"Far away there in the sunshine are my highest aspirations"

Day 31 ~ You Again

2012-01-31T08:14:00.001+05:30

Me again..:)
This was a fun project i loved it..ill give it a break for a while and maybe pick up another month and do this all over again.
Ciao~

Day 30~Nature

2012-01-30T08:21:00.000+05:30

Day 29~Inside your fridge

2012-01-29T18:04:00.000+05:30

Day 28~Light

2012-01-28T17:41:00.000+05:30

Day 27~Lunch

2012-01-27T13:49:00.000+05:30

Old photo of thali at woodlands
I skipped lunch today :(

Day 26~Color

2012-01-26T21:16:00.001+05:30

Color Color what color do you choose ?

Oh that used to be my fav game...

Day 25~Something you made

2012-01-25T19:00:00.003+05:30

Black onyx and some other beigh stone necklace :)

Flower made out on an old tshirt

Day 24~Guilty pleasures

2012-01-24T07:47:00.001+05:30

These are few of my unread books.
Have no idea when I'll finish all these...this backlog does not STOP me from ordering new books.
The pleasure of holding a new book always overtakes!

Day 23 ~ Something Old

2012-01-23T10:12:00.002+05:30

Ambegalu Krishna (Crawling krishna) idol. This must be like a century old...sits in our pooja room.

Day 22 ~ Your Shoes

2012-01-22T16:51:00.001+05:30

Easiest theme ever :)

Day 21~Reflection

2012-01-21T21:53:00.000+05:30

Really old one...but serves the purpose :) Hope you are having a lovely saturday

Day 20~Someone you love

2012-01-20T07:10:00.001+05:30

Mom dad brother :)
Parents are gods whom you can see,live with :)
Yes! I sound very archaic

Day 19 ~ Sweet

2012-01-19T12:35:00.000+05:30

Day 18~ Something you bought

2012-01-18T12:16:00.009+05:30

Confessions of a Shopoholic...:)

Day 17~Water

2012-01-17T17:30:00.000+05:30

Day 16~Morning

2012-01-16T20:26:00.000+05:30

This is morning to me for the last few months ... With season changing there will be newer/different meaning to mornings :)

Day 15~Happiness

2012-01-15T18:25:00.002+05:30

Red is my favorite color and red waterfall cardigan on sale that too 50% YAY! happiness.. I bought it immediately.

Traveling, going to new places is happiness :)

Day 14 ~ Something you're reading

2012-01-14T15:21:00.001+05:30

Day 13 ~ In your bag

2012-01-13T20:13:00.001+05:30

Sunglasses, pen-pencil, brush-band, lip balms (3?-today's discovery), phone-personal (new addition), Inhaler, allergy tablets, charger,hands free, light sweater, deo, wet tissue, iPad(personal)

And a bag that holds all of this!

This is my traveling bag! I came back home today and that's why iPad, sweater .. These are not part of my daily bag.

Day 12 ~ Close up

2012-01-12T12:04:00.003+05:30

Lol :) and you thought it will be a macro no ??

Day 11 ~ Where you sleep

2012-01-11T19:16:00.002+05:30

My corner ... A little bit I my jacket, iPhone charger and I guess sound dock remote is seen ..:D ya! it's not always clean :)

Day 10 ~ Childhood

2012-01-10T21:55:00.000+05:30

Childhood - I loved soap bubbles as a child and even now when i get my hands on it ...the child in me comes alive :D

Day 9 ~ Your daily routine

2012-01-09T20:31:00.004+05:30

Ok I cheated! This is an old picture of a daily routine.
Pick a flower for my car Ganesha from the garden and place it around him. This has been my morning routine for so long :)

Day 8 ~ Your Sky

2012-01-08T20:17:00.000+05:30

Day 7 ~ Favourite

2012-01-07T20:41:00.001+05:30

This is my most favourite thing in the world

Day 6 ~ Makes you smile

2012-01-06T21:08:00.002+05:30

This was a little difficult... I couldn't put a stop on "one" thing that makes me smile
Simple pleasure of life makes me smile lol that said I indulge in luxury as well:)

