River Musi at Sangam

Three roses - Three phases

In our life there are different phases.  Every phase has its own beauty. 

Life goes on

Every sunrise brings new life.

Wish you all Joyous 2020

Beauty in coexistence

Coexistence

Life is beautiful. Nature is wonderful.  Everything and being in nature is interdependent.  Nature is for peaceful coexistence.  Nature's destruction is constructive.  Nature's constructions is progressive and helpful for maintenance ecological balance.Everything in nature is biodegradable and helps in survival and protection of nature.  Living or non-living everything is part of nature including human beings.  Protecting nature is maintaining ecological balance and protecting survival of human race.

Milky Way

I had a strong desire to visit Himalayas and roam in the wilderness of nature sometime in my life.  The opportunity had come in the form of advanced workshop of Nikon School.  Though I was still fiddling with the basics of NikonD I decided to attend the Advanced workshop just to visit the roof of the world.  Ladakh in Leh of Jammu Kashmir state of India is a beautiful place with its Karakoram Himalayan ranges and lakes and rivers.  It is a cold desert with scanty vegetation. 

My first attempt

My visit was from 28^th September to 2^nd October.  That is the time when temperatures start falling and visitors/tourists visits are low.  The travel experience and photography sessions with Nikon mentors are unforgettable memory to be cherished forever.  As part of landscape photography we were asked one day to photograph night skies – Milky Way and star trails.  I was afraid of going out in cold nights.  I decided to skip that session.  But one of the young enthusiastic budding photographers who was having supper sitting beside me enquired what I was going to do that night.  I said I am afraid of cold and will go to sleep.  She said, ‘Looking at you I can say that the chance of visiting this place by you in future is minimal.  Why don’t you enjoy and click some pictures of night sky.  You cannot have such wonderful opportunity again.  It’s a matter of fifteen minutes to half an hour.  Just don’t miss’.

Mentor checked and corrected the settings

At the same time one of the guys had already gone out to click few pictures of Milk way and started showing to everyone in the group.  The pictures were awesome and I decided that I too should have few photographs of night skies at Pangong TSo.

My attempt trying composition

With the help of mentors I could click few pictures of Milky Way.  As a child I vaguely remember seeing Milky Way as my elder sister pointing at some group of stars.  But for the first time I saw the beautiful sky with stars, an amazing view never to forget in my life.  I feel grateful to the young lady who encouraged me to spend few minutes in the wilderness of cold nature amidst mountains, lake and starry skies.  

One more attempt

Fire Art

Sometimes things go wrong apparently.  We are dismayed and anguished at what had happened.  But many times there will be a lesson to be learnt there.  Often very late we realise that it was good that it had happened that way and changed our lives forever.

Here is the art which happened accidentally.  Milk was to be boiled in bowl. As there were two bowls which are regularly used for boiling milk the bowl was picked up milk poured into it and kept on stove for boiling.  Of the two bowls one fits into the bowl the diameter marginally large enough to fit in the small one, but the height is slightly more.  Though it was kept for a long time, milk got heated well but did not boil as usual.  I wondered why milk did not boil.  The edges appeared slightly brown too.  Then I carefully examined the bowl and found it to be different.  The level of milk is higher than usual as it would be compared to the size of the outer bowl.  The edges of the bowl also looked different when it was considered to be the outer vessel.  Then I dawned on me that milk was put for boiling in double vessel.  As it was not heated directly milk did not boil even after putting on stove for long time.  After the bowl cooled a little I removed the above one with milk and allowed milk to boil.  When I turned the other bowl down I noticed beautiful colors on it.  When I observed closely I discovered some beautiful art of fire on the base of the bowl.  Here you see them. 

Village Home

As civilization progressed our lives and surroundings have changed a lot.  We have moved away from nature and living lives in a mechanical way.  To get out of this mechanical life we often plan weekends out off the city in nearby villages or woods.  

Some cities have come up with constructions that resemble old caves or village environment where people can have luxurious life style feeling artificially being in natural environment.  Anything man made can be near to nature but cannot be natural.

