Photos from India

From September 7, 2014, “Daramshala: It’s a Nice Place, But the Tibetans Just Want to Go Home”

This fellow was working on a large and intricate thangka painting at the Norblingka Institute. It was likely going to be displayed in a temple somewhere.

Thangka painting requires a very steady hand.

These fellows are Tibetan refugees who are receiving training in thangka painting at the Norblingka Institute.

All natural ingredients are used to make the paint for thangkas. The blue green color is lapis lazuli.

This is a thangka painting of the Medicine Buddha.

Before the first dab of paint is applied, the thangka painter will stretch and stitch the canvas and then sketch the design with geometric precision.

Close-up of a refugee working on the casting of a bronze statute.

Refugee working on a lacquer box at the Norblingka Center.

I loved this bird design that was painted on a piece of furniture. Wouldn’t it make terrific upholstery fabric?

The Buddha is a favorite design on thangka paintings.

The monks were having some kind of a special prayer session on one of the days we visited the Karmapa Temple.

Susan and one of the nicest monks I’ve ever met (though I can’t spell his name).

This little temple was on the side of a busy mountain road.

All alone and gazing out the window, this young monk made for a terrific photo.

These nuns are fairly glowing after visiting one of the temples.

Almost every surface of this temple was elaborately decorated.

Me with Susan and one of her friends at the Karmapa Temple.

A lovely flower lamp at one of the temples.

This young monk unlocked the temple at his monastery and gave us a private tour. Like most temples, it was full of intricate carvings and paintings.

The Dalai Lama is gone, but his presence is definitely not forgotten in the temples.

There was a beautiful column of yellow silk hanging from the ceiling of the Karmapa’s Temple. I took this shot while standing inside it and looking up.

This cow is quite adept at parallel parking, wouldn’t you say?

With her cane and advanced years, this lady was slower than most. It’s one of the few front shots I have of these generally fast-moving women.

I took this photo the day before I got hit by a car, right in this intersection. I wanted to memorialize the crazy traffic, not realizing that I would soon have scars to help me remember the place.

The monks were having some kind of a special prayer session on one of the days we visited the Karmapa Temple.

Susan and one of the nicest monks I’ve ever met (though I can’t spell his name).

His Holiness has a seat in every temple.

I have no idea why this kid and his mom were selling what looked like Halloween masks. But, with him taking a watermelon break, it made for a terrific photo.

This little temple was on the side of a busy mountain road.

This monkey family was foraging in the trash one morning when I walked back from a meditation at the Tushita Center.

How cute is this tiny monkey’s face?

The scenery around Daramshala is incredibly beautiful.

Tushita Buddhist Meditation Center has a well-earned reputation. They offer silent meditation retreats, workshops of all kinds, speakers, weekly free movies and open meditations every morning.

I took this photo the day before I got hit by a car, right in this intersection. I wanted to memorialize the crazy traffic, not realizing that I would soon have scars to help me remember the place.

The yoga studio at the Himalayan Iyengar Yoga Center in Dharamkot is quite beautiful. I took a 10-day training here.

View of Daramshala from the balcony of my hotel.

I love street art. This piece was outside a small coffee shop and these hip young dudes were happy to pose, so long as I promised not to make money off the photo.

A billboard demanding release of the Panchen Lama, the world’s youngest political prisoner.

This is an example of one of the Free Tibet signs you see around Daramshala.

From August 4, 2014, “Sadhus, India’s Holy Men”

He was reading a prayer book.

Not sure whether this fellow is a sadhu, but he looked good in his blue robes. The trident on his turban indicates that he is a follower of Vishnu.

I shot this photo one early morning from the balcony of a chai house overlooking a small temple on the banks of the river. These sadhus had just finished doing their laundry.

This sadhu was at one of Parmarth Niketan’s evening arti ceremonies.

Most sadhus with super long dreadlocks wind them on top of their heads. His were down. I wonder how many years it took to grow them?

This fellow hasn’t woken up yet. He looks road-weary and with reason. It can’t be an easy to live on the road, subsist on donations, and eat what you get and when you can. I have yet to see an overweight sadhu…

These men were sitting outside the Beatles Ashram early one morning doing pranayamas (ancient breathing techniques). They were doing Bhastrika and Bhramari (also known as bellows bee’s breath).