But really things like a surprise bloom in the garden, a good book, an empty road with all green signal, Any art /craft i make ... I can go on.
Makes me smile all the time :) these things gives me more happiness than say a luxury watch :D

Day 4-5

2012-01-05T20:46:00.001+05:30

Day 4 ~ letterbox
This one has been hung on our gate for as long as I know what a letter box is :)

Day 5 ~ Something you wore

Day 2-3

2012-01-05T20:41:00.003+05:30

Day 2 ~ Breakfast

Day 3 ~ Something you adore
Yes! I adore my iPhone. Just can't do without it. Thanks Madhu for the idea :)

Day 1 ~ Me

2012-01-05T20:40:00.000+05:30

Here Madhu and I begin the photo challenge :)

day 1 ~ Me

Photo Challenge

2012-01-04T14:34:00.002+05:30

I am up for it..:)

My life is FULL OF EXCEL SHEETS/PPT/DESIGN REVIEWS all interesting but still very boring after a point....ya, a very contradicting statement, but that's how it is.

So i need to do something fun, something i like doing so this project...:)

I hope i can finish 31 days :D

PS: Madhu is also joining me :D

2012...

2012-01-02T13:35:00.000+05:30

Twenty twelve...I like the way it sounds :)

Flowers are the sweetest things God ever made

2011-04-04T12:20:00.001+05:30

Here are few from my garden (Mostly)

Colors @ Sante

2011-02-18T15:06:00.000+05:30

Bahubali of Shravanabelagola

2011-02-02T14:09:00.004+05:30

View from the temple

Bahubali

Feet and flowers

Offerings

Prayers

When tabebuia blooms in bangalore

2011-02-01T15:02:00.002+05:30

Cutest Christmas story

2010-12-28T10:34:00.002+05:30

Bhootada kola

2010-12-23T13:10:00.024+05:30

Everything you want to know about bhuta kola can be found here .

I wanted to share my experience through pictures. This ritual is not new to me, every summer holidays i went to udipi.. i was lucky to witness one or two kolas every year. These are mostly held in paddy fields when paddy is harvested and the ground is vacant. They put up a shamiyana, spread a jamkhana? (that thick canvas cloth where people can sit) throw in some plastic chairs and we are ready for the show. As a child, i have always been told that bhutas are bad/evil. I would wonder, if bhutas are bad why bring them here and make them dance..Why cant we call say a Rama or Krishna or Shiva ?
As a child I was petrified by the thought of kola and i never wanted to go...but then again the thought of getting to spend all night in open, under the moonlight, past 11pm , parents agreeing to let me go, a night out with cousins, peanuts...convinced me to go see bhutas each year.
After seeing the costume, make up, the acts, the noise, i used to chicken out and always took shelter of my dads shoulder or of an elderly cousin.

During the show there is an act where the bhuta runs wildly towards the crowd..and i always felt they are coming for me..and i would scream, yell and make such a big noise :D Most of the time i would burry my head on someones lap or chest...and i hardly saw anything that bhutas did. I was really tiny :D

Last year when i went to udipi for some family pooja i got a chance to see another kola..I was so thrilled. Armed with my camera i went bravely into the dhoomavathi temple. My cousin who knows people around gave an introduction about me (mostly whose daughter, which family, what house...thats how people are known in that part of the world) checked if i can click and we got a grand welcome..:) They requested if they can have some pictures to send to a local press, i was glad :D...so we had the whole dhoomavathi temple at our disposal...:)

But, as i said most of these people are drunk and my native village being a village has probably never seen woman come upstage and Click. The bhutas were getting dressed in one corner of the stage, people were looking at them getting dressed and the moment my cousin and I landed we could feel 200 pairs of eyes on us. I could smell the stench of local liquor. I got a little conscious and nervous, actually very nervous!
You will see it in the pictures..some are blurred , some are OOF...but nevertheless to save my family name and my face lol i got some decent pictures that i could give my cousins friends to print.

So welcome to Dhoomavathi kola

Shree dhoomavathi Devasthana

The musicians..very important for the function

Dhoomavathi main Deity
The main temple is on the right...on important days like this...the idols are placed outside.

Priest and a worker..making a base to keep the offerings

Bhuta #1
I used flash and he quite didn't like it..he gave me a look. My heart skipped a beat.
This shot is crap the focus is lost...but look at those kids...
Aren't they cute !