I am fond of taking a photo of village street appearance.  Once I had this opportunity.  I could also take a picture where a village setting is made up in hotel.  The difference is obvious.  You can make out which is natural and which is artificially made.  So I did not label the pics.

Palm Tree in the Banyan

There are plants that are parasitic, some are total - entirely dependent on the host plants, while some are partial, synthesising chlorophyll but dependent on host for water and other nutrients.  Palm trees are not parasitic.  They are seen widely in India and some Asian countries.  In Telangana we see these plants very commonly.
Here is the palm tree which is seen grown within the banyan tree.  This type of palm tree in the banyan tree are seen occasionally in the forest areas.  I saw a few along the dry lands seen between Warangal and Hyderabad.  This picture is taken at Kotagullu, Warangal.  The tree has its roots in the banyan tree.  as it has leaves it can synthesise chlorophyll but dependent on the host tree for water and other nutrients.  There are few more trees seen behind this, probably they too are partially parasitic.  This is imposed parasitism.
It is surprising how the seed falls into the host tree and germinates.  The banyan tree looks magnanimous with tuft of palm shoots as its corona.

Indian Green Vine Snake

The snake is so well camouflaged it will be difficult to identify it at first look.
Its body can be seen extending on to gauva tree, its underbelly lighter in shade looks like veins of the leaves

If we observe closely everything in nature appears beautiful.  Even snakes though venomous are beautiful creatures.  There may be hundreds of species of snakes.  Some are highly venomous some are non-poisonous; the poison of some may cause problems which may resolve in short period.  But whenever a snake is seen there will be fear in mind with the thought of its poison.  I believe any creature will attack only when its life is threatened. 

As usual I was looking keenly at the plants beside our compound wall to find anything interesting.  I spotted this green snake camouflaged amidst the plants and vines in the area.  I knew that it is called ‘pasirika’ in Telugu and is non-poisonous.  I brought my hand camera and clicked few pics.  It noticed me and looked at me constantly for some time and then made a slow move into the shrubs around.  I think it will have ample food as I have seen lizards in there.  There are also frogs that are often seen in our premises and I was bit worried that it may enter our premises to feed on the frogs and lizards that are seen around.  But except on that day I never saw it again.

When disturbed it expands its body exibiting a black and white scale markings.
I did not disturb it, just watched its activity

This snake (Ahaetulla nasuta) known as green vine snake is different from that seen in America.  Ahaetulla nasuta, the Indian green vine snake is also seen in Srilanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam.  As I thought it is not non-poisonous, but mildly poisonous, bite causing swelling which will subside in three days.  It turned its pouted head towards me as it perceived my activity a threat and on observing me for a while decided I am not a threat to it and moved away.  It is believed by some people that it uses its pouted head to blind its human victims.  This is supposed to be a myth.  Anyway I was fortunate that even after staring at me for more than five minutes it passed off coolly without attacking me.  

I waited looking at it to see if it opens its mouth and shows its tongue or fangs, which it does to display threat.
It never opened its mouth.

Red Gulmohar

As we travel towards Hyderabad from Warangal, from Ghanpur to Raghunathpally on either side of the road there are many Gulmohar trees.  The journey along this road between April and June is pleasant as these trees are in full bloom with bright red flowers arching the road.  Though it will be hot, the journey along this road becomes memorable experience travelling under these floral arches.

Gulmohar or Royal Poinciana mostly grows in the tropical regions.  It is cultivated for its beauty.  It is grown as ornamental tree for its wonderful appearance when in full bloom and also for shade.  In summer when the leaves fall and the tree blooms in its full with its bright red flowers,it appears like flame and hence the tree is also known as Flame tree, Flamboyant tree.  Rare variety of this species will have yellow flowers.  

The tree is the official tree of Vietnam and Common wealth of Northern Mariana Islands.  The flower is the national flower of Saint Kitts and Nevis.