This sadhu lives in a shack at the dead end of a trail out near the abandoned “Beatles ashram.”

Catching up with the morning’s news.

From June 17, 2014, “The Ganga – My Siren Song”

PHOTOS FROM ALONG THE GANGES IN RISHIKESH:

From April 2014, “A New Place and a New Look at Old Places: Jaisalmer, Jodphur and Udaipur”

Blissed out at Parmarth’s arti.

Swamiji loves to sing. Here he is singing and chanting, along with the other singers and musicians at Parmarth.

There are lots of volunteers who work at ashrams in the area. The folks in yellow and orange robes work at Parmarth Niketan.

This floral offering was transformed by the river into a heart.

Arti ceremonies are held daily at Parmarth Niketan ashram.

Each evening, the arti ceremony at Parmarth Niketan draws huge crowds.

: You can’t escape the crowds in Rishikesh. Rain or shine and in blistering heat, they are drawn to the river.

: Lakshman Jhula Bridge.

: This statue of Shiva is on one side of the Laksman Jhula Bridge. There was another, even larger, at Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Ram Jhula but it was washed away in the 2013 flood.

: With lots of Tibetans in Rishikesh, momos (Tibetan dumplings) are easy to find.

: The Science of Drugless Healing. While I did visit an ayurvedic doctor and vedic astrologer, I didn’t have the nerve to try out this particular service.

: Prayers seem to hang in the air around the river, creating a peaceful energy.

: This kid did not want any part of going in the river, but his mom was insistent.

: People come dressed in their finery. Given the bright oranges, pinks and reds, I think this family might have been from Rajasthan.

: Hey lady, want to buy some malls? And buy them I did…

: This kid, on the other hand, relished the experience. He marched up and down the banks, staff in hand, warning away cows and dogs, and guarding the area.

: A sadhu (holy man) performs his morning toiletries on the river’s banks.

: Like some cotton candy while you bathe?

: These women are carefully filling plastic bottles with water from the Ganges.

: Vendors set up shop along the banks, selling flower offerings, fish food, snacks and so on.

: This sweet little vendor was out early every morning selling flowers.

: Bathing in the Ganges is a family affair.

: Families camp out on temple grounds. The women cook, care for children and sing. The men gather round and talk..

: Boats ferry you back and forth across the river at Ram Jhula.

: Water buffalo in the bath water? No problem! The Ganga is a self-cleaning river.

: The river is as crowded as any public swimming pool in the middle of Summer back home.

This statue of Arjuna and Shiva (in the role of Krishna the charioteer) sits above the gates of Parmarth Niketan ashram.

Statues at the massive Kailash Niketan Temple in Lakshman Jhula.

The always-popular Ganesha, who you see depicted in statues as often as Shiva.

View of the Ganges at sunrise, from my balcony at Omkarananda Ganga Sadan.

Night view of Parmarth Niketan, from my balcony.

PHOTOS FROM JAISALMER:

Rajasthani men make an effort with their appearance too, with their turbans, crisply ironed clothing, and waxed mustaches.

One of my absolute favorite shots.

A jeweler heats metal over a red hot fire that really glows against the turquoise wall. I love the colors in this iPhoto.

Jaisalmer’s fort is a beautiful color of gold, as you can tell from this photo of the old doors.

The fort’s walls have several places where you can look into the valley below. This is one of them.

I just love the pop of color that you find in Rajasthani homes.

Indians are simply mad about cricket. Young and old alike, we see them playing everywhere we go.

Every few days, I am struck by the beauty and grace of Indian women. These gals were headed to a wedding.

We fell in love with this happy, self-reliant desert dog. He spent some time with us, then buried himself in the sand up to his armpits for a nap.

With the ripples and shapes of the dunes, the desert becomes an art form.

This budding young entrepreneur hiked in from the next village with a satchel full of beer. Needless to say, he was handsomely rewarded for his efforts.

The first thing our guides did when they made camp was fill a container with water for the birds.

The camels were draped with padding and adorned with cloths. I call this photo, “Does this skirt make me look fat?”

Nice way to end a day in the desert.

They look a bit bored, but these two guys were actually pretty excited about voting.