Bhuta #2 getting ready

These are anklets. Someone told me that these bhutas get possessed once they wear their anklets. Like any other dance form how you need to seek blessings of your guru before you wear your anklets ... these bhutas also seek permission and get blessings from their master.

Getting ready

The jewellery and flowers

Some more make up

The two bhutas and their master

The dress. I was told somewhere half way through the ritual one of the bhuta would get to wear this. It looked really heavy !

Final touch :D. I have more shots of bhuta #1 as he was facing me and i felt safe standing there...more with the crowd kinda feeling :D

The headgear

Final touches .. he was fastening his headgear with some threads made out of some kind long leaves. No it wasnt coconut..i dont know. I wish this guy was little friendlier or maybe his makeup was a little pleasant to look...I wanted to ask him many things...

The audience

Final word with the master

Seeking permission from goddess dhumavathi

Seeking permission from musicians

Seeking permission from temple volunteers

Finally seeking permission from audience.

I had to leave after this so i don't have any more pictures of what happened after this. As a sign of respect to the goddess you cannot leave the performance after these guys fasten their anklets. Note they are still holding it in their hands. These butas are supposed to be sober. But they weren't! They were acting little weird already.

These quaint little rituals are so fun to know and they have so many little tales associated with them. Someday i would like to meet these dancers when they are more sober:D and find out more about their life.

The love for my native, its people, culture and all the little little festivals, rituals of that place i plan to make frequent trips 2011 and capture more of their life.

Paradise to live

2010-12-22T15:27:00.004+05:30

Mangalore tiles houses
Paddy fields
fresh air
Backwaters
Coconut trees
Boats
Fishing nets
Sea breeze

Reference from a youtube video..this looks more like kerala...but i was thinking of Udipi, my native village.

Emerald gree rice terrace of Jatiluwih

2010-12-15T12:03:00.004+05:30

Jati mean really and Luwih meaning special, good, and beautiful or the equivalent. I agree, This place was magical.

Rice is the staple food of Indonesia.
They eat rice for breakfast lunch and dinner. For the first time in my life i have seen rice/noodles served for breakfast at a five star property!
They have two types of rice growing "Balinese rice" and something called "New rice". Balinese rice gets harvested once in six months while the new rice has a shorter harvest period 3 months.
The texture of their rice when cooked is kind of sticky.
They also have black rice which is mainly used for pudding. I tasted kinda nice :)

I'm proud

2010-12-09T14:11:00.001+05:30

Via

l ♥ CS5 content aware tool

2010-08-10T14:59:00.000+05:30

You see why :D

Life of a lotus farmer ...

2010-08-09T18:52:00.017+05:30

When i saw a huge lake filled with lotus buds, i had to stop to just sit and watch or maybe click a few lotus shots if they were close by. I just love that flower. Whenever i see a lotus a quote runs on my mind...quote by Buddha.

“As a lotus flower is born in water, grows in water and rises out of water to stand above it unsoiled, so I, born in the world, raised in the world having overcome the world, live unsoiled by the world”

While i was musing in that hot sun..i got to meet the growers and they shared their life with me. It was fun discussing village and city life. Their work and my work..:) Sharing some experience with you...Hope you like it.

The journey begins...

In this big lake of 4 acres , they grow lotus, i mean they don't really grow .. i guess it just happened to be a natural lake and they just made a business opportunity out of it.

~What does it take to be a lotus dealer in a big lake of 4 acres. You need to bag the tender worth 4 lakhs a year, given out by the panchayat board. This lake has 4 partners :)

~This boy is the son of one of the partners doing his daily chore of plucking lotus buds..

~its a tough job ! It was hot and he was fully dressed in Full sleeves fleece jacket complete with a monkey cap

~Finally he comes..

~he must have thought its almost over , and his mom asked him to go and get roots(plants)
for me

~He is lost somewhere...you can spot his blue cap

~And they have friendly neighbors stopping to say hello

~This is how it is there...like a maze! Its a tough job

~He is pulling the long lotus stem to get to the roots... they were really long like 7 feet of stem. I didn't know lotus grew so deep.

