Jodhpur

Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur


Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur


Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur


Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur


Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur


Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur


Mehrangarh Fort, Jodhpur


Old City, Jodhpur


Old City, Joddhpur


Old City, Jodhpur

Jodhpur is not as charming as Udaipur or as in your face as Jaipur. However, it has a beautiful fort with a very good audio guide. This stops the hassle of people hassling to guide you around the fort. The gentlemen with the moustache though asked for money for posing for a photo and I think that he was trying to sell opium to the tourists! There is always a way to make a buck.

It must be 18 years ago now that a trip to India started me on my photographic journey. On this trip, even with the wide angle lens, I do not think that I am breaking much new ground. Still it is a wonderful trip and it is a simple pleasure to shoot. There is so much to see that I find it hard not to shoot tourist photos. Still I am trying to keep open and see things in a different light. There have been scenes though that I think would have looked great in panoramic format.

India, such an easy place to take photographs, almost anyone can take good photos here. It is also such a challenge to go beyond the obvious. :)

The photos im my mind

On a trip like this, it is inevitable that some things were not captured. Some of it is due to the fact that I decided to use the 17-40mm lens as my primary lens and am shooting wide angle most of the time. I do have an 85mm portrait lens on me but it takes time for me to put it on and use it. So some images just do not work on the wide angle lens. Sometimes I a prohibited from shooting because of religious reasons. The times the moments pass too quickly. Here are some images only in my mind

1. The bathing ghats of Pushkar in the morning sun.
2. The tomb of the Suffi saint in Ajmer
3. The elaborate carvings of the Eklengi temple
4. Squirrels playing on the roofs of many cities
5. A young shaven-headed boy, overturning a metal dish over his head as he tries to eat everything
6. The general chaos of the shops and bazaars in the villages. I have tried shooting this but I just cannot seem to get a shot that does not look plain messy.
7. The subtle hues of the coloured walls of buildings just after the sun has set. Sorry, photography just has certain limitations.
8. The numerous birds over my head as the sun set today in Jodhpur. I do not what birds they are exactly, but there were some birds of prey, kites, circling the air that simply looked majestic. I could not capture them even on the 85mm.

I am trying to bring readers of this blog with me on my journey. But really nothing can replace the actual experience. Obvious really.

The Road from Udaipur to Jodhpur via Ranakpur

Chaumukha Jain Temple, Ranakpur


Chaumukha Jain Temple, Ranakpur


Chaumukha Jain Temple, Ranakpur


Carvings on Jain Temple, Ranakpur

I hired a car for my trip and the distance between each city that I visit is about 300km. Each travel day lasts about 6 hours and there is usually an interesting place to stop and take a look. This time it was the Jain temple complex at Ranakpur. Jainism dates itself to the same period as Buddhism. I am told that it is in some ways similar to Hinduism but there seems to be a complex mythology and teaching that would take a lot of time to understand. Even Hinduism is still somewhat of a mystery to me. This is because there is not central god and the people may pray to a selection of the Hindu pantheon. I still find the Hindus some of the nicest people that I have met. Maybe it is just me.

A journey of love

The book that I am reading now, on this trip, is 'The Road less traveled' by M. Scott Peck. A lot of what is written in the book has been what has been on my mind in the last few months, but it puts into words what were vague ideas in my mind.

I know that love is a nurturing thing that brings us spiritual growth. We expand ourselves and we get wiser. Love is not falling in love, is not romantic love and is not dependency. If a relationship does not nurture growth, but causes dependency and fear, then it is not love.

To love, one must love oneself too. For the first time in my life, I really am contented to just be. I know that I have come some way in my photography and I have a path to pursue. I know that my services are of use to my clients and my knowledge is useful to people in photography that I come in contact with. I know that I have a long journey ahead of me, but I am not unhappy with who I am now. Sure I have shortcomings, who does not? What is important is that I treat the people I come in contact with with respect and love. Yet I know that I am not responsible for other people's shit. I know that I will not always make people happy, but happiness is everyone's own outlook. Irregardless of what I do and who I am, someone will be upset.

I need now to grow stronger so that I am able to undertake the trials that I will be faced with. It is also natural in growth to face struggle. To deny it is to deny growth. To cling to the past, does not bring happiness. In fact it gets really bad when the world moves on inevitably and you get left behind, sinking in denial.

I know that photography is only a means for me to travel a spiritual journey.

Udaipur Impressions

The details

Old town, Jaipur


Wood blocks and print, Sanganer


Platform for Shiva during festivals, Pushkar


Taps from Little Pumkin Restaurant, Ajmer


Incense, The Dargah, Ajmer


Shrine, Udaipur


Truck window, Udaipur

There are so many fantastic images in India. Seems that I could shoot all the time in the cities. Some of it is new, some are offerings to gods and some are abandoned objects, all hinting at life moving.

