Fishing boats @ Sassoon Docks... Mumbai.

     Sassoon Docks are the only docks in Mumbai open to the public. It harbors the biggest fish market of Mumbai. Early morning the boats start docking with their booty. By 10 AM the place is deserted! The place happened to be quite unorganized till sometime back. There were no checks on who entered or went out... till the perpetrators of the 26/11 terror attack struck. This was the dock from where the terrorists entered and created havoc in the city. Things have changed now.Unknown faces raise eyebrows. Some semblance of checks have been established. But fortunately life has not changed otherwise. It is still the biggest fish market here and the catch still gets sold out by 10 AM.

Sheesh Gumbad

     Lodi Garden is a 90 acre park in the heart of Delhi. There are numerous tombs in the park dating back to the 15th century. They were mostly built during the rule of the Lodi dynasty. The 'Sheesh Gumbad' or 'Glass Dome' is the only one having unmarked graves. It gets the name because of the remains of blue glazed tiles on the top half. Probably earlier the entire top was covered with these tiles. Any way the identity of the inhabitants of the graves remains a mystery. They must have been important, judging by the grandeur of the tomb. Delhi-ites frequent this garden for their walks, or in search of some peace away from the hub-bub of the city. An occasional vagabond may be found sleeping right next to the graves, oblivious to the missing piece of history.

Ghantaghar

    Kanpur is an old dusty town in northern India. Till some time back it was one of the most industrialised cities in the country. It was in fact called the Manchester of the east. However due to labour union troubles and bad politics most of the industries have moved out.All that remains are the relics of a by gone era. The Cawnpore Woolen Mills was established in 1876. It kept sputtering and finally closed down a few years back. To remind us of the good times remains the Clock Tower or 'Ghantaghar' which was a part of the mill structure. It continues chiming undeterred. 

Dream...

     What else can a pilot dream about but flying! That too flying over a spot where flying is not permitted!!! This is the Gateway of India in Mumbai. It is a heritage site built to commemorate the visit of King George-V and Queen Mary to Bombay in 1911.Low flying aircraft are not permitted over it. So what... like Picasso, I can also dream and then paint my dreams! This painting was done about ten years back. Came across it recently and decided to post it.

Where Great Courage and Fortitude is the Norm

     I am an aviator.... a Military Aviator who is hanging his uniform this month end. It was a great privilege being here. Loved every moment of my life, enjoyed the camaraderie that is shared only between soldiers and made some friends whose friendship I can bank on for ever. It is a nostalgic moment for me. But it is time to move on. Wish me luck.
     By the way, those of you who wanted to know  where in the world I am, the background of this painting is the cold barren desert I was based in. Can you imagine even a blade of grass growing here !

Wish I was here !

     Am presently based in a cold barren desert. The only colors one sees around are brown, gray, and reds. Eyes yearn for green, that too a green golf course, that too the dreamer is an avid golfer. Wish I was here.......... ! Its a dream. Do not wake me up!

Ram Durbar

 

     Hindu Mythology has hundreds of Gods and similar number of tales around them. The Ramayana is one of the major epics about Lord Rama. He was considered the ideal ruler. Rama's rule or 'Ram Rajya' is considered a synonym for good governance. This is a picture of 'Ram Durbar' or 'Rama's Court' depicting Ram, his wife Sita, his three younger brothers and the Monkey God Hanuman. This epic is very long and interesting and those of you interested in knowing more can click on this link.

Diskit Gompa

     The only way to reach Shyok Valley in Laddakh is by road from Leh. The chicken hearted... stay away! You have to pass through Khardung La or Khardung Pass which is the highest motorable road in the world. Once you cross that you will see the most amazing and beautiful scenery in front of you- The Shyok valley. The district headquarter is a sleepy little village called Diskit. Above this on the mountain side, at an altitude of sixteen thousand feet, is nestled the Diskit Gompa or Monastery. It was founded in the Fourteenth century. It is really huge and located in a most difficult mountain side. How the monks built it at those heights, when there were no roads, is amazing. It is still a seat of learning for the Buddhist monks, undisturbed and without any distractions, high above the rest of the ordinary mortals.

Welcome Back

     Good news for nature lovers... The Indian Tiger has bounced back. The numbers of this majestic cat had been dwindling continuously due to poaching and loss of habitat. For the first time in this century, as per the latest census, the numbers have shown an upward trend. This has been possible due to incessant efforts by numerous people and agencies. One of the most visible faces of this fight died a few days back at the age of 73 due to cancer. This man, Fateh Singh Rathore, popularly known as the Tiger Man of India was the most visible face of this fantastic saga and this painting is dedicated to him. 

Still Deserted

     In 2004 a massive Tsunami devastated many coastal areas in South East Asia. Most of the areas are slowly limping back to normalcy. In the Bay of Bengal there is a small island called The Carnicobar. It is separated from the Indian mainland by hundreds of miles. The island comprised of just two villages. The entire village on the eastern coast was washed away by the Tsunami. The island and its beautiful beaches have not been the same ever since. The beaches are mostly deserted. The sea is looked at with mistrust. Once in a while one finds some one standing on the shore, staring into infinity.... probably still waiting for a miracle.

Shyok Valley

     In the northern most corner of my country India, in the Laddakh region, flows the river Shyok. In the summers this valley is full of tourists. The river is in full flow and the vegetation makes it colorful. However in winters the valley becomes dry and barren. Temperatures drop to as much as 25 degrees below zero. The flow of the river reduces because the glaciers refuse to melt. The tourist camps lie vacant. But I can assure you the valley is still beautiful. Walking in the snow along the river throws up beautiful sights. This is one of them.
     My painting schedule has become a little erratic because of work pressure. I managed to find time and did not want to miss a chance to paint.  Even though the temperatures are still sub zero, managed to do this quickfire watercolor sitting on the banks of the river Shyok. Hope you like it. 

My Roots.

     As a helicopter pilot I keep roaming all over the country. Life is a continuous journey. One settles down where ever ones job takes. But there are times when one longs to go back to ones roots. I am from a small village of northern India, a place I have rarely visited. Recently I visited this village and got a chance to see the place where my father and grandfather were born and brought up. Saw the alleys where they played as children. Really nostalgic, got emotional. This is a painting of the alley that leads to our ancestral house. Painted it from a photograph I had clicked.

The Saga Continues

     It really makes you feel good when your friends miss you. Thanks all of you who missed me and remembered me.
     To continue the story I have landed up from the frying pan into the deep freeze! From Africa I have come back to a region of India called Laddakh. The average altitude varies between 10,000 feet to 18,000 feet. And during this season the temperatures vary from -10 to -55 degrees Celsius ! Adjusting to this requires some effort. On top of this I tried to paint plein air! My hands went numb, brushes kept aside would freeze, the paints were misbehaving... finally I had to rush inside to complete this work. Anyway, its good to be back!