The Nepalese form of worship. . . The third/centered Buddha (not in profile) of the temple being the Sarnath (India) peepal tree form or Buddha after enlightenment (pers comm. monks at the settlement, 2003/04). The enormity of them, you can only witness in person, of the Buddha, the temple, the settlement, people, and all of its spirituality... :)   

Buddha, Temple at Tibetan Settlement, Kushalnagar, Mysore Dist. Karnataka [2003/04]. This form of worship being the Tibetan version of Buddha [pers comm. Monks at the settlement]. This settlement, initially a refugee settlement, now a UNESCO cultural site... :) 

Leopard Enclosure, Bannerghatta National Park, Bangalore '03/04.

This picture was taken on one of my visits as a volunteer of PfA. . .

I recall some very disappointing moments at the park when I volunteered, such as public non-cooperation in keeping the park clean, apathy of park authorities towards management and maintenance, etc. I remember this one particular incident which happened on my (last) morning safari towards the end of my volunteership, wherein, the guide threw water from a bottle he was holding near a resting tiger to distract it for my photography. . . ! The tiger shocked and traumatized sprung up from its resting position and jolted to a distance. In shock, horror and despair myself I could do little but flare back at the guide. . .

I waited to report the incident to the DCF (District Conservator of Forests), but in futile attempts as he wasn't available that am and that remained my last visit to the national park. I did notice though (as I recall a little better now with this) that a couple of the tourists were disapproving and non-participative of "distracting" the tigers and lions of the safari for "tourism purposes". However, I'm unable to remember accurately if this was the same day or another. Was still good to have witnessed eco-consciousness and sensitivities while it happened rather than the much shocking apathy and irresponsible and unyeilding behaviour. I don't know how much my "telling off" helped change the guide's perspective on wildlife, but it only confirmed that the management and the forest services need some serious revision along with rigorous training and education and stringent law enforcement within the state and the country!

The national park overall seemed to be drier than optimum levels, when enquired on one of my earlier visits as a volunteer, the DCF informed me that the area was suffering from lack of water supply. . .

Asiatic Lion Courtship, Bannerghatta National Park, Bangalore [2003/04]. 6.30 am when we set out and caught this fantastic drama of courting which lasted for about 40-45 minutes and left us (PfA Volunteers) slightly confused as these felines, we were told, have been neutered to control their reproductive rate within the park.

Above, is where the lionesses were beginning to respond to the male's roaring (call) which started from a distance of about a kilometre away in the direction they're facing and begun roaring back. . .

The females were by now pretty agitated and on guard while the male we noticed seemed to be approaching the female(s) continuing what seemed like his mate call. . .

When this followed and ended with hostility towards the male. . .

I suppose instinctive behaviours die hard or this was mere territorialism. I haven’t observed the same animals over a period of time since, however, that particular day seemed to best explain itself as courtship and mate selection considering there is no space for predator/food competition here, these felines are captive and don't hunt live prey Most animals at the park are of rescue and rehab. These felines are ones rescued from abused and illegal possession such as circuses, etc., and treated with a combination of homeopathy, ayurvedic and conventional/alopathy medication (pers comm. PfA volunteer and park authorities, 2002-04). However, they are still captive animals and not free ranging.

Referenced videos and sites:

(accessed: 25.04.09)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baRcniG9zO4 (accessed: 24.04.09)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7eRGHVx3p0 (accessed: 24.04.09)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsL8CFfWxmQ (accessed: 24.04.09)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHZBNtlxbys (accessed: 24.04.09)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJa1LuePmDc (accessed: 24.04.09)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mH6ffZpcik (accessed: 24.04.09)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bigcat/video/# (accessed: 24.04.09)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bigcat/video/ (accessed: 24.04.09)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bigcat/video/ (accessed: 24.04.09)
Cleave; Big Cats - A Portrait of the Animal World, pp: 16- 18; 43-49,
http://www.girasiaticlion.blogspot.com/ (accessed: 23.04.09)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Prd8gyw8Qe0 (accessed: 23.04.09)
http://sites.google.com/site/girforestguide/Home (accessed: 23.04.09)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XB-8Grn6sRo (accessed: 23.04.09) http://bbc.co.uk/bigcat (accessed: 23.04.09)

PfA, Bangalore, '02-'04.

Pillar Carvings of/during the Hoysalas, Belur-Halebid [2003/04], Karanataka.

Painted Stork Juviniles [2003/04], Ranganthittu Bird Sanctuary.

Shades of Feminism, Bangalore [2003]... Chaitra Anand, as the essence of this composition...

Choir Industry, Kochi/Cochin [Nov 2002].

Allapuzzha/Allepey, Cochin, Kerela [Nov 2002]. A spur of the moment trip... Reshma Pais in the photo... This popular tourist destination is the backwaters of Kerela... That off-season November we travelled, however, was quiet and less busy with tending to tourism, we managed to have some time off just being...

