...
The songs of happiness…
The songs of winning…
The songs of kindness…
The songs of mercy...

He used to search for someone...
He used to roam for someone...
He used to sing for someone...
And one day…
He found that someone

Now his songs became more lyrical...
The lyrics became more meaningful...
The meaning became more mystical...

Someone was there to listen...
Someone was there to discover new paths...
Someone was there to thread new trails...

His songs were different now...
His songs were pleasant now...
His songs were magical now...

But one day...
That someone told him...
Your songs...
I like your songs...
They might not like it...
I understand the words...
They might not take it...
I feel the rhythm...
They might not follow it...

With a pause...
He lost the charm...
He forgot the words...
He was out of melody...
He was out of life...

The longing was gone…
The ecstasy was gone...
The happiness was gone…
The victory was gone…
The kindness was gone…
The mercy was gone...
The life was gone...

He got lost...
far away into dark black horizon...
where tangerine sun used to spread and shine...
and heavenly moon glowed with divine...

And one fine day...
That Someone asked...
Where is that singer ?...
Where are the songs he used to sing ?...
Where is the melody ?...
Where are the words ?...

And a they told...
His melody is mute...
His lyrics are mute...
His voice is mute...
He is mute...
He lost his vivacity...
But he got his identity...

Now they call him...
A mute singer              




(dedicated to Steve Jobs - during the first time he left Apple. Read he: Jobs, someone: Apple, they: the Apple board)








--

Thursday, March 29, 2012

"Rebirth" - Will I be reborn a rat?


A samurai once asked Zen Master where he would go after he died.
He answered "How am I supposed to know?"
"How do you not know? You're a Zen master!" exclaimed the samurai. 
"Yes, but not a dead one," He answered.

According to Zen, Karma and Rebirth are an essential part of life. However, we shouldn't be too attached to the idea of an afterlife. The Buddha constantly reiterated that awareness in the here-and-now is much more important than speculation on the afterlife.

Zen advises people to live each moment as though it were their last, which leads us to live a life of greater awareness of our actions; and that causes less suffering for us and those around us. In this way, we will live a healthier spiritual life to where any concerns or fears about a possible afterlife will naturally fade away.

"Will I be reborn a rat?"
"I don't know. I am not yet dead!"











--

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

When you are really happy and lucky...



Random Thoughts about Life...

Life is about laughing and living in good and bad times...
Getting through whatever comes in the way...
and looking back with a smile... :)  (:

And nature replied...

Life is not only about laughing and smiling...
but also about weeping and sobbing...
not just overcoming the hinders...
but also falling down with failures...
Both side matters -  tears and smiles...  :'( :)

But you are really happy and lucky...
when you laugh with tears in your eyes ! :') :')









--@n

Friday, March 16, 2012

Paint your Life !






Whats is Life... ?

Life's not about expecting, hoping and wishing...
it's about doing, being and becoming...

It's about the choices you've just made...
and the ones you're about to make...

It's about the things you choose to do - today...
It's about what you're gonna do after you finish reading this... 

And how does it look like... ?
Well...
Just look around you, right now... to see yours

But remember...
Paint your life as how you think...
Not as how you see...

So...
What you wanna see... ?
What you're gonna paint... ?












--

Celebrations...[photo]

Celebrations...  little moments that make life big...

Celebrations... little moments that make life big...

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Share a Smile !


If you are low...
Don't know where to go...
Smile with me...
Coz I am with you...
I can take the pain from you...


If you are stressed...
Don't know how to get refreshed...
Smile at me...
Coz I am with you...
I can get new life around you...


If you can't complain...
Don't know how to restrain...
Smile for me...
Coz I am with you...
I can bring back smile for you...


If you are smiling...
And you know why you are smiling...
Smile for the world...
Coz my smile is with you...
And the world will smile for you... :)




--@n


Monday, March 5, 2012

Retrospection



 At some point of life...
 You just look back at everything you have done ever...
 
 Probably you would not even remember most of the details...
 More than half of the emotions you felt during those times...
 It is more likely that you would not even recall...
 The smiles, the tears, the happiness, the fears...
 All you’ll see the glimpses of familiar faces...
 Wondering why they were important to you at some point in your life...  