In Kerala Gulmohar flower is known as Kaalvaripoo – flower of cavalry.  Saint Thomas Christians of Kerala believe that when Jesus was crucified there was a Royal Poinciana tree nearby his Cross.  It is believed that the blood of Jesus Christ was shed over the flowers of the tree and that is how the flowers got their sharp red color (Wikipedia).

In Bengal the red Gulmohar is called Krishnachura and the yellow variety which is rare is called Radhachura. 

Life of Butterfly

Nature is wonderful.  Life is beautiful.  My interest in photography had taught me to look at things – living and nonliving in different perspective.  Every being looks beautiful when observed.  Nature’s every act is purposeful and progressive.  Every being in nature is interdependent.  The secret of development of huge banyan tree lies in a very tiny seed.  Every being is born for a purpose and degrades or disappears once the purpose is fulfilled.  Nature’s degradation is for progressive up gradation.  A seed disappears as a plant shoots out.  The plant flowers, flowers shrivel and develop into fruit.  The fruit is consumed by other living beings and seed is disposed off into mother earth to start a new life.

I feel life is very much comparable to the stages in the life cycle of a butterfly.  The egg hatches into larva and spends its life eating, eating and eating and finally withdraws and secludes from external activity into pupa.  The changes it undergoes during that stage lead to beautiful transformation and a butterfly in all its beauty comes out.  It lives on nectar serves its purpose of pollination for progressive nature, lays eggs and disappears into nature.  From egg to butterfly the life cycle of butterfly is just one life.

We, human beings, since birth strive to live, live for self, always consuming and hoarding things more than we need for one life, destroy nature for our comfort.  Most lives are spent in fulfilling desires which are ever increasing and finally when death embraces, we still long for something or other and rebirth becomes inevitable (for people who believe in soul and rebirth).  The purpose of life is to live and be able to do something for the progression of human life peacefully in the Universe along with all other beings and elements in the Universe.   People who had done their bit for betterment of life on earth are saints and live even after their mortal death.  Their life is like the last stage of beautiful butterfly.  As a being their purpose of birth is accomplished and become unified with Universe.

People who have accomplished their goal in life should withdraw from material longings and work for the benefit of human race and preserving beautiful nature

A Different Rose

Flowers are beautiful and delicate.  Rose is a flower which is loved by all.  There are hundreds of different colors and types of roses.  Any flower will generally have a single centre around which the petals are arranged in whorls.  Once I found a rose with two centres.  It is quite uncommon.  I don’t want to say unnatural as it is part of nature.  It is different, it is wonderful. 

This is my first photograph to be posted after changing the back ground with difficulty.  I learnt it on you tube and done with online photo editor pixlr.com.  Little bit of edition is also done in picasa as usual.

Caged

The picture looks like the line is behind the grill.
 Actually I have taken this from the window of the bus. 

Man is the most intelligent of all living beings on earth.  With intelligence and wisdom man evolved from caveman to smart city dweller.  Being the most intelligent of animal kingdom, man is powerful to command, control and use other beings for his development.  Powerful man has the responsibility to protect nature and allow other beings to live.  Protecting nature and other beings maintains ecological balance that helps human race to continue healthy existence on earth.

Disappearance of forests, changing life styles of man has become the cause of extinction of hundreds of beings.  Wild animals that live in forests are kept in captivity in zoological parks or protected/reserved forests. In these forests though the animals appear to move about freely, their freedom of movement is restricted by  the boundaries created by the authorities (man).  But when we move in these forests to see wild animals in their so called natural habitat we go in a vehicle through the windows of which we can see animals but animals cannot reach us. 

Once I visited Bannerghatta National Park in Bengaluru.  When I took a bus ride I felt we, the passengers, in the bus are caged and the animals are moving freely.  I could understand the limited power we humans have and the how much we fear the wild animals.

The bear sitting beside the halted bus and watching us

The bus,with all the doors closed and windows grilled
The moving cage!

