Drifting apart

I am a kind of species who encounters more number of frustrating days than those with comfortable joy, reasons not being external but internal. May be because on this current frame of time I did not realized my true path which I could follow with self driven motivation. Well this particular frustrating day on whose behalf I am hitting keys of my laptop, is marked by a common kind of frustration, Frustration from social media, yes, you heard it right, they do have their hand in lives of some odd species to create frustration. Sometimes you feel that you spend too much time on them, Once I wanted to check one mail and opened my laptop, after 2 minutes I was wondering what the heck am I doing on my FB newsfeeds,  I was jolted and disgust on such impulsive act of mine. Blocking and closing everything for some while I left my place to do only thing that will restore my mind to its formal glory (in personal ways), that is Photography.

I left soon and reached Gangtok, Only place in Gangtok where you will be reaching first if you are a traveller is ‘MG Road’, Not to blame as it is so happening place to be at., ‘M.G Road’ is present in many of the Indian cities owning to respect for Mr. M.K. Gandhi, whose optimistic wisdom hardly crosses mind of anyone anymore.

While in my college days of masters I hardly use to shoot or write, excuses could be ample. Thus as I got on field with camera in my hand an optimistic feeling started engulfing my mind, it is a beautiful feeling, every-time it happens it brings excitement and grace. Taking some strolls on the well managed road exclusively for just walkers, It feels like you are passing through an open shopping mall, Exquisite !!,  it wasn’t late and I started getting glimpse of one thing that  I came here to forget about and that is the  F#@$ing world of  virtuality.

Most of the people were on their phone/tabs, and I do not mean on call, but everything including call, their eyes were stuck at the screen on their hands and they were walking-by everything, that holds beauty to influence you in one or other ways.

I noticed a little girl-child giggling and running towards her mother who picked her up using her horizontal velocity and hugged her. The odour of sautéing spices and veggies indicating preparation of a succulent meal from nearby restaurant enchanted me deeply. Two lovers stood on middle of the walking path and placed a quick kiss on each other’s lips; those who were not fixed to their screens paused to see and then moved on., I  then passed though the vegetable market seeing the beauty of women vendors dressed in traditional attires, it was a lovely experience, some old eyes have  glimmer of wisdom and speaking fables even if you look in them for  fraction of a seconds.

All such experiences were not present for those who do not have audacity to plunge into the reality and live in it. I am not throwing away the idea of lovely gadgets that are present all time in our disposal to be utilized, My point is that, we should use technology to our benefit, not to get lost in that, creating a virtual world in which we are so lost that we forget who we are, and what is our real purpose.

One man predicted the probability in future as- 'I fear the day technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.'

Elephantine love

Akhilesh Singh

A silent lesson

“She walked with her, in tranquility, the calmness is not against the voice of sea waves, but the tranquility was in the feeling of being there, towards the setting sun at the far horizon, they walked beside each other, She was not holding her hand nor were they looking towards each other, but there was rhythm in their walk, and a bond that was easily felt than said , pushing and making way through the shallow water at seashore, water which was oscillating in form of waves and caressing their foot, they walked for long time slowly and gently.

She might be giving her a silent lesson, that life is like the sea whose depth is different at different stages, whose very existence is a complex mixture of many events and lives, the joy and dejection is like waves which come and goes in persistent ways. And you my darling, have to experience all and find endurance unmatched, as those who walk the path of morality and candidness have always been comfortable with their own very self with content heart and no regrets.

And like always I will walk beside you whether in chaos or in composure.”

Elephantine Love
Akhilesh Singh

Dark Night !!

Dong !!, A ping from a friend caught my attention, who was asking to head out for some shoot in the cold chilli night of Dehra Dun, I was on my feet soon after deciding the place to catch up and hit the market first for some street shots. Soon, I found myself putting the charged battery into my camera and pushing in the settings I needed for the night photography. I like to travel light, I mounted my Normal lens with f/1.8 wide aperture and left.

The market was still young at 7pm and people were rushing around some couples admiring the glitz of ‘Paltan Bazaar’ with hand in hand, an old lady in Green, red and cyan color clothes arranging the necklace of colorful beads on a vertical wooden stand to sell them to visitors. 

I am not much of a street photographer not because I am not interested in it, but because it needs lots of guts to go around and pull out some meaningful shots of a complete stranger. Still I love to do it so as to win over my shy part and to explain man to man.

Soon, Click-clack session in Market was on hold, as the market was wrapping up and thus its soul, There was the word around, about a trade fair running at nearby Ground of the city, a ground which is used for most of the cities common events, ‘Parade ground’. Pulling over around the ground we learned that there was nothing but darkness, cold and lifeless emptiness. Running our eyes over the dark landscape we noticed some little fire burning around cut down trees by the government owing for development or non-sustainable false development to be precise, and encircling the fire spot, were people cluttering like some ants around a sugar grain, we reached there and obviously thought of getting some shots.

While I just held my camera and roam about only thinking and absorbing what is going on and also questioning myself why I am here to take their pictures. Will it do any good to them? Will it bring some good to me? Or will it be, just an event where group of people pose in front of someone with fancy looking camera, giving some occasional fragile smile and then getting back to their frozen life with no roof which can protect their head from soaking from the dew and freeze from the chill of winter wind. Whatever it may become, I wanted to take some photographs without bothering them from savoring the flames which were demanding more and more leaves and woods to stay alive, and compile it in a story so that wherever the words travel, they may kindle the thought of appreciation of our comforts and also create a preset notion  to provide help in any form for the people who are far less fortunate to even possess occasional roof over their head, specially or/and exclusively for the future of the nation, the little kids who never knew what could be reason for their such condition, who may never know why the education is a important thing to have , and what is difference between hard-work to get their bread and stealing or begging for their bread.