~This is his collection for the day... (first round)

~Counting, cleaning, packing...

~I asked her why buds...so she showed me how to make the bud bloom and quickly put it back. Counted and ready to go...
PS: She invited me for lunch the next time i pass by this route :)

~Off it goes to Bangalore in this colorful bus..:)

Some other interesting facts:

-They supply 1 lakh lotus buds to Raja Rajeshwari temple in Bangalore during Navrathri
-They supply about 50 thousand lotus leaves to Dharmastala temple every month
-While i was there there was an impromptu request to supply 2500 flowers by August 15!

I am thinking if i should bid for the tender next year :D

Fishhhhh...

2010-08-08T11:31:00.000+05:30

Hangings from Andhra Pradesh

Bharatanatyam

2010-07-06T21:13:00.006+05:30

I haven't been clicking and i had nothing new to share. But i wanted to post something and so I'm recycling. These were clicked in mahabalipuram dance festival long back. When Lightroom didn't exist, when i didn't understand my camera well..all i knew was a little bit of dance :) Yes, a little bit of dance lessons helps to click dancers :)

Enjoy

Dont neglect

2010-05-26T13:52:00.000+05:30

I am going...

2010-05-25T12:16:00.002+05:30

now that sounds like a good deal. Who is buying me a ticket...:D

L.I.F.E

2010-05-08T09:29:00.002+05:30

“The distance is nothing; it is only the first step that is difficult.”

2010-04-04T12:49:00.001+05:30

“The distance is nothing; it is only the first step that is difficult.”, originally uploaded by ~ Panache.

Published in Kannada magazine - Taranga April issue

Thursday thoughts...

2010-04-01T15:33:00.001+05:30

..

2010-02-18T14:32:00.000+05:30

i feel it...

May you...

2010-02-17T13:25:00.001+05:30

May you..., originally uploaded by ~ Panache.

“May you always have work for your hands to do.
May your pockets hold always a coin or two.
May the sun shine bright on your windowpane.
May the rainbow be certain to follow each rain.
May the hand of a friend always be near you.
And may God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.”

Tagged..

2010-02-11T21:23:00.001+05:30

Tagged.., originally uploaded by ~ Panache.

One word answer to all these questions :) It was fun. Try it

Your Cell Phone? iphone.
Your Hair? medium.
Your Mother? beautiful.
Your Father? God.
Your Favorite Food? sizzler.
Your Dream Last Night? none.
Your Favorite Drink? lychee juice.
Your Dream/Goal? Smile.
What Room Are You In?Living.
Your Hobby? dream.
Your Fear? lizards.
Where Do You See Yourself In Six Years? Not here.
Where Were You Last Night? bed.
Something That You Aren’t? Silent.
Muffins? delicious.
Wish List Item? Italy.
Where Did You Grow Up? Home.
Last Thing You Did? Medicine .
What Are You Wearing? t-shirt.
Your TV? Off.
Your Pets? none.
Friends? Good.
Your Life? grateful.
Your Mood? Bored.
Missing Someone? no.
Vehicle? Honda.
Something You Aren’t Wearing? Shoes.
Your Favorite Store? Ann taylor.
Your Favorite Color? nude.
When Was The Last Time You Laughed? Now.
Last Time You Cried? Morning.
Your Best Friend? Missing.
One Place You Go To Over And Over Again? Native.
Facebook? Irritating.
Favorite Place To Eat? Many.

love is ...

2010-02-05T10:31:00.002+05:30

Image credit

this would be Bliss

2009-11-09T16:39:00.000+05:30

How yellow and beautiful

2009-10-09T16:52:00.001+05:30

i love brown/rust tones. This one is just perfect for me

...

2009-10-09T16:51:00.001+05:30

With every deed you are sowing a seed, though the harvest you may not see.

2009-10-08T13:25:00.001+05:30

With every deed you are sowing a seed, though the harvest you may not see., originally uploaded by ~ Panache.

Such pretty colors....

2009-10-01T11:09:00.000+05:30

For every girl..

2009-09-24T12:18:00.000+05:30

Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

2009-09-24T11:45:00.001+05:30

life is beatiful

2009-09-23T14:43:00.000+05:30

Art love...

