Month: February 2018
CFFC: Ze Zed Zee Zone
It’s time for some Zeds, Zees and Zzzzs at Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge as she wraps up the alphabets with a twist challenge. So, any word with Z in it or people, animals catching some zzzs.
The last one would be the easiest for my husband takes immense pleasure in clicking photos of me while I doze off, especially during our hectic trips. But then I don’t want to destroy all your illusions, so it will have to be zomething elze.
A roadside shop where you can find A to Z of everything and to suit everybody’s taste, palate and zaika (sense of taste or flavors) 😀 The man on the left is our entertaining driving cum guide. By his own confession, he has studied till class 6 but his wife is a school teacher in a different city altogether. With his six-year-old daughter. Despite parental disapproval. After marriage, he encouraged her to complete her studies. And oh he loves history and has about a couple of hundred books that he devours. But that’s enough, there are zero marks for diversionary tactics.
I was quite dazzled by the beautiful moonlight on the lake – hey no wait that’s the Sun! Amazing isn’t it?
I was, as you can see terribly enamored and bedazzled by this window and couldn’t resist sharing another look – the evening look. Missed the other one – here it is but you’ll have to scroll through the entire post.
Then there was this Coffee Zone right above a horror house. Don’t miss the wrapchics on the left – very innovative don’t you think? 😀
Among the decaying yellowing stones that witnessed brutal wars, blood shed and self-immolation, we find the first stirrings of life. Can’t see it? Just zoom in on the topmost panel.
Sitting and gazing in quiet contemplation of man’s foolish ideas of running hither and thither for no rhyme or reason other than to just earn money? And what to do with it? Rest, relax, enjoy? Well he was already doing that. Should he take up the challenge and proselytize his ideas? Psst I just learned the word – is the sentence okay?
Next I have some jazzy colorful clothes for you to admire and gaze at with bedazzled eyes. No they aren’t for sale.
These jazzy dresses are meant for tourists to wear and pose for photographs. Most hill stations have these and once my son too was lured in and dressed up in a purple kingly gown wielding a sword. 😀
After those heavy dresses, time to give the eyes some rest by gazing upon the bare zigzag branches of yet another bindaas tree 🙂
A warm winter afternoon on a long weekend – any guesses on how many would be dozing or snoozing at a time?
The zinc laden Aravali mountains in and around Udaipur, Rajasthan. Can you see it shining and reflecting the sunlight?
Those are the zorb balls – in case you didnt know. I didnt! Apparently they are the in thing and are available in aqua, ground and body versions. You can get in, singly or in groups and then enjoy being thrown around. Looks like fun – from far! 😀
Well that’s it for me in Cee’s twisted alphabetical challenge – thanks so very much for visiting. Now how about sharing which your favorite zed was?
COB: Off Beat Clicks
It’s time for Cee’s odd ball challenge – with full license (well more than usual [if that is possible]) to play as we like, with whatever we like, no questions asked. So here are a bunch of odd photos that I hope will enjoy browsing.
Caught this one showing off her (his?) lip job 😀
A tea drinking crow! Photo courtesy my lil sistah
A fan from yester years.
An ultra modern cutlery holder
I was trying to capture the window when this girl came by – I thought it looked cool. Do you think so too?
This has to be my favorite COB shot 😀 All those people posing to catch the tip of the Vijay Stambh which if you remember I had showcased in an earlier post. The contortionist photographers were also quite a sight to behold. No wonder all those langurs were out in hordes. 😀
Thanks for stopping by – any personal favorites? Do tell.
WPS: Hello Anyone There?
Photo from Google Maps
Hello Anyone There?
Words 150
“Dad please!” They gheraoed him.
“No.”
“Why ever not?”
“Because it’s my house and I say so.”
“But Dad,” said the eldest with a quelling glance at his sibling, “think of the advantages.”
“Over my dead body.”
“Daddy,” his daughter too chipped in, “selling the house would sort all our financial troubles.” She sniffled. “Ma would have also liked you to…”
“If she were alive, I would’ve shifted.”
“But Daddy, the house is falling to bits and it’s old fashioned, inconvenient for you…”
“I don’t care. I’m not selling.” He was adamant.
“Don’t be such a stick in the mud Shankar!” Exhorted his friend. “Sell off this prime property and buy a sprawling bungalow with a marvelous view of the lake, sunset…”
“I don’t want a big house.”
“Why not? Isn’t it cramped and inconvenient here?”
“Perhaps.” Shankar said in low voice, “But at least I get to see them.”
