Ruminations 20K Kms up in the air

6:15 PM already and the sun is still high in the sky. somewhere down on earth, the sunset would have already taken place. As I stare outside the window (on one of the many flights that I was forced to take because of work-u see, we have to work for Roti, kapda, makaan and thodi si Chivas!!!), the idea suddenly cropped up, why not write on one of the many experiences that I have had with Aerial photography...

well, first step is to get on a plane...for that one needs to have a ticket. but this is where it begins...try and get a ticket for a flight approx 30 minutes before the sunset and 1 hours before the sunrise...Reason: the sunsets and the sunrises up in the sky happen later than the sunsets on the ground and sunrises happen earlier. So timing the flight well is important. don't worry if it is cloudy below...Up there, it is a different world altogether.

Next challenge is to get a good seat...So after aligning the directions as per Sunrise and the Sunsets, I am sure you would like to choose the window seats. Now the challenge is to get a seat which is not on the wings. Getting the panorama of the sunset/ sunrise while sitting on the wing seats is a bit difficult because the Wings almost always come in the frame. Choose at least 3-4 rows ahead and 7-8 rows behind the wings. That way the view is better.

Once the seats are done...you are all set for the action.

Some of my shots while travelling across India...


This shot was taken somewhere between Ahmedabad and Bangalore. The sunset up there had still not started. But the sun was such a magical angle that the whole river entering the sea looked like molten lava flowing in.I have named this shot 'Nature's Calligraphy' because of the way it looks. This shot was chosen to be exhibited in the Frames of Mind-2009 Photography Exhibition in Bangalore.





I was pleasantly surprised how the trnasluscence of the clouds look so pretty. This, I had never seen on ground.






And while one stares outside the windows of flights, u can also see other flights passing you by...some funny expereince that because even the skies are becoming increasingly crowded.



Interesting formation: Try and find out how Superman flies with arms outstreched.




Some selective lighting here. Seems like some clouds are more equal that others ;-)


I had never seen a sunset when sun looks like just a line like this...


A line of cloud making a transversal across the colour bands in the sky



Hope you liked the series as much I liked making it...More will follow soon...

Sonakshi growing up faster that I thought she would...

Sometime back, we had been to Golden Palms and Spa for a Sunday Dayout. This place is near Bangalore...

The massage felt really relaxing, the lunch was awesome, the grass was lovely...all all this without any worries of the world...

As I was observing Sonakshi playing around, I suddenly felt that she is growing up faster that I thought she would...Soon, she would be good to fly and fly away she will...to become a world citizen. A father's heart let out an inaudible sigh that day...

One from the sunday...

moving shooter and target

I have been off the grid for so long that one fine evening I just felt like holding my Gal. So, just set the 70-200 onto the road sat in a vehicle and held the shots. A few interesting ones that came up are as follows. These just came of the traffic and vehicle lights.

[Disclaimer: In real photographic technicalities, these shots would be called as failures...but somehow I loved the simple and complex patterns they made.]

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SWINE FLU- Simple ways to avoid

Some tips for prevention from an AIIMS Doctor- found this over mail from a dear friend:

Friends,

Thanks to media hype about H1N1, several people who trust me have either approached or called me to advise. The hype in media about the utility of face masks and N95 respirators as a tool for general protection against H1N1 can't be deplored enough. Yesterday, a friend who listened wanted me to write down briefly what I advised so that he could tell others in similar words. Hence this short email to friends whom I have advised recently (and others whom I haven't yet). Please realize that this is not an official advice, especially the one about face masks or N95.

Most N95 respirators are designed to filter 95% particulates of 0.3µ, while the size of H1N1 virus is about 0.1µ. Hence, dependence on N95 to protect against H1N1 is like protecting against rain with an umbrella made of mosquito net.

Tamiflu does not kill but prevents H1N1 from further proliferation till the virus limits itself in about 1-2 weeks (its natural cycle). H1N1, like other Influenza A viruses, only infects the upper respiratory tract and proliferates (only) there. The only portals of entry are the nostrils and mouth/ throat. In a global epidemic of this nature, it's almost impossible not coming into contact with H1N1 in spite of all precautions. Contact with H1N1 is not so much of a problem as proliferation is.

While you are still healthy and not showing any symptoms of H1N1 infection, in order to prevent proliferation, aggravation of symptoms and development of secondary infections, some very simple steps - not fully highlighted in most official communications - can be practiced (instead of focusing on how to stock N95 or Tamiflu):

1. Frequent hand-washing (well highlighted in all official communications).

2. "Hands-off-the-face" approach. Resist all temptations to touch any part of face (unless you want to eat, bathe or slap).