 But all you will focus on...
 Is the present...
 Where you are now...
 What you are doing now..
 With whom you are now...
 And all the people who stayed at your side...
 Those who never left...
 And continue to be there...
 Right by your side...

 And then...
 You will lament...
 Not with the regret..
 But with a healthy nostalgia...
 And hopefully a smile...

 Because now you know...
 You are where...
 You should be...
 And...
 They are there...
 Where they should be...


--@n

 

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Conversations: My Identity ?




 I saw a butterfly today...
 And realized how colorful those wings were...
 It was flying freely over those tiny yellow flowers...

 I wanted to fly too...
 To enjoy the beauty of nature...
 Flying with those colorful wings...
 Across those tiny yellow flowers...

 I became butterfly for a moment...
 Through my eyes realized that the world was huge...
 Saw those big yellow flowers...
 But those wings...
 Those colorful wings were not visible...
 Those colorful wings which gave me my identity...
 I couldn't see...

 Got this fact...
 Wings I possess, I cannot see...
 But others can admire...
 Which sometime becomes my identity...
 But not all can fly, I can...
 Is the reality that identifies me...

 I shouted at the nature...

 Our Identity is perception of Self ? ...
 Or what others perceive becomes our Identity ? ...

 Got this reply...

 What am I ? ...

 A river...
 Gives water...
 Gives sounds...
 Gives flow...
 Gives life...

 They perceive me as what they get from me...
 They see me as a river...

 Who am I ? ...

 I am a sea inside me...
 I have waves of thoughts...
 I have shore of imagination...
 I have depths of beliefs...
 I have shells of curiosity...
 I have calmness of love...
 I have hugeness of doubts...
 I have storms of confusion...
 I have questions inside me...
 I have answers inside me...

 This perception of self is my identity for me...

 I am a river for others...
 I am a sea inside me...




--@n



Friday, February 24, 2012

Life after Death? Eh?


Do you believe in Life after Death ?... somebody whispered into my ears...

Its a tricky question, I thought. Eh? Why? What? How? I am suppose to think beyond what is considered as end. As such I don't know if any one has a certain answer to this question. But if one is looking for certainty, there are two ways to go.

The first and most reliable way is, going the way. Go Die, then you'll know for sure what is beyond that. Second is knowing the way by believing on somebody. It can be considered as less drastic. A virtual experience of life after death. Go, join some religious group that promises eternal life! Unfortunately or fortunately, this is the promise they cannot prove. So if you have faith, then they will tell you what to believe about life after death. However you'll not get any evidence, reason or proof. Most don't care anyways as long as they are satisfied.

No one can neither empirically prove nor disprove life in any form beyond the grave. Religions that tell you otherwise are asking you to have faith in myths, legends, and wishful thinking. The true philosophy about life never requires such faith. Death is a part of life, or the end of life indeed. So its highly unlikely that you'll have anything to worry about it in the next - if there is one!

We are happier and more productive when we have family and friends to care for and who care for us and give us a context for our lives. It's always been this way, and it probably always will. You're born, you die, and in between you find yourself. Life is about creating yourself.

Eat, Pray and Love - it works ! :-)








--@n

Monday, February 20, 2012

How deep is the depth ?

Depth...

You can go - dig vertically in one direction...
Or
You can go - dig radially in horizontal direction...

If you see them from nearby...
Former will lead you to a well...
Useful - Water for everyone...
Latter will make a big crater...
Of no use - and invisible to most coz of its hugeness...

If you see them from far...
Former will be invisible...
Small size cant be seen...
Latter will be prominent...
Large and wide...

How deep is the depth ?



--@n

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Conversations: Stay still or Go up ?





If you are going up…
You'll see others going down…

Now If you really want them…
You'll have ti take them up with you…

If they want you…
They'll not let you go away…

Attachment has both positive and negative aspects…
What will you do?

Stay with them and be there…
or
Hold them and go up?

-----------------------------------

Hold them and go up…

Easy to say as mere words...
But difficult to do…

This holding them takes a lot out of you…
And leaving them takes even more…

Why this loss and gain?
Race goes on whatever you do…

Whatever you gain you'll lose something…
Whatever you lose you'll gain something…

The question is…

Was that loss worth over what you gained?
Was that gain worth over what you lost?



--@n

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