Sunday, October 31, 2010

Friends - I (couple of birthdays and loads of fun)



Manali, Medha (hidden), Vidhi and me on our way to American Diner,
India Habitat Centre for Manali's treat in an autorickshaw


Medha in Cafe Einstein, our post party fun without the Birthday Girl, Manali


More fun without her. This time Phuchka (bengali golgappas) 

Medha's birthday celebrations outside Andhra Bhawan. Cake from
Slice of Italy, knife borrowed from a random house, candles from
Manal's cake and matchsticks from bidi-wala. The table is someone's car!


After celebrations, Medha and Vidhi 

On the way to United Coffee House
Medha, Manali, me, Vidhi



Saturday, October 23, 2010

Durga badnaam hui, Darling! tere lie



Durga with her children

As I approach the puja pandal, I hear "Munni badnaam hui" as if Durga is singing herself. But why not?

Kalighat

She must be ashamed of her enough! From money making to body selling, people take advantage of her in whatever way they can. Be it a small idol on a small railway station or a painted face on a door or a wall, people seem to turn extremely generous when it comes to GOD. 

An idol in a small Railway Station. The donation box is as big as the idol

Attempted painting of Kali on a door with the hope to generate some money

Painting of Kali on the wall
Choose your God and pay him
Faith....

Blind faith is injected into us since childhood

And then we give in to the effective marketing of Religion

Even with 5 pairs of hands, it seems a bit difficult to pay heed to a billion
demands in India itself. May be that's why they need so many idols of Durga

Isn't it better to throw some coins to this man instead, who is spending his
time alone while everyone else is having fun?


Saturday, October 9, 2010

City of Joy

Anybody who has read Dominique Lapierre's 'City of Joy' knows how ironic the title is. So, I leave with a few pictures and a few words...


Outside Kalighat Temple. What does Kali prefer?
Cycle-rickshaw is lifeline to the dingy lanes of the city
More people, more deaths, outside Kalighat Temple
To board or not to board? (Local train which carries millions of people in a day)
Itchy ear in Rajdhani Express
Howrah Station, one of the most notorious places in the city
This blog would be incomplete without the mention of the 'queer theory'. I suggest you google
Parents have their way of putting the kids to SLEEP!
You don't need to go inside the temple to get a glimpse of Kali, it's everywhere in the city