An indelible mark was made on each voters fingernail.

We have elephants and donkeys; why shouldn’t they have camels?

Out behind the main temple complex was another, more primitive, version of Hanuman.

This mom wanted me to hold her baby for a photo (first time that’s eve happened). Both mother and baby were so beautiful that I couldn’t resist asking them to pose for me afterwards.

FROM UDAIPUR:

Bagore Ki Haveli is beautiful.

No visit to Udaipur is complete without a visit to the Jagdish Temple and resident sadhu.

These young lovers looked so pensive sitting in the garden of a roadside cafe where we stopped for chai.

This woman is carrying grass for cows. She’ll sit on a blanket somewhere and sell it so that folks can get some good karma.

One of the traditional Rajasthani dances involves spinning and swirling around a fire with a copper pot on your head.

FROM JODPHUR:

Artfully arranged tails, don’t you think?

These little girls asked to pose for me but put on their serious faces for the first photo. A little bit of teasing and then came the smiles.

Thinking deep thoughts.

Hundreds of varieties of mango can be found in India.

As I gazed down at Jodphur from the roof of our hotel, it took on the look of an impressionist painting.

This mom wanted me to hold her baby for a photo (first time that’s eve happened). Both mother and baby were so beautiful that I couldn’t resist asking them to pose for me afterwards.

From Mar. 2014, “More of the Golden Triangle: Udaipur, Agra, and Delhi”

This girl is applying a henna stamp on Holly’s hand, just outside the Lotus Temple.

This woman was sitting at a mosque in Old Delhi….something about her look of solitude in the midst of chaos was intriguing to me.

Look how many keys this parking attendant has – each car in the lot is parked bumper to bumper too.

Traffic is a real problem in Delhi.

Rickshaw parking.

Bicycle parking is a bit crazy too.

These men were gathered on the steps of the mosque, which is on the Taj Mahal’s grounds.

Gal pals.

Sharing a laugh at the Taj.

Holly, Caitlin, me, Kurt, Laurie – as seen through one of the Taj Mahal’s marble screened windows.

Caitlin was constantly asked to pose for photos. We felt a bit like her entourage…

Most people were quite dressed up for their visit to the Taj Mahal and nearby Fort.

This is the view out the window of my haveli guesthouse. I could get used to living like this!

Not far from the Jagdish Temple, this lady stood on a corner…dressed almost exactly like the piece of street art by which she was standing.

Flower seller at the temple.

I was told that a “foreigner” once came to town and began painting art on the streets.

Another woman sitting on the street.

All manner of laundry is washed in Lake Pichola, even beautiful saris.

School kids coming home at lunch.

A personalized message from the chef and owner of Millets of Mehwar, my favorite restaurant in Udaipur.

Rickshaw traffic is crazy in Udaipur.

Evidently there are many ways to tell your fortune.

There are a couple of “palaces” on the water. This is the most dramatic.

Ladies…walking down the street with purpose. Motorcycles and rickshaws moved out of their way respectfully.

Motorcycle traffic is crazy in Udaipur too. This guy decided to drive up to the store instead of parking.

From Mar. 2014, “Feeling Holi in Jaipur”

I think I could do with a touch more yellow, don’t you?

Upon observing y color palate, I realized that I needed a little swipe of green.

The “after” shot.

As he sat to enjoy some Holi music, this man was showered with confetti.

Believe it or not, all of this color came off in the shower – except a swath of yellow in Caitie’s hair.

A sadhu on the streets of Jaipur

No color on this man.

A musician at the temple, looking quite handsome in his gold turban and pink cheek.

Despite their Holi excitement, people respect the sadhus and old folks. They escape the whole color thing.

From Mar. 2014 “Kerala – A Soft Landing in India”

Fort Cochin – Kathakali:

The character who would be Shiva, applying his farmer’s disguise which, for some reason, included a “flower nose.”

The actor who played Arjuna is applying his makeup.

This fellow was an incredible actor. He went from this…

Here he is in full makeup.

Shiva and Parvati in full disguise as hunter and his wife.

…to this.

The finale: Arjuna repents and Shiva decides not to kill him, making Parvati very happy.

Fort Cochin – Scenery:

A fashion shoot of some kind. You often see them while traveling in Asia.

