Pushkar 2009

Again, but this time with Anand and Ani. We left Delhi at 5 15 am and took 12 hours to reach. Talking, listening to music and stopping at Jaipur stretched our trip. On reaching Pushkar, we checked out Pink Floyd hotel which has a monarch-of-all-I-survey view from the terrace (3rd from top right) but log into multi-colored Baba lodge (top right corner) in 2 rooms for 2 days. The lake is being dug up these days and looks like it will get a cleaner look in a years time. On walking down the lane to Brahma mandir, I met the same sadhu I met 2 years back (2nd from top left). I recalled him because I had taken his picture last time also. As usual he wanted Rs. 10. Obviously he didn't recognise me.

At 40 degrees by 11 am, this is clearly off-season. The incredible heat kept us snoozing indoors most of the time- just like the dogs at the temple steps (the animals in Pushkar seem to be the life of this place). Our food through the next 2 days was pasta, Rajasthani thali, Israeli thali, pizza, 'Healthy' breakfast made of chai, meusli, juice and toast. My target of 1000 pictures in one day in Pushkar was beaten by the heat... aargh!

On day 3, we left heaven and stayed a night at the very clean hotel Khadim RTDC- a government run hotel in Ajmer. After a quick thali at Mango Masala- a local and very famous restaurant, we ended up snoozing again through the day. We took off on Monday morning at 9 and reached Delhi at 3pm. The way back is always quicker.

Pushkar 2009

Again, but this time with Anand and Ani. We left Delhi at 5 15 am and took 12 hours to reach. Talking, listening to music and stopping at Jaipur stretched our trip. On reaching Pushkar, we checked out Pink Floyd hotel which has a monarch-of-all-I-survey view from the terrace (3rd from top right) but log into multi-colored Baba lodge (top right corner) in 2 rooms for 2 days. The lake is being dug up these days and looks like it will get a cleaner look in a years time. On walking down the lane to Brahma mandir, I met the same sadhu I met 2 years back (2nd from top left). I recalled him because I had taken his picture last time also. As usual he wanted Rs. 10. Obviously he didn't recognise me.

At 40 degrees by 11 am, this is clearly off-season. The incredible heat kept us snoozing indoors most of the time- just like the dogs at the temple steps (the animals in Pushkar seem to be the life of this place). Our food through the next 2 days was pasta, Rajasthani thali, Israeli thali, pizza, 'Healthy' breakfast made of chai, meusli, juice and toast. My target of 1000 pictures in one day in Pushkar was beaten by the heat... aargh!

On day 3, we left heaven and stayed a night at the very clean hotel Khadim RTDC- a government run hotel in Ajmer. After a quick thali at Mango Masala- a local and very famous restaurant, we ended up snoozing again through the day. We took off on Monday morning at 9 and reached Delhi at 3pm. The way back is always quicker.

change up gears now!

Spotted a Bentley Continental GT on the way to work today. As it overtook me (obviously) I noticed something about it, which I just had to get a second look of. Thanks to the traffic ahead, it couldn't go too far, so I caught up with it and had a good look at this work of art. What caught my fancy was the backside of the car. The surface has nothing but the sexy metal swooping down with the very subtle light cluster and the logo. The paint job was obviously hand done, with every speckle rubbed and polished like it was the only mission given to the polisher. About the light cluster, it was free of glittering plastic- Just on color in one simple shape, unlike the whites or the yellows and reds like in the other cars. The solitary Bentley emblem in the centre said it all, with no names or any other words screaming at you in italics.
Now here's the point. Compare this to the hazaar things other cars have plastered on their backsides- three parts of the brand- the logo and symbol, the local company's logo, the model of the car, angles and cuts in the metal, protrusions, bulges in the lights, oversized bumpers, multi-color light clusters that looks like a mini discotheque... aargh. Why can't we keep it simple and clean, bereft of these unnecessary frills? Or maybe that's industry standard which accepts the dumbing down of a people and continues to deliver sub-standard product designs.

change up gears now!

Spotted a Bentley Continental GT on the way to work today. As it overtook me (obviously) I noticed something about it, which I just had to get a second look of. Thanks to the traffic ahead, it couldn't go too far, so I caught up with it and had a good look at this work of art. What caught my fancy was the backside of the car. The surface has nothing but the sexy metal swooping down with the very subtle light cluster and the logo. The paint job was obviously hand done, with every speckle rubbed and polished like it was the only mission given to the polisher. About the light cluster, it was free of glittering plastic- Just on color in one simple shape, unlike the whites or the yellows and reds like in the other cars. The solitary Bentley emblem in the centre said it all, with no names or any other words screaming at you in italics.
Now here's the point. Compare this to the hazaar things other cars have plastered on their backsides- three parts of the brand- the logo and symbol, the local company's logo, the model of the car, angles and cuts in the metal, protrusions, bulges in the lights, oversized bumpers, multi-color light clusters that looks like a mini discotheque... aargh. Why can't we keep it simple and clean, bereft of these unnecessary frills? Or maybe that's industry standard which accepts the dumbing down of a people and continues to deliver sub-standard product designs.

this way

my best on acrylic yet. starting 1am and finishing at 5 am-

this way

my best on acrylic yet. starting 1am and finishing at 5 am-

bird of prey

soar my flaps and go wohoho
jump off that ledge and go so low
open those feathers and let the wind through
turn my sides so can encircle you

the sun is nice, lets ride this breeze
snatch a kids sandwich, that bite's a tease
A pigeon's in my radar, shall I spare it today?
these pesky flying rats will always stray
Another eagle in the clouds, now thats a challenge
Need some work for my ricketing talons
I'm sick of sparrows and sometimes a crow
Time for an airfight so lets go go go

I can see that frisky rabbit in the grass down there
looks fat and chubby unlike that bony little mare
Do I need a big meal? No just a snacky little bite
the hare will writhe a bit but wont throw a fight
that furry hide will hold really well
in the sky when I soar, vertigo will give it hell

Cut the clouds like a bullet, like a blade
the horizon swallows the sun, the day will fade
with my 6 foot wingspan I can soar for a mile
reaching my nest with a carcass and a pile
of other things I tore and parts and more

I'd rather be a bird of prey
than a man down there with so little to say
need I say anything else, need I say more
soar my flaps and go wohoho