Categories: calendar

Happy New Year + January 2011 Desktop Calendar Wallpaper

Here is wishing you a very very happy 2012. Hope the new year turns out to be your best year yet.

A lot of you had asked me what happened to December 2012 calendar. I was terribly busy in the last week of November and the first week of December, not giving me enough time to upload a calendar image. On the brighter side, I was travelling in Rajasthan in those two weeks, which has probably given me enough calendar material for whole of 2012. Thank you all for regularly following the calendar, and writing to me asking me for it last month.

The January 2012 calendar, as you can predict from the image, is from Rajasthan. The camel strolling in the dunes of Jaisalmer is a sight that I will never forget. Download it in 1336×768, 1280×800 and 1024×768. Do leave a comment here, if you like the calendar. 🙂  Thank you.

january 2012 desktop calendar wallpaper


Ten Images from 2011

It is almost time to say good bye 2011. It has been a good year for me when it comes to travelling – there is not a thing I can complain about. Most importantly, we created Darter Photography, which allowed me the bandwidth and ability to travel wherever I please, whenever I want to. Here is a quick compilation of ten images I made in 2011. They aren’t exactly in any order and or not necessarily my ten favourite images from the year, but ten of the many images I liked, and enjoy photographing.

hampi

In January, I travelled on the first Darter Tour to Hampi, which will remain an experience that I will cherish for a long time. Here is an image of the hills of Hampi, photographed during the tour.

chadar trek

Soon after the Hampi trip, I was braving a -250C in Ladakh, walking on the frozen Zanskar River. The landscapes I saw there are something probably not to be seen anywhere else in India.

hampi

I was back in Hampi in February again, this time photographing the heritage sites and wildlife and focusing less on the landscapes.

munnar

I do not remember travelling anywhere in March. In the month of April, work took me to many parts of Kerala. I dreaded about facing Kerala’s sultry weather in summer, but untimely rains helped keep the days pleasant. Here is an image from Munnar photographed during this trip.

chinese fishing nets in fort kochi

Here is another image from the same trip, at the well known Chinese Fishing Nets of Fort Kochi.

tso moriri

After a lull in travelling during May and June, I headed out to Ladakh in July. It was an eventful trip, but not being on the top of my health prevented me from actively seeking to make many images. Here is one of the few photographs I took, at Tso Moriri Lake.

dhankar

I was back in the mountains again in August, this time at Lahaul and Spiti. For me, this was the most eventful trip of the year. Here is an image of confluence of Pin and Spiti Rivers, taken from Dhankar Village.

balaramapuram

After another break in travelling during the months of September, I headed out, once again to the mountains. To Manali, this time without the camera. In the first week of November, I was back in Kerala for a short trip on work, visiting Trivandrum and Kochi. Here is an image of a handloom house that makes saris and dhotis, near Trivandrum.

kalbelia dancers, jaisalmer

jaisalmer desert

In later part of November, I travelled to Rajasthan, which was a very productive trip in terms of photography. We made a long tour on two weeks, through Jaipur, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur and Udaipur. A few images from this trip, from Khichan and Jaisalmer.


Hawa Mahal, Jaipur

The pink hues of hawa mahal’s facade brings many thoughts into the mind – the simple and elegant beauty of the palaces of Rajasthan, Jaipur’s fetish with the deep reddish hues carefully preserved over a century, the confined lives of women in the palaces and mostly – the ultimate symbol of Rajasthan Tourism. On my first visit to Rajasthan, Hawa Mahal was in the beginning phase of a long lasting renovation, taking its time as any government project would. About four years later, on my second visit a month ago, the process was finally complete. It was the right time to be there, before the paint faded, before coloured glasses lost its sheen, before its fountain left to die and before the vandals arrived to scribble the details of their love life. The insides of the Hawa Mahal were gleaming with fresh paint, coloured glass (or are they stained glasses? there is no easy way to find out) and spotless interiors – as if the Maharaja had just gifted the palace of winds to the members of his harem.

We loved it, and almost refused to leave. A spree of photography lasted for four hours. We left, only to allow some time for other charms of Jaipur’s old city, but haven’t had enough of the Mahal yet. Here is a compilation of images made in and around Hawa Mahal in this brief period. But Hawa Mahal deserved more time; and more, better, beautiful images.

The typical image of Hawa Mahal in tourist brochures shows it standing alone and isolated, as if it is located in a pristine undisturbed location, waiting for you to discover it. Far from so, it is right next a busy road. A national highway to be precise. In fact, the whole idea of building Hawa Mahal was to let the royal women a glimpse into the outside world, the city’s busy life, and processions during the festival. And it is this reason, that the windows of Hawa Mahal face a busy street but the entry to it is from the other side. It is a relatively lackluster entrance that doesn’t give clues to all the glory that the palace possesses.

hawa mahal, jaipur

The facade of famous Hawa Mahal – the palace of winds

hawa mahal, jaipur

A closer look at the facade.

hawa mahal, jaipur

One of the colourful windows of Hawa Mahal that are spread over five stories. The colours of the glass are not apparent here; see the images from inside Hawa Mahal below.

hawa mahal, jaipur

Life goes on the street in front of Hawa Mahal, not stopping by to admire the beauty of the palace that is an everyday affair for the people of Jaipur.

hawa mahal, jaipur

Life goes on in front of Hawa Mahal, on the busy National Highway 8.

hawa mahal, jaipur

 A shop selling wares for tourists near Hawa Mahal.

hawa mahal, jaipur

hawa mahal, jaipur

At the quiet and peaceful alleys behind Hawa Mahal.

hawa mahal, jaipur

The relatively lackluster entrance to go inside Hawa Mahal is on the side opposite to its colourful facade. On entering, the inside appears ordinary at first, until you go past a few doors.

hawa mahal, jaipur

The arches and the galleries inside Hawa Mahal are as charming as its facade is.

hawa mahal, jaipur

The fountains add to the glory of the building. The morning of our visit to Hawa Mahal, we had seen a photograph in the newspaper showing the springing fountains. But to our disappointment, they were turned off when we arrived. As luck would have it, someone turned it on just for a minute, barely long enough for me take this picture.

hawa mahal, jaipur

I almost missed this hall with colourful glass windows, located on one side of the entrance. It would have been a great loss, not seeing this.

hawa mahal, jaipur

hawa mahal, jaipur

Play of light on the ramp leading up.

hawa mahal, jaipur

The galleries on the upper floors.

hawa mahal, jaipur

hawa mahal, jaipur

hawa mahal, jaipur

The insides of Hawa Mahal, seen from the first and second floor galleries.

hawa mahal, jaipur

hawa mahal, jaipur