The ice cream man does a pretty good business at sunset.

India’s west coast is noted for its gorgeous sunsets. Each night, residents and tourists alike gather each evening to watch the sun set over Fort Cochin.

Fort Cochin is famous for its butterfly-netted fishing boats. This fisherman was fishing from the docks, raising and lowering his nets, each time removing a modest catch.

These men are unloading a big truck of fresh ginger. I could stay in the spice markets for hours, just sniffing the air, which was filled with cinnamon, cardamom, pepper, ginger, and other delicious fragrances.

Alleppey – Photo Shoot at a Tea Shop:

I think of him as the “cool boy.”

This boy was so relaxed in front of the camera.

The kids were quick to point out that, while they were all 15, the girl in pink was only 14. Shy, she would only pose with her girlfriend. But look at that smile…

A study session was scheduled for as soon as we left, but the teacher was kind enough to let us chat with the students first.

I love this shot.

The boys were not too keen on posing for photos until I showed them the rests of this shot.

Handsome, aren’t they?

One of my favorites.

Alleppey:

There’s so much to see over the prow of a canoe.

The canals are full of kids — it looks like a terrific place to grow up.

The kids always look so cute in their school uniforms.

Houses are painted in bright shades of every color you can imagine, sometimes several of them on a single house. Somehow, it works!

From Feb. 2014 “Final Reflections on Panchakarma”

Two of “my” leeches

From Hyderabad, Feb. 2014 “Going Outside”

Palace walls

Ribbons!

Pomegranates

Busy streets of Hyderabad’s Old City

View from on high

A wall of niches

Looking through the gate

Wall and tower

Road to the fort

Passageway

Note the Persian influence.

Entrance to a small temple at the fort

The fort was filled with arches.

Entry hall of the Taj Palace

Close-up of tile at Taj Palace

High tea at the Taj Palace.

Palace at sunset.

Taj Fulaknuma Palace

Mother and baby at Golconda Fort

Posing with little girl at Golconda Fort

Posing with Joan, Vicky and family at Golconda Fort

Picnic on the steps at Golconda Fort

Stylish girls at Golconda Fort

On the steps at Golconda Fort

Family photo at Golconda Fort

Cleaning ladies at Golconda Fort

From Hyderabad, Jan. 2014 “Puppy Love”

From Hyderabad, Jan. 2014 – “Republic Day”

Republic Day Cuties

kids in Republic Day outfits - portrait 2

From Hyderabad, Jan. 2014 – “Panchakarma – Days 1-10”

: Technicians heading to treatment center

: Another View in the Treatment Room

: Treatment Room

From Hyderabad, Jan. 2014 – “Vagya on the Roof”

From Hyderabad, Jan. 2014 – “Photo Shoot in the Park.” I had a terrific time with these ladies. They posed with composure and a great deal of composure and then burst into excited laughter every time I showed them a finished photo.

From Hyderabad, Jan. 2014 – “Celebrating Pongal – The Harvest Festival”

Pandits Chanting in Puja Room

Altar in the Puja Room

One of my favorite Kolam paintings.

Kolam painting.

Kolam painting – such beautiful colors.

Kolam painting for Pongal.

Kolam painting – notice the plant stalks.

From Hyderabad, Jan. 2014 – “Dr. Raju’s Clinic”

This is the back side of the commercial center building.

The Fancy Matching Center At the Therapy Center

Scale at Green Grocers – at theTherapy Center

The Green Grocers

The Computer Center

Another View in the Treatment Room

Treatment Room

Hall Outside Treatment Rooms

Dining Hall

The Raju Family Clinic

Herbal Kit for Panchakarma

Our Neighborhood

Cricket…they are always playing cricket in the park.

Through the gate and into the park…

Our Technicians Walking Through the Park

Our therapy technicians walking in the park. Look at those beautiful braids.

From “Mumbai, Jan. 2014 – Rite of Passage or Just Another Big City?”

Indian women wear such beautiful fabrics in comparison to their men. I thought the contrast was especially evident in this shot.

This little girl was 4 years old and quite the fashion plate. She, her mom and dad were visiting Elephanta Island. Lots of Indians come to vacation in Mumbai and see the sites.