Random images and doze of inspiration

I was in for a very pleasant surprise when my son asked, "Mom, would you go with me to town on Sunday early morning? I need to shoot some street photographs.” I jumped at the offer! It has been quite a while since I went for photography shoots. 

Since my son was preparing for the portfolio, I offered him my camera and announced that I would be shooting only with my cell phone. My plan was to take him to places where a complex human drama unfolds as the backdrop and observe him capture images and see how he "saw" subjects. 

It is amazing to wander lonely streets in unknown cities or unknown streets in my very own city of Mumbai, my muse! A walk down to dense, old part of the city introduces you to innovations and ways of life that takes nothing for granted. These are the places where there is elbow room created from nowhere, that would put the best magicians in the world to shame.

The most fascinating element in this urban sprawl is the nonchalant way people go about their struggle everyday and take chaos around them in their stride! We often admire realistic depiction of life that is romanticized in movies. But when one observes reality with such proximity, it is a different experience all together! There are layers and layers to these "invisible" different worlds, swirling into myriad patterns of juxtaposing and coexisting in this effervescent city that exudes such aura of power and wealth! Oh, I am digressing!

It was so early and dark that while we walked, the feet pounded the pavement, irritating dogs that were asleep. I barely clicked a few pictures through my cell phone as I was more absorbed with interesting sights and sounds, slowly increasing as the morning passed. After few hours of exploring the city, we returned home overwhelmed and deeply humbled with the experience. 

As I started scanning my photographs, some pictures started growing on me and haunting me. I knew, I was drawn to the subjects and something within me had snapped, subtly while capturing those images that morning. 

One of the hawkers sleeping in most unimaginable corners of a few square feet “bed” in shrunk shadows of  who he was. One tiny part of  a vicious cauldron of urban destitution. 

Condition of this man was arresting. In a large, open space he was hiding behind a barricade which was symbolic of his state. One of those people we like to pretend is invisible or whom we treat with servile disdain. While he was bereft of any clothes and evidently suffering with drug abuse or some mental ailment, I could discover his sensitive, vulnerable emotions of piercing agony that had festered and was breeding, making a cosy home within.

The intensity of the gaze of this child who was waiting for his mother to wake up on that cold morning, kept me captivated long after the shoot was over. Those eyes! Those sleepy, keen, eyes reeking mischief and boundless love!

There we were, trying to capture some pictures and in the process were left spellbound by inspiration from every corner. This seemingly shaded world is always willing to impart lessons about life, business and human nature that no "art of living" class or management school could ever teach. 

There are enchanting hues of life on the street; interesting microcosms, exceptional stories of survival and human grit. Not all are as alluring. Some move you deeply, some make you realize value of your blessings and some simply make you bow to human spirit, if you are open to see and learn to respect what a wonderful gift life is despite everything!    

Charlie Hebdo, is unity march enough?

R.I.P victims of recent terrorist attacks at Nigeria and France

We were all still soaked in languid hangover of rose tinted, fervid enthusiasm of the New Year and they did it yet again! This time, at Paris!  As usual, in name of Islam. Needless to say, it evoked unimaginable contempt, gathering millions, including some world leaders for unity march in France. Truly impressive show of unity and strength indeed!

Unfortunately, just a few days before this dastardly attack on Charlie Hebdo office, as many as 2000 innocent lives were massacred in Northern Nigeria by Boko Haram Islamic extremists but this shocking, barbaric incident failed to get global attention that tragedies of such scale deserve to receive!  

I have never read any magazine by Charlie Hebdo. I don't understand Islam or for that matter any "religion". And, politics is not my forte either but I can't comprehend what is wrong with us as society! Why is our reaction to two different tragedies different? Why do we subscribe to selective rationality?  

At risk of sounding repetitive, I really yearn to understand what kind of people don't flinch before committing heinous, barbaric sins of taking innocent lives? What kind of religion endorses killing in name of its God and honours the culprits as martyrs/heroes? I fail to understand logic behind any religion that demands people from other religions to be killed! It is difficult to fathom politics of hatred that makes inhuman acts of violence not a regrettable necessity but the whole point and make people who subscribe to their ideologies, barbaric savages. With high stakes invested in terrorism, it has become a new currency to establish religious, political and economic power games for global domination.

Every time, there is a terrorist attack, we are buried in cacophony of elite rhetoric and tokenism that barely helps offer any solution or directs to concrete action. A few people make fervent claims that Islam has nothing to do with terrorism. Candle marches commence and tributes are paid and everybody forgets about it till other terrorist attack wakes us and makes us realize harsh truth of our vulnerable life. 

I don't understand what "religion" really means but I know that if any religion expects its followers to perform inhuman acts like killing innocent people, it fails to serve its purpose. Maybe, its time for "Allah ke bande" to come out in open and take a stand for REAL Islam and stop it alienating from rest of the world! 

"Merawala Brown, please!

I walked into L'Oréal salon, ten minutes prior to my appointment and was greeted by my hair stylist with extra sparkle in his broad smile, “long time Ma’m! Where have you been???! "

"Maybe, he is upbeat about tonight's New Year party", I thought.

We exchanged a few pleasantries and once I was settled in the chair with the apron tied to my neck, it was time for complete surrender to his expertise.

“Ma’m, let’s try something different this time, what say?” he said, gently stroking my hair, trying to gauge if it was right to use cool, warm or neutral tones for my tresses. “Shall we do highlights? That will change your look.”

