Archive for the Banarsi (Portraits) Category

The Free Soul

Posted in Banarsi (Portraits) with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 28, 2013 by designldg

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“The free soul is rare, but you know it when you see it – basically because you feel good, very good, when you are near or with them.”
(From “Tales of Ordinary Madness” by Charles Bukowski)

This man was among a group of homeless people staying nearby Jama Masjid in Old Delhi.
Their faces could easily show that life was not easy for them but they were carrying a kind of grace and deep happiness…
It was nice to spend a moment with them, I was feeling “good…very good”, certainly because like this man they were free souls…

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The Traceless

Posted in Banarsi (Portraits) with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 28, 2013 by designldg

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“My place is the Placeless, my trace is the Traceless ;
‘Tis neither body nor soul, for I belong to the soul of the Beloved.
I have put duality away, I have seen that the two worlds are one;
One I seek, One I know, One I see, One I call. ”
(Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Balkhī known as Rumi – Persian poet and Sufi mystic, 1207-1273)

I met this man nearby Jama Masjid in Old Delhi.
He was homeless and his life seemed to be tough however there was an amazing happiness in his eyes as if he had reached what he was seeking for since a long time…

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The Unbearable Lightness of Being

Posted in Banarsi (Portraits) with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 27, 2013 by designldg

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“Her drama was a drama not of heaviness but of lightness.
What fell to her lot was not the burden but the unbearable lightness of being.”
(From “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” by Milan Kundera)

This is one of my favourite sentences by Milan Kundera which I kept in mind since his book was published.
Challenging Friedrich Nietzsche’s concept of eternal recurrence (the idea that the universe and its events have already occurred and will recur ad infinitum), the story’s thematic meditations posit the alternative; that each person has only one life to live, and that which occurs in life occurs only once and never again — thus the “lightness” of being.
In contrast, the concept of eternal recurrence imposes a “heaviness” on our lives and on the decisions we make (to borrow from Nietzsche’s metaphor, it gives them “weight”.)
Nietzsche believed this heaviness could be either a tremendous burden or great benefit depending on the individual’s perspective…

I met this lady at a gas pump on the road between Delhi and Varanasi.
Her expression, her saree and the way she wrapped it reminded of some Renaissance Italian paintings showing the Madonna.
Maybe the concept of eternal recurrence happens…maybe in another life this lady inspired a Master of the XVI°…”khabi khabie”…

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Beautiful in my eyes

Posted in Banarsi (Portraits) with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 4, 2013 by designldg

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“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.”
(Confucius – Chinese teacher, politician, and philosopher, 551 BC-479 BC)

This teenager belongs to a dhobi wallah’s family, I met her a few days ago near Rani ghat along the Ganges where she was helping her brother with some laundry.
She was happy and I found that she was beautiful.
I made several portraits which she enjoyed to see on the screen of my camera.
Today only I realize after watching those pictures on my computer that she had a skin disease covering all her face and body but I decided to remove it and to show her the way my eyes saw her for the first time…

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Manish’s Birthday Cake

Posted in Banarsi (Portraits) with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 11, 2013 by designldg

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“All the world is birthday cake, so take a piece, but not too much.”
(George Harrison – English musician, singer, songwriter and lead guitarist of the Beatles, 1943–2001)

This is one more portrait of Manish, my brother, in order to celebrate his birthday.
It was shot along the Ganges in Varanasi (Benaras).

(This year will be smooth and happy like a birthday cake…जन्मदिन मुबारक हो…Janmadina mubarak ho..!!!)

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Ticket To Success

Posted in Banarsi (Portraits) with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 11, 2013 by designldg

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“Success is like reaching an important birthday and finding you’re exactly the same.”
(Audrey Hepburn – British actress and humanitarian, 1929–1993)

This is a recent portrait of my childhood friend and “soul sister” Valerie in order to celebrate her
birthday.
It is funny that she is sharing this day with my brother Manish, maybe those things don’t come by chance…
During all our lives we kept on supporting each other with pride and no judgment like brother and sister do.
Time goes by and nothing changes between us.
Valérie is an author, director and filmaker based in Hollywood.

(This year is YOUR year where you’ll be enjoying a well-deserved success…Joyeux Anniversaire…Love you…!!!)

