Fotos of a Fortress

There is a lovely village about four hours north of the city of Bangalore. Its name, Pavagada. It lies among pink granite hilltops and arid red plains speckled with desert shrub of an obstinate green. It's here that I come to do my community field work (although most of my project requires me to be in the city at the eye clinic). It's also here that I've spent some of my most peaceful and eye-opening days in this country. The village lies at the foot of a magnificent outcropping and into this outcropping is sown the remnants of a fort and a history centuries old. Ever since I got to this sleepy town five months ago (god, it's been five months!), I wanted to climb to the top. Today, FINALLY, I did...

The weight of wait.

Time expands and silence slips in like a gloved hand. Waiting. Awaiting. For something singular to happen.

This is the bro and I out in Lanka, waiting past midnight for a bus that would only arrive two hours later. I was tired; I thought it would be painful, but such hours bring beautiful moments and inspiration. There was an eerie light that quiet night in the hill country, and a silent comraderie that binds lonely stragglers when the world is asleep and the dogs are the lords of the manor. The men first watched me silently--wondering what in hell I'm doing. Then... they got used to my madness; and I got all of this.

If you look carefully and pay attention, you'll see the fairy. I caught her unaware, her wings clipped, her smile all schoolgirl charm. There's magic when you least expect it. So keep your eyes peeled, my friends.

(The photos are a bit miniscule here... click here if you want to see them real size: http://picasaweb.google.co.in/alefia/WaitingFebruary2010#slideshow/5434470300971392130)

Ode to Anu.

Sometimes life throws you a rock,

wakes you up and shakes you by the bones.

(That's on a good day.)

Sometimes your path happens upon a force

that makes you take a pause,

spin around and marvel.

I met just such a woman yesterday evening;

truly an inspiration.

She runs like a beast.

She writes like a goddess.

I present you, Anu...

http://www.anuvaidyanathan.com/writtenword.html

life, in ANY cAse.

today i feel like a Capital letter.

tall and upper case.

an invincible scribble, i am.

my thoughts punctuate

like dotted i's

my heart beats

in typewriter key.

and i wonder...

who left the CAPSLOCK on

last night?

A penny for my thoughts.

Time quivers.
A diaphanous thing.
Tied around memories
Both future and past.

These moments,
They are meant to be shared.
These words,
Exchanged.

Life is a digression.
And its story,
The inevitable trace
It leaves behind.

Amen.

Kaleidoscope.

One of the pleasures of taking photos in India is the vivacity of color in this country.

Incognito.

I scorned my brother when he got one... but I have now become an iPhone camera convert. The brilliance of phone cameras is that you can take photos like these, standing only feet away from your subject... completely incognito. I love it.