2009-09-22T10:56:00.000+05:30

Peacock feather inspiration...isnt that beautiful !

Such a pretty thing

how blue...

2009-09-17T15:23:00.000+05:30

The tiles

Innovative use of the crown...really works for me.

I am not too sure of the gloomy blue look..but it looks cosy

...Such a pretty thing..

2009-09-16T11:18:00.000+05:30

I love that huge mirror
I love the whiteness in this picture
I love the stone details...a perfect example for mixed medium( harsh and soft)
Lastly i love that little sitting area by the window..

lOOk at this ...

2009-09-15T15:37:00.001+05:30

yes its raw

yes its rustic

yes its basic

yes its right under the sky

...thats what make its beautiful picture for me :)

Hope you like it too

Offering a handful of fragrance and a small cup of light

2009-08-30T22:45:00.001+05:30

Offering a handful of fragrance and a small cup of light, originally uploaded by ~ Panache.

Look at me standing...

2009-08-03T21:48:00.001+05:30

Look at me standing..., originally uploaded by ~ Panache.

here on my own again
up straight in the sunshine

No need to run and hide
it's a wonderful, wonderful life
No need to laugh and cry
it's a wonderful, wonderful life

Walk away from a bad deal

2009-07-30T14:15:00.001+05:30

Walk away from a bad deal, originally uploaded by ~ Panache.

A Lion once fell in love with a beautiful maiden and proposed
marriage to her parents. The old people did not know what to
say.
They did not like to give their daughter to the Lion, yet
they did not wish to enrage the King of Beasts. At last the
father said: "We feel highly honoured by your Majesty's
proposal, but you see our daughter is a tender young thing,
and we fear that in the vehemence of your affection you might
possibly do her some injury. Might I venture to suggest that
your Majesty should have your claws removed, and your
teeth extracted, then we would gladly consider your proposal
again."
The Lion was so much in love that he had his claws
trimmed and his big teeth taken out. But when he came again
to the parents of the young girl they simply laughed in his
face, and bade him do his worst.

Moral:
Love can tame the wildest.
Misfortune awaits those who love unwisely.

Trouble comes from the direction we least expect it.

2009-07-29T13:46:00.001+05:30

Trouble comes from the direction we least expect it., originally uploaded by ~ Panache.

Story of One eyed doe
A Doe had had the misfortune to lose one of her eyes, and couldnot see any one approaching her on that side. So to avoid anydanger she always used to feed on a high cliff near the sea, withher sound eye looking towards the land. By this means she could see whenever the hunters approached her on land, andoften escaped by this means. But the hunters found out that shewas blind of one eye, and hiring a boat rowed under the cliffwhere she used to feed and shot her from the sea.
"Ah," criedshe with her dying voice.
What happened with doe is she assumed that no one can attack her from the sea. In real life too we assume many things like our friends will never betray us, our spouses will remain faithful, our colleagues will not backstab us...Should our assumption turn out to be wrong..our life will turn upside down..So its very important to test the assumption..All said and done..You really cannot escape your fate !

Colour is black and white put together

2009-05-21T08:38:00.001+05:30

Colour is black and white put together”, originally uploaded by ~ Panache.

a picture for you

2009-05-16T20:52:00.001+05:30

2009-04-29T16:41:00.000+05:30

Yesterday...

2009-04-15T14:26:00.001+05:30

Yesterday..., originally uploaded by ~ Panache.

Yesterday you offered me courage
Today you endowed me with your strength.
Every moment together, a gift
Every day a celebration of life

Summer time !!

2009-04-08T11:33:00.000+05:30

Musk melon with brown sugar and some delicious bokeh :)

Color version of musk melon

A little closer

2009-04-07T17:18:00.001+05:30

“There is only one pretty child in the world, and every mother has it.”, originally uploaded by ~ Panache.

“There is only one pretty child in the world, and every mother has it.”

“A heart in love with beauty never grows old.”

2009-04-02T11:24:00.001+05:30

“A heart in love with beauty never grows old.”, originally uploaded by ~ Panache.

A thought on waiting ~

2009-02-13T15:49:00.001+05:30

Waiting for fish to bite, waiting for wind to fly the kite, waiting for friday night or waiting for uncle jake or a pot to boil, originally uploaded by ツ Panache.