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Being Needed

Posted in Banarsi (Portraits) with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 26, 2012 by designldg

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“Happiness comes of the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply, to think freely, to risk life, to be needed.”
(Storm Jameson – English writer, 1891–1986)

A few days ago I met this lady at Dasaswarneth ghat along the Ganges in Varanasi (Benaras).
It was very early and there was a heavy fog all around.
She came from far in order to worship there with a group of other ladies.
They didn’t speak Hindi nor English and I couldn’t understand their South Indian language but they were happy and it was contagious.
After bathing in the holy waters they were drying their hair, and spreading some tumeric on the skin.
They allowed me to take a few pictures and we had a great time all together.
If happiness comes from the feeling of being needed I am sure that this lady knows how much she is needed…

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Her Own Light Shining

Posted in Banarsi (Portraits) with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 16, 2011 by designldg

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“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most.
We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?’
Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won’t feel insecure around you.
We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us; it’s in all of us.
And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
(From “A Return to Love” by Maryanne Williamson – American spiritual activist & author, b.1952)

This lady was standing at the door of her house nearby Alamgir Mosque, she was waiting for the milkman.
She was wondering why I wanted to take a few pictures of her, thinking she was old and not interesting.
I told her that her beauty was shining, she was graceful…
She was smiling with modesty and her gift was to allow me to see her “own light shine”…

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“Notre plus grande peur n’est pas d’être insuffisants.
Notre plus grande peur est d’être capable au-delà de toute mesure.
C’est notre lumière et non notre obscurité qui nous effraye le plus.
Nous nous posons la question: «qui suis-je pour oser me penser comme quelqu’un de brillant, grandiose, plein de talents fabuleux ?»
Mais en fait, qui êtes-vous pour ne pas oser l’être ?
Vous êtes un enfant de Dieu. Jouer petit ne sert pas le Monde.
Il n’y a rien de transformé à se faire tout petit de manière à ce que les autres ne se sentent pas mal à l’aise autour de vous. Nous sommes nés pour rendre manifeste la gloire de Dieu qui est en nous.
Et elle ne se trouve pas seulement chez certains d’entre nous ; elle est en chacun de nous.
Et en laissant briller notre propre lumière, nous donnons inconsciemment aux autres la permission de faire de même.
Au fur et à mesure que nous sommes libérés de notre peur, notre présence automatiquement libère les autres.”
(Extrait de “Le Retour de l’Amour” de Marianne Williamson – écrivain américain, née en 1952)

Cette femme se tenait à la porte de sa maison près d ela mosquée d’Alamgir à Benares (Varanasi), elle attendait le laitier.
Elle se demandait pourquoi je voulais prendre quelques photos d’elle, pensant qu’elle était vieille et peu intéressante.
Je lui ai répondu que sa beauté rayonnait, qu’elle était gracieuse…
Elle a souri avec retenue et son cadeau était de me permettre de voir “briller sa propre lumière”…

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Deep In His Eyes

Posted in Banarsi (Portraits) with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 21, 2011 by designldg

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“That man has reached immortality who is disturbed by nothing material.”
(Swami Vivekananda – Indian Spiritual leader of the Hindu religion (Vedanta), 1863-1902)

This is a picture of Lal Baba who is a Saivite (follower of Shiva) sādhu.
He was born in the Indian state of Bihar but he stays most of the time in Varanasi (Benaras).
People call him Lal Baba because he mostly wears garments in red shades, in Hindi “lal” means red.
His huge turban keeps a few meters of dreadlocks and gives him an impressive presence.
Sometimes people think that he can’t see much because of cataract but in fact his eyes have an amazing deep blue colour.
He is a well-known figure along the Ganges however nowadays he only accepts to pose for people he knows.
Whenever I meet him we share a few words and he gives me his blessings while putting his hands on my head…
(Deep in his eyes there is my reflection taking this picture)

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With Energy and Enthusiasm

Posted in Banarsi (Portraits) with tags , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 5, 2011 by designldg

With Energy and Enthusiasm

 

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“You will wake up every morning with a limitless reservoir of energy and enthusiasm.
All your thoughts will be focused on your definite objective…
You won’t have time to waste time.
Valuable mental power will, therefore, not be wasted on trifling thoughts.
You will automatically erase the worry habit and become far more effective and productive.
Interestingly, you will also have a deep sense of inner harmony, as if you are somehow being guided to realize your mission.
It is a wonderful feeling.”
(from “The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari” by Robin Sharma)

 

Very early before sunrise this lady came to Shitla Ghat in Varanasi (Benaras) in order to worship the holy water of the Ganges.
She stayed there for a long time.
I took pictures of her during the whole ceremony.
This one was shot around 7am when the sun was already very strong, she was then packing all her things with “a limitless reservoir of energy and enthusiasm”.