***
Written for What Pegman Saw – a story in 150 words or less based on street view from Google Maps. Thanks to K Rawson for hosting the challenge. To read the other stories inspired by this week’s destination – Terni Italy the birthplace of St Valentine, click here.
Just 4 Fun #75
How cute is that? Looks to be having some really sweet and pleasant dreams 🙂
So perhaps I should end this post and go back to my dreams 😀
I came across some more examples of nature play-acting. A papaya bird! Can’t you just imagine her getting bored of doing the same old stuff everyday and voila she is inspired by the little bird that pecks at her.
And then the hand that plucks at her clean.
But of course this one has to be my favorite – grooving and snaking to the song of the Universe that we are deaf to.
A tiny tale to change the mood.
Dark and deep huh?
Oops – Daddy’s busted 😉
Just look at their expressions, especially hers –Oh yeah? And he looks scruffy and maybe even drunk. Wonder what her reaction was? Perhaps something like this:
Heehaw 😀
Especially if you type HInglish and Benglish not to mention Benhind 😀
Okay that’s it from me, hope you liked my selection, of which as usual none are mine. I just collected them and shared for our collective entertainment. And before I go one tiny puzzle to make sure you don’t miss my going 😉 😀
Have fun and if you know the answer do let me know in the comment box along with the solution. Have a super week 🙂
The Alphabetical One
It’s tree time and time for one who had made a brief guest appearance in an earlier post to make her grand solo debut 😀 To refresh your memory, I saw this neem tree from one of the gorgeous windows of the City Palace, Udaipur.
Doesn’t she add four moons to the palace? 😀
On a closer look she looks even more impressive itching to tell loads of stories – can you not see the alphabets? I can see L, I, O, U, X, Y, V and P. What can you see? I do love the leaf pattern of the neem tree, and especially the reflection in the palace window.
And look at all the scars and wounds she wears on her sleeve quite unconcerned of what people might think. Or perhaps she is showing off leaving a message for anyone who cared to read her:
no matter
what happens
keep going
and
never stop
reaching
for the
sky.
What do you think she is trying to say? Thanks for stopping by 🙂
The Perfect Place for Murder
The Perfect Place for Murder
Words 101
“Love this place,” she snuggled close. “Not a soul in sight.”
“There goes your solitude,” he pointed to the couple bobbing in a boat.
“Honeymooners?”
He shrugged. “Who else would come here?”
“Murderers?” She suggested. “The perfect place. No one would ever know.” She clutched his arm. “Look! He’s strangling her.“
He squinted. “Nonsense.”
“Oh do something!” she cried.
“Me?!”
“Save her.” She divested him of his jacket. “Go before he kills! I’ll never be able to enjoy my anniversary!”
Agonizing minutes later he squelched back to dry land.
“Is she dead?”
“No. You are.” He bit out. “They were smooching.”
***
Written for the Friday Fictioneers – a story in 100 words or less. Thanks to Rochelle for hosting the challenge and JS Brand for the photo prompt. To read the other stories inspired by the prompt, click here.
CWW: Fortified Paths
After a really long time it’s time for Cee’s Which Way challenge. As I mentioned I had visited Udaipur with the explicit purpose of replenishing my dwindling photo archives 😛
Oh well anyway here are some glimpses from this historic seat of Rajput pride and honor Maharana Pratap Singh who refused to bow to the mighty Mughal emperor, Akbar despite all odds and the famous Haldighati battle (fought on 18 June 1576) with over a thousand casualties. It is interesting that the local guides and Wikipedia reiterate what I have suspected.
Haldighati is often claimed to have been a battle for Rajput or even Hindu honour against the Muslim Mughals. However, interestingly Akbar’s commander-in-chief was Man Singh I of Amber, another Hindu and Rajput to boot. On the other side, Maharana Pratap’s army was also served by Hakim Khan Sur’s Muslim Afghans, and hence any arguments concerning religious conflict have little credence. And quoting from Wikipedia “Honor was certainly involved. But it was the honor of Maharana Pratap at stake, not Rajput or Hindu honor.”
But enough of history (never a favorite subject) and let’s go touring!
This is the famous Haldighati pass that we all read about in school. Ghati all along I thought meant a valley but actually (in the local language) it means a pass or a narrow neck. This was the only way for the Mughals to pass over to the other side where the Rajput army was ready and waiting to cut down the single file entry of one person at a time. It was only when they used explosives to blow up the mountain were they able to pass through successfully and go on to win the battle and then lose to Maharana Pratap at the Battle of Dewar. Oh well that’s how it is usually with battles isn’t it? Win some lose some. And another interesting bit before I leave – Haldi (or turmeric) is the color of its rocks which, when crushed, produced a bright yellow sand. And hence the name Yellow pass.
