Ok, the NRI has just sold her camera while in the process of upgrading, and so I dug through the GBs of images for something to post.

I made this photo on the seaface in Pondicheri, after having seen this man a little while earlier sitting under a tree in a Buddha like pose. I remember wondering how he could possibly be sitting so peacefully in the terrific heat of that summery day. He certainly had something calming about him, which I may not have captured in the photo, but I am glad I made it anyway.

Introducing NRI Weekly Photo. That’s me. Having moved to the US 5 months ago, I’m finding it exceedingly hard to live up to my promise of delivering an “India” based photo from across the globe. So my first attempt began at home, where looking around I saw the one item that is found in every Indian kitchen, and I’m very glad my mother made me pack one. (Even though I had to call her multiple times to figure out what to put in it, because now that I’m away from mommy’s kitchen, I miss everything about it and want to replicate as much as I can.) Ok, thanks for enduring the blabber, and here you go.

I lived in Hyderabad for 4 years of my life. 4 pretty awesome years. I visited Bhongir fort half a dozen times in the 4 years. Nothing so stunning or special about the place, but it was just a quick drive and a tiny climb up the rock for a nice and breezy view that never failed to refresh and take the mind away from silly worries.

I;m not sure when I’ll ever go back to the place, but am glad I have a few hundred photos to keep the memories.

A view of the stunning Taj Mahal from one side. The symmetry and graceful architecture of this building just takes your breath away with each step closer and closer to it.

The palace of winds or Hawa Mahal in Jaipur.

“Its unique five-story exterior is akin to the honeycomb of the beehive with its 953 small windows called  jharokhas that are decorated with intricate lattice work. The original intention of the lattice was to allow royal ladies to observe everyday life in the street below without being seen, since they had to observe strict “purdah” (face cover).” – wikipedia

Today, the palace stands vacant, and a strange air of silence and abandon engulfs it while the city moves on past. Our guide mentioned that restoration work was in progress.

This is Flat Stanley. He had traveled all the way from California to visit the Taj Mahal and the Lotus Temple in India. Soon, he will be published in a book that is being specially crafted by a lady for her grandchildren.

Photo made at the Lotus Temple of the Baha’i in Delhi.

They requested me to take a photo. Some more reluctant to smile, and some eager to see the photo.

At the famous Hyderabadi biryani restaurant, Paradise.

Memories of our family of four fitting onto the two wheeler — me standing in the front near the pedals and mom sitting at the back, holding my sister. Memories of the fantastic advertisements that still bring out the same emotions more than a decade after the campaign. Humara Bajaj!

Photo made in Udvada, Gujrat.