World’s only alpine crane species, the elusive Black-necked crane breeds on the high-altitude Tibetan plateau and winters at lower wetlands, alpine meadows, and river marshes in China, Bhutan, Eastern Ladakh and Arunachal Pradesh in India. Now that Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh in India are not a part of the same state, each will have to crown their own UT bird and for Ladakh, no other bird could be more appropriate than the magnificent Black Necked Crane, the king of birds in the Himalayas.
Category: Art & Design
Creatives.
Uniquely Nepal!
Some unique and interesting things about Nepal that I learned on our first trip and scenes from my travels in watercolors & ink on paper.
Riding through the Central Highlands of Vietnam
Before we set out on our road trip through the Central Highlands of Vietnam, I was nervous about riding for the first time in a new country. It took me a while to get comfortable on the motorbike and let my eyes off the road to enjoy the scenic views. But after riding more than 1300 km through half of the country, I am convinced there is no better way to travel in Vietnam than on a motorbike! And the freedom of exploring a place riding on my own adds to the depth of my travel experiences.
Kumortuli: Where Goddesses are made
On the banks of Hooghly, in North Kolkata is a labyrinth of narrow lanes, older than the city and full of vibrant color and art, Kumortuli – the potter’s colony, where idols of Gods and Goddesses are made from scratch for the Hindu festival of Durga Puja. Various artists work on different stages of sculpting, painting & decorating the idol of Goddess Durga in the workshops here. Deeply engrossed in the making of the Goddess, they look meditative.
Hidden treasure of Ladakh
Ladakh is famous for it’s stunning landscapes, peaceful & heartwarming people, dangerous mountain passes, extreme weather conditions, pristine high-altitude mountain lakes, unique wildlife and gorgeous ancient monasteries, but in this remote land there lies another hidden treasure thousands of years old…the prehistoric Rock Art paintings – some of the earliest expressions of our species, our artistic and cultural beginnings!
Happy New Year! :)
May you have good health, happiness, peace and prosperity throughout the New Year! Wishing you a joyful holiday season and great travels ahead! Cheers! 🙂
Untouched Kinnaur: Rusklang village, Ropa valley, Himachal
Kinnaur in northeast Himachal, surrounded by Tibet in the east, is the least explored and the second least populous district, after Lahaul & Spiti, in Himachal Pradesh, India. The old Hindustan-Tibet road, the ancient Silk Route, passes through Kinnaur along the banks of Sutlej River. Kinnaur Kailash is a peak (6500 meters) in Kinnaur, considered the…
Weekly Photo Challenge: Nostalgic
Nostalgia – fond recollections of the past. A few images that I shot in the good old days of the film camera, from the year 1998, almost 15 years ago! For the weekly photo challenge – Nostalgia
Weekly Photo Challenge: Pattern
For the Weekly photo challenge : Pattern
Bukit Brown Cemetery: A piece of Singapore’s history and heritage
In the midst of clean urban architecture and the beautifully maintained gardens of Singapore, one doesn’t expect to find any place that is totally wild, unkempt and peaceful. And yet such a place exists, right at the center of Singapore! Bukit Brown cemetery, in the heart of Singapore is an abandoned Chinese cemetery where the…
India Impressions : Corelle
World Kitchen LLC, a global leader in dinnerware, introduced the India Impressions series in August 2011. The dinnerware collection designed exclusively for the Indian market with modern Indian homes in mind, is available across all leading dinnerware stores in India. One of the designs – Melody, designed by Ritu Saini. (Read more) Melody : Inspired by Holi, the…
Cambodia Painted
I have been enchanted by Cambodia and its colorful images so I decided to paint a few. Some of my favorite pictures that I took at Cambodia as paintings in water-color and oil. Floating house at Tonle Sap Bayon Temple The road ahead On the road A Cambodian Home Streets of Siem Reap Standing Tall…
The magnificent Angkor
It’s an early day, we’re on our way to visit the grand Angkor Wat, a temple dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu ( Avatar) – the Preserver. Angkor Wat, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and am excited as its the first time, I’ll experience the spectacular sunrise at the temple. As we cross the bridge over the gigantic Angkor…
Bayon Temple
Prasat Bayon is the main temple of Angkor Thom, and is situated right in the center of the ancient city. As I walk to the temple, the guards at the entrance check my pass. I notice a lot of japanese tourists here, some with their faces covered in hygiene masks. Our guide explains that the temple’s conservation…
Ta Prohm : Jungle temple
In the jungle among the really tall trees is the outer wall of the ‘Jungle temple’ – Ta Prohm. The entrance gate with a Bayon head gopura, leads to a dirt track, on the sides of which are some men under a huge umbrella, playing traditional cambodian music. They are land-mine victims, who now play music,…
Baphuon – A Shiva Temple
Baphuon, a pyramid shaped temple was built in the mid 11th century as the state temple of Udayadityavarman II and was dedicated to the Hindu God Shiva. It is located in Angkor Thom, northwest of the Bayon in Siem Reap. In the late 15th century, the Baphuon was converted to a Buddhist temple. One side wall of the temple is in the…
The Elephant Terrace
Built by Jayavarman VII, Terrace of the Elephants is a part of the walled city of Angkor Thom, in Cambodia. Most of the original structure was made of organic material and is lost, only the foundation platform of the complex remains. The terrace is named for the carvings of elephants on its eastern face. The middle section of the…
Angkor Thom – Angkor City
The Khmer Empire, one of the most powerful empires in Southeast Asia flourished from around the 9th to 15th century AD. Founded by King Jayavarmana II, the whole empire covered parts of modern-day Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Burma and Malaysia. It’s greatest legacy Angkor, was the capital city during the empire’s zenith. Angkor Thom, translating to Angkor…
Surface Design : Prints
A design guide for surface designers, by Pattern People, the book showcases over 80 international artists whose work illustrates the many print styles found in the market & a thorough break-down of how the print industry operates. Pattern Design & Beyond is an inspirational guide for students, professionals or anyone else with an appreciation for…
Mumbai Diary
Mumbai Diary 2005 – A nostalgic trip to Bombay! The annual diary is themed on the various faces of Mumbai. Few of my photographs were featured in the year 2005. It was designed by MADEARTH, a design company from Mumbai. The First Page… Front cover of the diary A few of my photographs from the…
Color Odyssey 