3. Gargle twice a day with warm salt water (use Listerine if you don't trust salt). H1N1 takes 2-3 days after initial infection in the throat/ nasal cavity to proliferate and show characteristic symptoms. Simple gargling prevents proliferation. In a way, gargling with salt water has the same effect on a healthy individual that Tamiflu has on an infected one. Don't underestimate this simple, inexpensive and powerful preventative method.

4. Similar to 3 above, clean your nostrils at least once every day with warm salt water. Not everybody may be good at Jala Neti or Sutra Neti (very good Yoga asanas to clean nasal cavities), but blowing the nose hard once a day and swabbing both nostrils with cotton buds dipped in warm salt water is very effective in bringing down viral population.

5. Boost your natural immunity with foods that are rich in Vitamin C (Amla and other citrus fruits). If you have to supplement with Vitamin C tablets, make sure that it also has Zinc to boost absorption.

6. Drink as much of warm liquids as you can. Drinking warm liquids has the same effect as gargling, but in the reverse direction. They wash off proliferating viruses from the throat into the stomach where they cannot survive, proliferate or do any harm.

All these are simple ways to prevent, within means of most households, and certainly much less painful than to wait in long queues outside public hospitals.

Happy breathing!

I have just glanced thru one episode of "Rakhi ka Swayambar"(RKS) and what I felt was that this grand fiasco was a money churning device that has been conceived to make grand fools of people and increasing the TRPs. People always got into heated debates as to how RKS was all about women's liberation and how the Indian Woman has come of age these days. That Rakhi belongs to humble beginnings (Sawant was born as Neeru Sawant to Usha Sawant and a Mumbai policeman who Sawant has described as "very strict".Hailing from a poor family, she had only a few years of formal education), stuggling youth and dramatic controverises (Item girl/ Mika Kissing episode/ Nach baliye-3 staged wardrobe malfunction etc), made the audience go ga-ga over her and RKS. I was pleasantly surprised that some families would go to such lengths as shown in RKS to make Rakhi their family member.

What I never understood was how is this entire episode related to Women's emancipations and independence when a woman is being used to churn monies for the channel. I won't have the liberty to read the agreement that the TV channel or Rakhi signed for RKS, but the entire show seemed ultra staged...And all that natak during the Grand Finale of the show just proves my point. I even had a good debate at home on this...crazzy as it may sound....I was very sure then that this so-called engagement would fall apart in a couple of days...And here this comes in hot from the oven...Lets grow up...If women's emancipation can happen with RKS, god help the thoughts and the meta-thoughts on this...

Elesh Parunjanwala is not my man, says Rakhi Sawant - It won’t be shocking to reveal that things are not going fine between item girl Rakhi Sawant and his fiancée Elesh Parujanwala. Just after a week of Rakhi ka swayamwar’s grand finale, she has started raising doubts on Elesh and said that they are not ‘made for each other’. She also added that she hardly knew Elesh because of lack of dates between the couple and her illiteracy clashes a lot with her well educated fiancée. Also there is a big communication problem between both of them.

Rakhi is also doubtful about Elesh’s flirtatious nature and fear that his strings of affair in the past might turn into a serious relationship and he might lose interest in her soon. Rakhi said she still hadn’t got over her break up with Abhishek Awasti and wasn’t prepared for another one. Taking a dig at the participants of Rakhi ka swayamwar, she said most of the contestants were cheapsters who participated for gaining publicity that had left her feeling disillusioned about the concept of love.

Rakhi Sawant said that she talks with Manas Katyal every single day as she gets along with him quite well. She also added that she could have simply chosen Manas but the age difference between the two prevented her putting the garland around his neck. Undoubtedly this candid talk won’t please the Parujanwala family but also it won’t be a shock to know that all things that are happening now were scripted too!

Pearls of Wisdom from everyday work

This is a page that I would be updating on a daily basis on pearls of wisdom that flow out as dialogues in daily life from friends, colleagues, spouse, Kid, overheard...

1. "Boss, tera funnel toh tunnel hai"

2. Rita had triplets-Mat, Pat, Tat. While breeding was not a problem, feeding was. 'coz while Mat and Pat fed, there was no tit for Tat.

3. "Whats wrong with u for the last week. Are u on Pot!!!"

4. "Where are u these days...Khada hai na !!!"

5. "Don't go ballistic"

6. "Where I stand, depends on where I sit."

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On August 7, 2009

At 12hr 34 minutes and 56 seconds on the 7th of August this year, the time and date will be

12:34:56 07/08/09

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This will never happen in your life again