Summer Vacation Begins... and a special give- away too!

Summer is here...

More birds from Sewri

In my earlier post, I wrote about the flamingos we saw at Sewri. They are, after all, the main reason people flock to Sewri these days at low tide! However, there are also scores of other birds which arrive at Sewri for the insects which populate the mud flats. This post is about some of them...

Flamingo Poetry

Nothing brightens up my day more than appreciation for my blog! However, today, I was in for a wonderful surprise - a poem written on a photograph I had posted on Facebook!! I can't really call myself a photographer.. I am simply playing with my camera the way Samhith would play with a new toy! Yet, to see the poem, that too written by a blogger I have admired for long, was a pleasure that can not be described in words..... Ugich Konitari, aka Suranga Date, is a blogger I have never met. She is many years my senior, yet her innate sense of humor, her unique perception of issues, and the way she writes about even the most common situations we come across everyday, are what make her blogs a wonderful read! I have been following her blogs, Strewn Ashes and Gappa, for quite a while now, and to be featured there feels like a great honour! Here is the photograph,

Flamingos at Sewri

I usually look forward to the weekend events conducted by the BNHS, but of late, I had been missing out on a lot of interesting ones. It had been over a year since we had joined them for a Flamingo Watch, and with my new camera, it was more than just a little tempting! However, with all the hectic events planned for our weekend, I wasn't sure if Samhith would be up and ready so early in the morning. However, it is only for school that I have to shake him awake. Just one call and he was up and ready, in  less than 15 minutes, all set for the exciting day ahead! 

Sunset at Somnath

We recently visited the Somnath temple during Samhith's short year-end break. We arrived at Somnath in the evening, and rushed for a glimpse of the deity, and then hurried to get my camera to capture the sight of the sun setting behind the temple...

Book Review - Hot Tea Across India

The minute I heard of the book, ‘Hot Tea Across India’, I just knew that I had to read it! After all, tea is something Shankar says I practically live on, while travelling! While he can’t stand the sweet and watery liquid that passes for tea in most places these days, and prefers to abstain, I can’t stay away it, especially on train journeys, where both Samhith and Shankar now know to call out to every chap selling chai, especially masala chai on any station small or big!

Image courtesy: Westland Books

White Throated Kingfisher

at Alibag..

Indo German Urban Mela

Its not everyday that you get a piece of another country in  Mumbai... So, when the opportunity knocks, I try not to miss it!! The Indo German Urban Mela is one such opportunity knocking at the door of us Mumbaikars... We took the opportunity to visit on Saturday, and had a wonderful time! Let me take you along with me to give you a glimpse of what it is like..........

Photographer

If you ever go to the Gateway of India, you cant miss these guys.... they are everywhere!!

No matter which temple you go to, you see people like her.

I saw her outside the Somnath temple in Gujarat. She had two stalls - one selling prasad (offerings) to the Lord, and another selling images of the Lord... The threads tied to the string above her are also for sale. They are talismans believed to protect us from evil and troubles.

Skywatch Friday - Sunset over the Mumbai Skyline

Summer is here, and Mumbai is sweltering hot! This is not really the best time to travel, for its hot everywhere, but this does not seem to stop us from travelling!! I just returned from two short trips - a week long trip to Gujarat, where we visited Somnath, Junagadh and Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, and another shorter break to Alibag. There is lots I have to write about, and hopefully I shall get started soon.... Meanwhile, another good news is that I have finally upgraded my camera!!! I am now the proud owner of  Nikon P510!! Those of you who are wondering why I didn't finally switch to a DSLR, the reason is that I decided that Samhith was quite enough to handle for now! I didn't want the additional burden of lenses and stuff that had to be cared for at all times! The P510 seemed to be the perfect compromise, and I set off for Gir with the new camera in hand..... I have been agonising over which images to post first, and have finally decided that these sunset scenes over the Mumbai skyline would be the best place to begin, for they marked the beginning of a wonderful trip!