Waiting for fish to bite, waiting for wind to fly the kite, waiting for friday night or waiting for uncle jake or a pot to boil, waiting for this waiting for that...everyone is just waiting

A submerged church at Shettihalli, Hassan

2009-02-10T10:05:00.001+05:30

, originally uploaded by tranquillite.

A church from another era submerged in water...More here

Pictures by kiran

a picture for you

2009-02-04T09:26:00.001+05:30

a picture for you, originally uploaded by ~Panache.

~ they smell heavenly
~ i have them at bangalore and chennai
~ i love knotting them to a garland
~ this is my weekend activity and like a therapy

Mylapore - Colors "a must see "

2009-02-01T20:44:00.000+05:30

Photo Credits .. Ashwin

For some reason if you cannot see it here..Here's the link to Youtube

Tanjore painting WIP

2009-01-31T19:45:00.000+05:30

31 Jan 09

Auto, Tuk Tuk ...

2009-01-30T09:52:00.001+05:30

Auto, Tuk Tuk ..., originally uploaded by ~Panache.

Paneer nimboo soda

2009-01-28T10:18:00.001+05:30

Paneer nimboo soda, originally uploaded by ~Panache.

In Karnataka its known as Goli soda..You can see here how its made here

I was in kancheepuram on monday to shoot the Varadaraja Preumal temple and i had this drink after a very long time. This was different probably a kanche version. It was rose flavoured and it was LOVELY !!

A must try

There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million. ~Walt Streightiff

2009-01-20T18:02:00.001+05:30

There are no seven wonders of the world in the eyes of a child. There are seven million. ~Walt Streightiff, originally uploaded by ~Panache.

Dance away !!

2009-01-13T16:58:00.001+05:30

Dance away !!, originally uploaded by ~Panache.

Let us read and let us dance - two amusements that will never do any harm to the world.”

“Stop trying to fit in when you were born to stand out.”

2009-01-09T17:35:00.001+05:30

“Stop trying to fit in when you were born to stand out.”, originally uploaded by ~Panache.

Some asked me what i do for living and i said i am a flower seller and the next thing i was asked was, Do u make enough money ?

LOL

I am RED

2008-12-22T11:49:00.001+05:30

I am RED, originally uploaded by ~Panache.

Marigold seller

2008-12-03T16:39:00.001+05:30

Marigold seller, originally uploaded by ~Panache.

KR Market, Bangalore

Riot of colors and smell,Cacophonies of all kinds.. still people find their own corner admist of these

“The distance is nothing; it is only the first step that is difficult.”

2008-11-24T14:25:00.001+05:30

“The distance is nothing; it is only the first step that is difficult.”, originally uploaded by ~Panache.

November bangalore chill

Get up make a cup of hot coffee

Peep out to see if its drizzling...NO !!!

Its bright enough to step out

Put on comfy shoes, tracks a jacket and you are all set to explore

~ I see these beautiful flowers everyday, but never stopped or entered cubbon park to click them. Sunday was the day..i took my bike out and rode to cubbon park at 7 to catch these beautiful flowers :)

Highlight of the day..stray dogs chasing me :D

A pretty flower ~

2008-11-16T17:42:00.000+05:30

i just love this color :)
Have a lovely week all

~ i found this

2008-11-10T17:25:00.000+05:30

weekend joblessness

2008-11-09T18:33:00.000+05:30

i scribbled on my hand (front and back) then on my feet then on this poor hardcard !!

Rangolis - some more

2008-11-06T12:19:00.000+05:30

Dancer

2008-11-06T12:10:00.000+05:30

Those were the best days of my life!!!

2008-11-04T11:35:00.000+05:30

Surabhi : Renuka Sahane and Siddharth

Salma sultana DD news reader

Oshin

Nirma
Washing powder nirma , washing powder nirma
Doodh si safedi, Nirma se aayi Rangeen kapde bhi khil khil jaaye

Mile sur mera thumara

Malgudi days

Mahabharata

He man

I am a complan boy , I am a complan girl

Byomkesh Bakshi

Alif Laila

Bharath Ek Khoj

Doordarshan's Screensaver

Doordarshans Logo

Then were 'Mungerilal ke hasin sapane' and 'karamchand'...'Vikram Betal', etc.