As I started to steal some pictures. I was careful not to bother them while doing my work as; I do not know how they will take my actions and work. One thing I am sure of, while shooting someone we tend to leave some trails, thus we should be careful as for those trails should not bring any pessimist changes in any ways however minute they may be. 

 Soon I got around and made a picture of a small group of women and girls, by lying down on dew soaked leaves, I caught attention of them, out of curiosity of my apparently idiotic act, one girl stood up to observe, and with her ‘Duppatta’ pressed in her mouth, she smiled, freezing that moment i was also freezed thinking about this innocence and how this may be ruined in the tends of this unforgiving life, hampered common mentality and social taboos.

 

The moment of freezing the frame and my ownself.

Unwilling to shoot more as they were getting inquisitive about me, I left from there, with questions for myself whose answers I will keep finding , Until then let these pictures speak their fable.

Much Love.

Akhilesh Singh.

Beasts at the Mountain.

It was a plan to get up late and then savour the warmth of winter sun. At 9am, i was just going through certain social media feeds, and saw that there is a Harley Davidson Bike rally from the valley of Dehra to the mountains of Mussoorie and Dhanolti. I rocketed out, grabbing my camera and hit the road in hope for some shots that can justify the essences of travel on a bike, with endurance to rely on.

Writing this as a photographer and travel enthusiast it was thrilling to shoot on the go. Planning a shot and trying to get ahead of the bikes and then trying to get my thought onto the canvas of sensor and chasing again for another.

These bikes have been heavyweight motorcycles, with engine displacements greater than 700 cc. 

This was at rajpur road.

From Mussoorie to Dhanolti.

The beauty of nature and avidity for perfection by man in form of those running beasts creates a perfect set to embrace quietly with my camera.

With the Winter line.

This last shot represented in particular lure me as, the end of the day shines the way, in hope of a new dawn .and obvious beauty of rider and ride is something hard to escape.

Hope for a new Dawn.

An affair with dreams are those you want never to end, to end before it ends is life lived and lived truly. This was one such moment.

Much Love.
Akhilesh Singh.

The Wood in her hands.

Republic day(India), The day constitution of India came in force-replacing the Government of India Act (1935) as the governing document of India.
 Republic day celebrations are held with various levels of formalities in different state capitals.
Dehradun, The capital of Uttrakhand state took part with huge preparations and excitement in the celebration, the huge ground at the city center called "Parade ground" became the platform for the event organized by the state government, There were huge exhibits of state's cultural richness over fully decorated trucks and cultural events took a spur for expression of the richness we hold.
                            While I saw this on a local television channel and decided to go and see the episode after the event. 

The exhibits were ripped off the truck after the event-A Usual process.

The place was all empty apart from some groups of peoples. The observation for about an hour led me to categorize them into three different groups.

1) The workers were setting things in place: people from tents, drivers, laborers, etc, people who were there for their profession.

2) Some people were just sitting, roaming, and standing. Just observing I call them observers, I was a part of this too and bit more as for capturing it.

                           

An Observer

Observers: Sometimes it's strange when you hit with symmetry within complete chaos. 

3) This third group which led me to think and write over the countries irony for the day was the people who were like the Erget or Stroks (a species of birds) which group around the ground where a farmer starts plowing soil for their belly, in the same way, they gathered at the place to take, to steal whatever came out from the exhibits and mainly it was wood.

There were men, women, and children who gathered there for this treat.

Two women were fighting for the possession of some crap in front of the truck with a hint of decoration on it.

Green decoration and plywood is taken by the owners 

There were many questions taking form because of the drama that has been created on that stage, After more than half a century of independence, constitution and democracy people below the poverty line fell and fight for just some pieces of woods like some sugar crystals for a hungry clan of ants.

A girl jump passes some woodpile: Very spontaneous shot.

 The reason for this is lack of education, whatever be considered, but lacking education is a primary concern, which is neglected beautifully for people who are not able to afford it from the private sector, Education and Healthcare two most elementary things for a nation is in most expensive and ironically in a most pathetic state.

A girl was commanded to throwback wood blocks she took quietly.

 There was a frame that I saw in front of my eyes when a girl was stealing woods and running through a path, with a view of our national flag behind her.
           A flag symbolizes it's Nation and so does Childrens, rather children tell us the present and probable future too, I was very sad to see the fragile picture of this nation in contrast to a strong day we just celebrated.

A young girl who stole some wood inspecting for the attention of the owner with a print of our nation's flag at background .

I am sure he/she won't even know why to carry it.

A boy holding the shape of a bull/horse made out of wood just for fun and curiosity.

Old, young everyone was taking advantage of the situation.

  "When the lights from them are taken how will they know about shadows, It is truly unfortunate if someone dies in between a sea due to harsh sun and thirst because of the nature of saltwater. Irony always has a negative side which is ignored greatly. I wish The wood in her hands to be a "KALAM" (pen) and a book.                   

(Text and Photographs)
        Akhilesh Singh