The Fugitive Moment

“Composition must be one of our constant preoccupations, but at the moment of shooting it can stem only from our intuition, for we are out to capture the fugitive moment, and all the interrelationships involved are on the move.”
(Henri Cartier-Bresson – French photographer, 1908–2004)

This picture was shot at Munshi Ghat along the Ganges in Varanasi (Benaras).
After taking a bath in the holy waters this man was drying under the early summer sun just after dawn.

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Body & Soul

“Eros (or call it lust if you will), is like a beautiful, magnificent Afghan Hound!
A pure white Afghan Hound commanding respect and honor!
But if you take the Afghan Hound and lock it in a small cage, shun it and look upon it badly, treat it as a pestilence and wish that it would die; that same creature of beauty will become a vile, unrepentant, dark creature of the shadows!
Untrusting, hidden in the corner, aggressive… something that will harm others and yourself!
But is this the nature of the creature, is this the fault of the creature?
Or are YOU the one who has created the monster that it has become?
And this is my philosophy: that we are both corporeal and incorporeal beings, therefore, the same amount of good intent MUST be given to both our soul and our body!”
(C. JoyBell C. – Poet, Essayist, Novelist, Philosopher and Author)

This picture was shot a few days ago at the upper terrace of my office in Varanasi (Benaras) with natural light.

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A Physical State

“When an idea exclusively occupies the mind, it is transformed into an actual physical or mental state.”
(Swami Vivekananda – Indian Spiritual leader, 1863-1902)

This picture was shot inside the akhara facing the Ganges at Raj Ghat in Varanasi (Benaras) where this pehlwan follows a daily training at dawn.
The reflection in the mirror was providing a backlighting which I always enjoy to work with…

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Replenishing Strength

“Inward calm cannot be maintained unless physical strength is constantly and intelligently replenished.”
(Buddha – Hindu Prince Gautama Siddharta, 563-483 B.C.)

A few days ago I went to an akhara early in the morning, it was a little windy like it is during those pre-monsoon days and the light was peculiar.
Somehow it was perfect for taking pictures of pehlwani training…

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“Here Comes The Sun”

 

Everyone is freezing today in many countries in the world and in North India as well, so here comes a picture with a song in order to warm you up…;)

“Here comes the sun, here comes the sun, 
and I say it’s all right 
Little darling, it’s been a long cold lonely winter 
Little darling, it feels like years since it’s been here 
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun 
and I say it’s all right 
Little darling, the smiles returning to the faces 
Little darling, it seems like years since it’s been here 
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun 
and I say it’s all right 
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes… 
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes… 
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes… 
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes… 
Sun, sun, sun, here it comes… 
Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting 
Little darling, it seems like years since it’s been clear 
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun, 
and I say it’s all right 
It’s all right ”
(“Here Comes The Sun” lyrics by The Beatles)

Cushion and Throw style “Surya”, Col. Sunflower, in pure linen.
(RED HALO – Summer 09)

Before Sunset at Gai Ghat

 

This was shot before sunset at Gai Ghat (also known as Gaya Ghat) which is one of the important spots in Varanasi (Benaras) along the Ganges. 

The highlight there is a huge sculpted figure of a stone cow, from which the ghat got its name ‘Gai’ (cow in Hindi) and it is symbolizing the earth.

Those two young men were standing at a few stairs below where a smaller statue of Nandi (नंदी), the cow who is the gate keeper of Shiva in Hindu mythology, is facing a lingam with a snake on it.

Those friends had an hair cut a moment before and they were drying after a bath in the holy waters.

“The Navel of the World”

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“The oldest living city in the world”.

According some people, India is said to be the ‘navel (nâbhî) of the world, and Kâshî, the navel of India, then Manikarnikâ ghat is the navel of Kâshî.
At Manikarnikâ ghat stands the sacred fire (dhuni) which might be the oldest fire, this is where every pious Hindu hopes to be burnt, at the Mahâshmashâna or “Great Cremation Ground of the entire Universe”.

Last morning I shot this close-up of a wrestler’s torso while I was visiting the Akhara near Scindia ghat.
This is the place along river Ganga where I took pictures of pehlwani (indian wrestlers) last January in Vanarasi (Benaras).
There is no editing to this image.

Suspended disbelief

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“The oldest living city in the world”.

Pritviraj and Vinod, during their training at the gym, at sunrise near Scindia Ghat along river Ganga in Varanasi (Benaras).

Pehlwani (Devanagari: पहलवानी, Urdu: پہلوانی), Kushti (Devanagari: कुश्ती, Urdu: کشتی), or modern Indian wrestling, is a synthesis of an indigenous Aryan / Hindu form of wrestling that dates back at least to the 5th century BC and a Persian form of wrestling brought into South Asia by the Mughals.

Massage is regarded an integral part of a pahalwan’s exercise regimen.
Ayurveda massage has two systems of treatment, one is to Pacify the aggravated Doshas by using proper natural herbs and minerals and second one is to purify the body, by “washing out” the increased Doshas from the body.
Oil massage is an important treatment in Ayurveda.
A massage that is part of the daily routine lasts for five to fifteen minutes.

But when it is performed for treating diseases it may take about 45 minutes.

During the treatment the patient is made to recline in seven standard positions.
This begins with the person seated in an upright position, supine or flat on the back, turning to the right side, supine again, turning to the left side, supine once again, and finally sitting as in the beginning.
Sometimes the position of lying face down is also adopted.
Panchakarma is a holistic rejuvenation therapy and is not just an oil massage, as it is widely believed.

Sawari (the passenger)

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Please do not use any photographs without permission (even for private use).
The use of any work without consent of the artist is PROHIBITED and will lead automatically to consequences.

“The oldest living city in the world”.

Pritviraj and Vinod, after their training at the gym, this morning at sunrise near Sankathi Ghat along river Ganga in Varanasi (Benaras).

In Indian wrestling, vyayam, or physical training, is meant to build strength and develop muscle bulk and flexibility. Exercises that employ the wrestler’s own bodyweight include the sun salutation, shirshasan, and the dand, which are also found in hatha yoga, as well as the bethak.
Sawari (the passenger) is the practice of using another person’s bodyweight to add resistance to such exercises.

Exercise regimens may also employ the following weight training devices:
The nal is a hollow stone cylinder with a handle inside.
The gar nals (literally “neck weights”) is a circular stone ring worn around the neck to add resistance to dands and bethaks.
The gada is a mace, as associated with Hanuman.
An exercise gada is a heavy round stone attached to the end of a meter-long bamboo stick.
Pahalwani trophies take the form of gadas made of silver and gold.

Exercise regimens may also include dhakulis, which involve twisting rotations; rope climbing; log pulling; and running.

Massage is regarded an integral part of a pahalwan’s exercise regimen.