There was something about his enthusiasm that alarmed me but before I could even reply, two more hair experts were summoned. For next ten awkward minutes, I felt like a helpless guinea pig!

Each expert took some strands of my hair, matching with colour chart in the thick booklet containing weird colour names like; Sunflower Blonde, Caramel, Hot-Toffee, Sparkling Amber, Espresso, French Roast, Copper Shimmer, Crushed Garnet, Blowout Burgundy, Chocolate Cherry, Light Auburn, Red Hot Cinnamon and Ruby Fusion, adding to my confusion! (Why on earth do they keep names of colours that remind you of coffee/wine/chocolate? Sorry, I am digressing!) 

Once their serious discussion was concluded, the recommendations of tones in deep Purple, Red and Green started coming my way making me almost jump from the chair, dismayed by their audacity for suggesting such weirdly bold tones! I panicked and started visualizing strange reactions coming my way, being labelled "weirdo" and being disowned by friends and family. 

“Hey guys, wait! That’s ridiculous! I’m a simple woman. Give me something that suits my personae. You expect me to go to a meeting in those hideous rainbow colours on my head? Are you out of your minds?“ I protested.  “Give me my usual brown” I demanded.  

“What’s the point in doing the same colour again and again?  Experiment a little, welcome the New Year with a bang, Ma’m. It will be fun, I promise”, said one of them.  “Be bold, do something different Ma’m!” said another, trying to cajole me. The argument continued for few minutes but I did not budge. Finally, at end of almost an hour, I was happy to see my crowning glory shining in Golden Mahogany Brown. The hairstylists made fun of me, mocking my expressions while reacting to their suggestions and we all giggled non-stop.

I left with a generous tip and a parting gift received in form of encouragement to get out of my comfort zone ! Maybe, I will never wear Fuchsia, Lilac or Blue in my hair but I think it is time to experiment a little, explore possibilities and get rid of all the inhibitions. And that, is a great realization to usher into New Year with!

And I am not talking only about hair colour here!

2014 has been a great year! Thanks for being part of it!

It is that time of the year when the world goes absolutely bonkers about celebrating the New Year! Due to My mother in law's health, we have already declined a few invitations for the New Year party disappointing some friends and extended family.

This year's New Year celebration is going to be at home, subdued, sans any fanfare. My aim is to find a few hours to unwind, hang loose, not worry about anything and just relax with family and a select few close buddies. 

It is always fun having a small group that enjoys mad conversations ranging from ragging each other to serious in your face conversations on various topics and of course the HUGE doses of laughter triggered by nothing really concrete that can be recalled yet it happens like a magic act from the hat of tricks, with our funny bones on the over drive! 

Oh and how I love watching complete foodies eating my special dishes! Their indulgence is never less than a devotional act! Many fervent proclamations about “light bite” transform into gluttony and it is beyond words to see pleasures of renunciation and nirvana all in circle of plate!!! 

The year of 2014 has been fabulous despite the upheavals in my personal life! This is yet another year that has passed in a jiffy. The year brought in loads to be thankful about and as we usher in the New Year, there are many things to look forward to. 

Thank you very much for being part of this wonderful journey. Wishing you and family a happy New Year! May you find all the happiness in coming year and may your dreams come true! 

See you next week. Rock the party!!

Where has our conscience disappeared?

"Be safe", I say nervously to my son, who is leaving for his college, holding him bit longer than usual in embrace. It is a matter of few hours when he would be home but I am bit restless. That anxiety is uncalled for but it happens every time I learn about tragic events of terrorist attacks in any part of the world. 

I struggle really hard to stay away from writing about events that involve violence and human rights violation because such incidents are extremely painful to cope with, emotionally draining and their impact is too deep to shrug off and carry on with life as if nothing has changed just because I am not affected by it! There is a deeply disturbing trend of cult of hatred becoming a global epidemic endorsed by religious extremists. 

What kind of people, don't flinch before committing heinous, barbaric sins of taking innocent lives? What kind of religion endorses killing in name of its God and honours the culprits as martyrs/heroes? I fail to understand logic behind any religion that demands people from other religions to be killed! It is difficult to fathom politics of hatred that makes inhuman acts of violence not a regrettable necessity but the whole point and make people who subscribe to their ideologies, barbaric savages. With high stakes invested in terrorism, it has become a new currency to establish religious, political and economic power games for global domination. 

The photograph of the dead child's face in the coffin that many photographers documented in recent Peshawar terrorist attack symbolizing the horror of butchered innocent lives of 132 children, is still on my mind giving me sleepless nights!

The photographs, media covering of the Peshawar attacks would remain just an archival data for those who dispense justice. The candle marches, protests, signature campaigns, angry intellectual debates, political blame games have already started waning as other headlines have taken over the eye balls. The calls for world to unite strongly and decimate those "inhuman species" out of our life" are getting feeble. We are done with discussions at the cocktail parties of how Peshawar attacks are "a rude awakening to the perils of religious fanaticism". We would soon forget about this gruesome tragedy, the pain will dilute or remain just a sad memory till such tragedies occur in our own backyard. 

Yeah, we still remain savage as a race bereft of any conscience and this realization is making it difficult to have faith in humanity any more.  

"There is no flag large enough to cover shame of killing innocent people." Howard Zinn.