The view of the entry to the Maharana Pratap’s memorial. And if you can see in the distance a horse, that’s Chetak, Maharana Pratap’s famous, and equally brave and revered battle companion. He is believed to have saved his master’s life and jumped over an elephant and a wide gorge at the cost of his own life.
That’s the way to the Memorial of the brave and upright warrior Maharana Pratap still much loved and held in high esteem.
Can you see the way? But actually I wanted to show you this because as a child I imagined the battlefield of Haldighati to be something like this rather than that in the first photo 😀
Time to move on to a real fort – the Chittor fort or the Chittorgarh one of India’s largest forts. It sprawls over a hill 180 m (590.6 ft) in height spread over an area of 280 ha (691.9 acres) above the plains of the valley drained by the Berach River. The fort precinct has several historical palaces, gates, temples and two prominent commemorative towers. Some of these pictures I have shared in my earlier posts. The fort was built in the 7th Century it was the stronghold of Rajputs. From 13th century onwards several attacks were made on the fort including that by the Turk king Allaudin Khilji, Bahadur Shah and Akbar. And each time the defenders lost and their wives committed jauhar or burnt themselves in a pyre to avoid being captured. Yes, this fort is of Padmaavat fame and I visited the jauhar kund as well but didnt feel inspired enough to take a picture. This particular section of the fort is in ruins.
But at some places, I liked the placement of the stairs.
Stairway at Meerabai’s palace. Yes she too lived here married to Bhojraj, the son of Rana Sangha the powerful king of Mewar. But her devotion to Lord Krishna led to her being banished to the servant section.
Fascinating isn’t it? I wonder how they climbed these stairs or was there some other structure beside it?
The Vijay Stambh or the victory tower at another section of the Chittor fort. It was built in in 1448 by Rana Kumbha to commemorate his victory over Mahmud Khilji. So they did win some battles! This tower is dedicated to Lord Vishnu yet the topmost storey features a Jain Goddess Padmavati while the word Allah is inscribed nine times in the third storey and eight times in the eighth. Where are all those people, those days, those philosophies?
I couldn’t have a Cee’s which way challenge without a witch tree could I? 😀
And finally at Rani Padmini’s Summer Palace. This is one of my prized photos of how despite deeply ingrained traditions Indians effortlessly adopt modern technology regardless and oblivious to any conflict or what the moment. Did you get my point? Raise your hands before I elaborate. Sure? Got it? No?
On the near right is the photographer hired to click a group photograph of the visitors more than half of whom are completely veiled. I left them herding them into position and urging them to at least shift the ghunghat (veil) a bit, muttering in a long suffering tone: how will you know who’s who?
Thank you for visiting and a special thank you to Cee for inspiring me, freeing me and letting me get away with it 😀
Protected: SPF: An Entangled Mess
CFFC: Y? But Then Why Not?
Yep! That’s the challenge this week – Letter Y – Needs to start or end with the letter Y or in the caption for the photo “Why” needs to be present. Cee’s Fun Foto Challenges are getting funner and funner 😀
Let’s see what I can come up with 😉
A smoggy or is it foggy winter morning at 9.30 am! Thank God the worst seems to be over but it’s already time to brace up for the heat and dust 😉
Coming out from being cooped up in the office the whole day long, I snapped a quick pic of the sky where the feathery clouds had been busy painting it white.
On another day, when a demonstration turned a 10-min drive into a 30-min one I made the most of my time clicking pictures sure that Cee would certainly give me an opportunity to display them sooner or later 😀 Yet, I couldn’t get what I really wanted – off the birds flying home in beautiful formations. But don’t you think the sky looks lovely? Okay! Enough of skies for now – lets move on to something else before you accuse me of repetitive stuff.
An exquisitely hand carved temple. Can you imagine the vision, the planning and the workmanship that went into building such a marvelous piece of art so many centuries ago? I could simply look at the perfectly designed symmetry for hours and hours. Couldn’t you?
Can you see the yellowing leaves on the yellow-brown path? Actually I wanted to draw your attention to the yonder tree 😀
It was a very interesting and exciting tree (like most trees!) See those roots dropping down – just something Tarzan would love to shimmy down right?
Wait! There’s more. The roots got tired of just standing around so one particularly antsy one decided to indulge in some yoga on the way down 😀
A yellow butterfly from our garden at home captured by my sister.
Why? Well like I said Why Not? This photo was shared by my friend Svkuki while on her trip the States and has been crying for some screen space for quite a while now. Besides surely you can see the Y created by the shadow and the cacti in the background?
Oh well, fine be that way…
Stories and more 