I'm missing photos of the Synagogue and early slab inscriptions in Cochin... Wonder how I managed to lose them and retain these ones... We visited at the time of a ceremonial congregation, where we were told that Cochin's Jewish population was the second last remaining native Jewish population of India after Maharashtra... and this population was migrating to Israel soon... :) Perhaps Reshma has more info on this... :) Think we waited a while to talk to some of them, but didn't quite manage to...

The synagogue was of course, needless to say, as gorgeous as ever and so were the slab inscriptions... Don't quite know what they read though... Didn't find out... :-/ but didn't think I needed to at that time and moment... :) If I manage to get my hands on the photos again, I'll put them up... :) 

 Redefining Beauty, Airport Road, Bangalore [2003]. One of those mundane, chaotic traffic days, lanes and signal... The vehicle we were in had reached far from the pedestrian crossing line when this gentle face caught my eye... She was, presumably, one of the relocated fly over construction labourers' kid, forced to beg to earn a living and/or a few extra bucks without much choice... As candid as I was trying to be, she gradually noticed the focusing camera... shy, yet self-admiral she took to pose forgetting she'd dropped her crutches, which gave away her false bandages of a fracture/mutilated foot... There was another little boy with her as well, I think it might have been her little brother or friend, who also came up running on noticing the camera, picking his crutches up in his hands... :) I quite instantly stopped photographing, as it lost it's essence through the moment... :) and we got the green light soon after... :-/ :) This portrait was displayed at Rafiki's [] play 'Sizwe Bansi' along that year, though not completely set in theme, the idea was to emphasize mellow parallels of the character 'Robert' in today's urban world... "Inspired" by Steve McCurry's portrait of the Afghan Girl and the profile "How They Found The Afghan Girl" on NGC I went back looking for her on Airport Road to give her a copy of her picture, but in all futile attempts...! Ok, humour apart, I did go looking for her... :-/ :( However, that is the last I saw of her even afterwards... :) Her impression and photo (imprint) remained with me... and a strong, bearing one of that...! 

"That is always the gypsies' way, no home anywhere, no landlord to pay rent to, wandering about as it pleases them with their children, their pigs, and a dog or two, and on them the police keep a vigilant eye. I frequently watch the doings of the family nearest me. They are dark and good-looking, with fine, strongly-built bodies, like north-west country folk. Their women are handsome, and have tall, slim, well-knit figures, and with their free and easy movements, and natural independent airs, they look to me like swarthy Englishwomen"

"These are truly children of the soil, born on it somewhere, bred by the wayside, here, there, and everywhere, dying anywhere (yet through their immortal lives and persistence I should think...). Night and day under the open sky, in the open air, on the bare ground, they lead a unique kind of life, and yet work, love, children and household duties- everything is there" -Shazadpur, February 1891.

"One girl in particular attracts my attention. She must be about eleven or twelve, but, buxom and sturdy, she might pass for fourteen or fifteen. She has winsome face- very dark and very pretty. Her hair is cut short like a boy's, which well becomes her simple, frank, and alert expression. She has a child in her arms and is staring at me with unabashed curiosity, and certainly no lack of straightforwardness or intelligence in her glance. Her half-boyish, half-girlish manner is singularly attractive -- a novel blend of masculine nonchalance and feminine charm"

"When, at length, it was time to start, they escorted my short-haired damsel, with plump shapely arms, her gold bangles and her guileless, radiant face, into a boat. I could divine that she was returning from her father's to her husband's home. They all stood there, following the boat with their gaze as it cast off, one or two wiping their eyes with the loose end of their saris. A little girl, with her hair tightly tied into a knot, clung to the neck of an older woman and silently wept on her shoulder. Perhaps she was losing a darling Didimani (elder sister often called so, meaning sister-jewel), who joined in her doll games and also slapped her when she was naughty..." - Shazadpur, July 1891.

Broken excerpts from Glimses of Bengal, Tagore.

Noon Sky, Gonikoppal, Kodagu dist. Karnataka [2004]. Hazy afternnon walk in a nearby field... Sat there staring at this water snake which disappeared too quickly, when these little boys crossing the stream while returning from school caught my eye... before I could capture them getting across, they were past me... Got a glimse from lower ground...

Duck Farming for Eggs [2003/04], Mandya Dist. Karnataka. Onward to Ranganthittu when stopped to grab a bite when we saw hoards of these little fellows [seemingly] approach us flocked by local people of the village... :)

Summer Blooms, Gulmohar Tree at UAS Campus, Hebbal, Bangalore, Karnataka [2004]. Good old Bangalore... those were the days of lazy afternoons blessed with the divine canopy that covered not just a university campus such as this one, but the entire city with many magnificent ornamental and rain trees... Over the past decade or so, the booming IT and corporate sector, unsustainable urban development, etc. have drastically depleted most parts of the the city's now, much altered status, of 'garden city'. Chaotic traffic lanes, redundant fly overs, lack of adequate, convenient and affordable public transport [and now further clearing for the metro rail], superfluous usage of private vehicles [two and four wheelers], clearing for industrial buildings, growing infrastructure, lack of individual and community participation in urban greenery, pollution control, etc. has all cost our city more than just its ornamental gardens... A peaceful, non-polluted lane such as this one, off campus is almost impossible to find today unfortunately...