How did one survive growing up in the 70's, 80's and 90's?

We had no seatbelts, no airbags , no toilet papers and sitting in the back of a truck was a treat… Our baby prams had the most gorgeous lead based colours…

No such thing as tamper proof bottle tops…
Opening kitchen cupboards was a breeze…
as safety locks were unheard off…
Cycling was like a breath of fresh air…
No safety helmets, knee pads or elbow pads, with plenty of cardboards between spokes to make it sound like a motorbike…
When thirsty we only drank tap water, bottled water was still a mystery…
We kept busy collecting bits & pieces so we could build all sort of things … and we were fearless on our bikes even when the brakes failed going downhill…
We were showing off how tough we are, by how high we could climb trees & then jumping down….
It was great fun….
We could stay out to play for hours, as long as we got back before dark, in time for dinner…
We walked to school, or sometimes we even rode our bike.
We had no mobile phones, but we always managed to find each other…. How?

No one knows…

We lost teeth, broke arms & legs, we got cuts and bruises and bloody noses…. nobody complained as we had so much fun, it wasn't anybody's fault, only ours
We ate everything in sight, cakes, bread, chocolate, ice-cream, sweet sugary drinks, yet, we stayed skinny by fooling around. And if one of us was lucky to find a 1 litre coca cola bottle we all had a swag from it & guess what?
Nobody picked up any germs...
We did not have Play Stations, MP3, Nintendo's, I-Pods, Video games, 99 Cable TV channels, DVD's, Home Cinema, Mobile phones, Home Computers, Laptops, Chat-rooms, Internet, etc ...

BUT, we had REAL FRIENDS!!!!

We called on friends to come out to play, never rang the doorbell, just went around the back… We loved being let loose in the big bad world…without bodyguards…
We played with sticks and stones, played cowboys and Indians, doctors and nurses, hide and seek, soccer games, over and over again…
When we failed our exams we were given a second chance by simply repeating the same grade…without visiting psychiatrists, psychologists or counselors…
Such were the days…
We had freedom, success, disappointments and responsibilities. ..

Most of all,

we learned to respect others…

I enjoyed reading this..hope you all enjoy as well :)

What is love?Alright.

2008-11-03T14:22:00.001+05:30

What is love?Alright., originally uploaded by ~Panache.

You know how when you're listening to music from another room, and you're singing along, because it's a tune you really love, when the door closes, or a train passes, and you can't hear the music anymore, but you sing along anyway?”

:)

2008-10-21T23:13:00.000+05:30

Pictures to follow

A little bit of me for you

2008-10-14T22:04:00.001+05:30

@ Kapaleeshwara temple, Chn

2008-10-11T20:53:00.001+05:30

, originally uploaded by ~Panache.

Chettiar and Chettichchi

2008-10-09T08:39:00.001+05:30

Chettiar and Chettichchi, originally uploaded by Dilip Muralidaran.

Chettiar and Chettichchi
Chettiar is a religious community in south india, especially Tamilnadu where they were famous for trade, such as owning provision stores and cooking oil stores and refineries as such.

Chettichchi is nothing but the female or feminine version of Chettiar, or simply put Chettiar's Wife. Typical Chettiar figure in tamilnadu is associated with pot bellied figures depicting wealthy character and status.

I shot this image from the Navaraathiri Kolu dolls that adorn my living room for these ten days now.

The Chettiar and Chettichchi in the image have a provision store and are selling salt and rice and other ingredients.

Canon EOS 400D with the Sigma EF 24 - 70 MM F/2.8. Manual, F/4 at 1/60th of a Second, ISO100, Canon Speedlite 430EX fired, Manual 1/1, Tripod

All Rights Reserved. Owner and Usage Rights belongs to Dilip Muralidaran. Any use of this work in hard or soft copy or transfer must be done with the expressed consent of Dilip Muralidaran in written. Failing to do so will result in violation as per Section 63 of the Indian Copyrights Act, 1957 & Forgery, Fraud, Misrepresentation and Misinformation as per the Indian Penal Code Section 420 leading to severe legal consequences.