Tagged by Deathwool

Okies. Am taking a bit of time off from travelling. :) I got tagged to do this by deathwool.

My name: heng
My childhood ambition: to be a lawyer because I watched Petrochelli.
My Fondest memory: Doing dance classes at London Contemporary Dance School
My soundtrack: Bach's Violin Partita, especially no. 2
My Retreat: Travelling exotic locations
My Wildest Dream: To own and life on a tropical island
My Proudest Moment: When I got my Phd.
My Biggest Challenge: living through life.
My Alarm Clock: is the thing that gets me up at 6am to go shoot weddings
My perfect day: is a day without fear
My First Job: teaching fortran to undergraduates
My indulgence: expresso
My Last purchase: Lunch, Butter chicken and vegetable pilau
My Favourite Movie: Spirited away
My inspiration: Beauty
My life: is a spiritual path

Udaipur - Now for a commercial break

Udaipur from Tinted City Palace window


City Palace, Udaipur


City Palace, Udaipur


City Palace, Udaipur


City Palace Udaipur


Jag Minder, Water Palace, Udaipur


Udaipur from Jag Minder

Very few things live up to expectations. The most romantic city in Rajasthan and Venice of the east are two titles given to Udaipur. For me, this city lives up to its name. It is not as cheap as other towns that I have been to so far, but it is deservedly more pricey. The City Palace and a boat ride on the lake simply are beautiful. So here are more postcard photos, but it is a charming place.

I am staying in a great heritage hotel called Jagat Niwas Palace hotel. Am really enjoying it.

If I come back to Rajasthan, I will come back to Udaipur and explore more of the south of Rajasthan. Most of this trip will be in the north, closer to the desert.

What a wonderful world

Jaigargh Fort


Jaipur Old Town


Pushkar


Ajmer


Ajmer


Ajmer


Ajmer

Happy New Year

Nahargrarh Fort


Indian Coffee House, Jaipur


Sanganer


Sanganer


Pushkar


Pushkar

I was in the town of Ajmer as the New Year came. There were loud parties happening around but I was in my hotel room. It is the only government run hotel on my trip and a bit Spartan, but good enough for me. Up until now there has been cable in all the places that I have stayed in. I actually catch up on a lot of movies that I have not seen like 'Man on Fire' and 'I, Robot'. How strange to be watching blockbuster movies on my Rajasthan trip.

I visited a small town outside Jaipur called Sanganer yesterday. There is a paper plant there called Salim's that makes paper from discarded cotton. The main industry in Sanganer is printing fabrics. The paper factory was started in 1965, one year before I was born. A lady showed me around but it was one of those places that I was not allowed to photograph. At the end I was shown the showroom and there was no hard sell. The lady said that most of the products were for overseas export. But the paper products were just beautiful. She did not have to sell, the products sold themselves. Bearing in mind that I like traveling light, I bought a few albums. I think that Salim is the supplier for the Paperchase ethnic products.

I also went to a block printed fabric shop called Sakshi where I saw craftsman making block print fabrics and blue pottery. The highlight of Sanganer though was going to the riverside where people were washing and drying fabrics.

I am now in Pushkar, famous for its camel fair and a spiritual centre for the Hindus. They come here to bath in the lake on steps called ghats. The sight of white walled temples and people bathing is beautiful in the Rajasthan sunlight. Unfortunately, photography is not permitted to protect the modesty of the pilgrims. You will just have to come see it for yourself. It is strange that a holy place is surrounded by a tourist haven. The computers here are on windows xp and are more sophisticated than those in Jaipur. Lots of people on the street begging and other people trying to take you for a spiritual ride. Odd, that I noticed the same thing happen in Medjugore, in Tibet, in places that are holy.

In my room alone as the year passed, I was in a thoughtful mood. I have tired religion but found no salvation. I have fallen in love and still felt empty. I am financially stable but money cannot buy me happiness. I have had success but it's warmth is momentary. It is only when I accept myself and my life that I find a calm in the storm of life. Although my images depict the physical world, they mirror the state of my inner self. There are so many people trying to sell me happiness, success or salvation. (If only I had a dollar for each time a Christian tried to convert me. :) ) Coming on a trip to colorful Rajasthan is only a change of scenery to allow me to journey to myself. In a land so vast and poor, I realize how insignificant the problems we have in Singapore are.

I am coming to terms with simply being myself and living my life. The photography is a by-product, something I do to practice my spiritual journey in this life. It is my truth.