                                                                        

Rejuvenating Inactivity

Life is simple biological phenomenon.  The initiation and dissociation of life from a living being is mysterious.  Between birth and death life if understood is simple. Eat, sleep and reproduce. Living being has to work to get food to eat and continue the race.  Every activity that is done is only to fulfill this purpose.  In this course of life the life of humans is different.  They endowed with discretion along with intelligence gained superiority over all beings.  With intelligence human race want to control all living beings and ‘Nature’.  Nature is immensely tolerant to misdeeds of man.  Occasionally Nature exhibits its unique strength and ferocity that makes Man to understand his limitations and short sightedness.  Nature has given everything in abundance to man so that everyone can live in peace.  Man in his passion to gain supremacy in the world doesn’t mind to suffer other living beings.

Sleep is unique act of physical non-activity that makes body rejuvenate after any tiresome physical or mental activity.  Good sleep ensures good health.  Healthy person will have a sound sleep.  Dreams are of part of sound sleep. A person who enjoys good sleep will live long.  When a person is sleepy he doesn’t need any bed; Can sleep on the rock or in the Sun.  For a destitute the shade of the tree is heavenly abode to relax and dream. 

The photograph above is taken in the month of May at Kolanpaka of Nalgonda district in Telangana.  Nalgonda district is said to have only two seasons, summer and severe or hot summer.  The man lying on the bench is a beggar, old man; there is a stick by his side and a tin in which he collects dole.  Probably the heat has made that man to come and rest on that bench under the shade of the tree. I have taken the photograph from a distance of 3-4 metres so as not to disturb him.  I walked along forward with my husband talking to him.  But that did not disturb him slightest.  There were other beggars outside this garden and in front of Jain temple. May be he is not interested in waiting there for visitors to the temple as he doesn’t need money or is tired for some reason.  I hope man is at peace and could have deep sleep even before noon. 

Lively Rock

Nature is beautiful.  Nature is mysterious.  Nature maintains balance of all living and non-living beings in the Universe.  Nature has given everything in abundance to man. But man always wants to overpower Nature, wants to modify It as per his needs.  Abuse of nature always results in calamities earlier or later.  Nature always teaches man to be sensible and follow the principle of “live and let live”.  Man is selfish.  Wants everything for himself and in the process becomes lost to himself.  When man is desperate he again goes back to Nature and worships Nature. 

Earlier man who could not unravel any of the mysteries of Nature worshipped Nature as God. Every beautiful and life sustaining part of Nature is worshipped as different forms of God.  That made man to pray God for his wants.  God is man’s hope.  Nature or God never fails man.  Sincere prayer not only moves the rock but also sprouts life in a rock. 

The photos I have taken made me to bow down to Nature and marvel at the wonders It holds for us.

Abstract Art

The branches are unique to every tree.  Each branch is having its own course of growth

Trees are most important part of nature.  Without water there is no life on earth.  Without trees man will not have survival.  Trees provide us oxygen that is essential for a human being to be alive.  Trees also provide us with food, shelter, clothing and health.  The beauty of flowers and the cool breeze from trees make many persons great poets.  Trees themselves are artistic in their growth and appearance.  No single tree though of same species will have branches exactly same as another tree of the same species.  Like we human beings are unique by finger prints and iris each tree is distinct.

Recently I visited Cubbon Park in Bengaluru.  The 300 acre park in midst of metropolis is probably the main reason to sustain life of people in highly polluted city.  The park is more like a forest in the centre of the city.  It is amazing to see the number of huge trees and bamboo grooves here.  The rustling of bamboo shoots produces the music that resembles the sound of rain.  Every tree presented me its beautiful abstract art.  These are few pictures of those artistic trees. 

It looks more like the trunks have grown close together, branches spreading as to cover the sky 

The base of this trunk is shaped into some person lying on the ground  looking to a side

Just imagine which animals are here and what they are doing!

Here I find one elephant trunk

Name this animal

Is there any deer that is looking back?

The reptile seems to carry a tiny human being below its belly

A reptile entering or coming out of its burrow

I don't understand this.  Truly modern art!

Just a Face?

Anaconda?!!

A Pastor giving sermon to the visitors!

Mushroom in trunk standing out majestically

The love birds sitting in privacy of tree hanging the helmet beside on broken branch