Photo Blog by Rajan Parrikar » India

Varanasi – India’s Holy City: a photo essay

Rajan P. Parrikar — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 16:59:00 +0000

My photo essay Varanasi – India’s Holy City is now up and running at The Huffington Post. It should be featured in its Religion section today.

Ganesha – God of Knowledge and Wisdom (from HuffPost)

Rajan P. Parrikar — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:15:56 +0000

I have started blogging at the Huffington Post. My first feature went up today: Ganesha – God of Knowledge and Wisdom.

Definition of Heaven

Rajan P. Parrikar — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:58:08 +0000

Fresh Samosas in New Delhi
5D, 24-105L

World-class Pedas in Bikaner, Rajasthan
5D, 24-105L

The Approaching Storm

Rajan P. Parrikar — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 20:02:50 +0000

Romance flowers undeterred by an approaching southwest monsoon storm in Kozhikode (aka Calicut) on the Malabar coast of northern Kerala.

In Calicut, Kerala
5D, 70-200L f/2.8 IS

Monsoon storm brewing in Calicut, Kerala
5D, 70-200L f/2.8 IS

Lovebirds

Rajan P. Parrikar — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 09:04:09 +0000

I was having breakfast in the alfresco restaurant at Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur when I caught sight of this amorous couple a few feet away on the steps of the palace. Fortunately, I had my camera with me with the appropriate lens already mounted.

Love in Jodhpur, Rajasthan
5D, 70-200L f/2.8 IS

Shubha Mudgal – A Portrait

Rajan P. Parrikar — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:54:52 +0000

Shubha Mudgal has established herself as one of the leading Hindustani Classical vocalists of the current generation. She is also fluent in other musical genres.

Shubha and I share a common guru, the late Ramashreya Jha “Ramrang.” A not-so-well-known fact about Shubha – her father was Skand Gupt, the outstanding cricket commentator of yesteryear, whose distinguished voice and Hindi diction are remembered by AIR listeners of the 1970s and 1980s.

These portraits were taken in Mumbai in December 2009.

Shubha Mudgal
5D Mark II, 85L II

Harmonium Maestro Tulsidas Borkar

Rajan P. Parrikar — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 17:27:47 +0000

Earlier this week I called on Tulsidas Borkar, the virtuoso of the harmonium, at his home in Mumbai. He received me warmly. We reminisced about the great Goan musicians of the 20th C and their disproportionate contributions to Indian Classical Music. He then pulled out his harmonium and launched into an impromptu recital.

Tulsidas-bab was born in 1934 in the village of Borim located in Goa’s Ponda taluka (the same village gave us the poetic genius Bakibab Borkar). He had the privilege of receiving training for 10 years from Madhukar Pednekar – also from Goa, from the village of Malpem in Pednem taluka – perhaps the greatest harmonium wizard of the 20th C.

In the course of a long and distinguished career, Tulsidas-bab has provided harmonium support to most of the leading Hindustani vocalists of our time – Amir Khan, Bhimsen Joshi, Mallikarjun Mansur, Kishori Amonkar, Jitendra Abhisheki, Basavraj Rajguru, to name a few. Even more important, he has produced the next line of musicians, with several of his students now counted among the top tier harmonium players in the country.

In 2005 Tulsidas-bab was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award by the then President of India A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.

In the late 1970s and through the 1980s, the frequently-played filler interlude in between programmes on AIR-Panjim was a musical ‘button’ in Raga Tilak Kamod performed by Tulsidas Borkar.

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Tulsidas Borkar, harmonium maestro
5D Mark II, 85L II

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Tulsidas Borkar, at his home in Mumbai
5D Mark II, 24-105L

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Harmonium maestro Tulsidas Borkar
5D Mark II, 14L II

Chand Baori, Rajasthan

Rajan P. Parrikar — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:34:53 +0000

Built in the 9th century AD by Raja Chand, the magnificent Chand Baori in the village of Abhaneri near Jaipur, Rajasthan, combines Geometry, Engineering and Art. This stepwell features 13 levels and is 19.8 metres deep.

Despite being a structure of great historical importance, its upkeep leaves much to be desired.

5D, 24-105L" title="Chand Baori" width="900" height="490" class="size-full wp-image-627" />

Section of the Chand Baori in the mellow evening light
5D, 24-105L

5D, 24-105L" title="Chand Baori" width="504" height="700" class="size-full wp-image-628" />

All the 13 levels of the Chand Baori
5D, 24-105L

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Close-up in B&W
5D, 24-105L

Stucco Art

Rajan P. Parrikar — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:11:59 +0000

Colourful stucco artwork depicting scenes from the Ramayana lines the walls of the Anjaneya temple inside the massive Bekal fort in the Kasargod district of Kerala.

5D, 24-105L" width="750" height="715" />

Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana at Anjaneya temple in Bekal, Kerala
5D, 24-105L

Lovebirds

Rajan P. Parrikar — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 03:49:55 +0000

Shot during breakfast on the grounds of Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur in the Indian state of Rajasthan.

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Lovebirds at Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur
5D, 70-200L f/2.8 IS