Happiness

 “Having nothing, yet hath all.”  So many conditions of Happiness are available, they say. Sometimes very little is needed to make one happy. Lamayuru Monastery, Ladakh  

Welcome to the Moon Land!

MOONLAND, as they call it!   Nestled among the mountain folds is this quaint little village Lamayuru in Ladakh (11,890 ft above sea level). A dramatic topography which resembles the surface of the Moon and an enchanting monastery atop a hill render Lamayuru a unique, timeless charm. Lamayuru monastery, built in the 11th century, is

Songs of Experience

” She girdeth her loins with strength, and strengtheneth her arms” (She girds herself with strength, and strengthens her arms) proverb 31:17 A Rajasthani village woman  wearing upper armlets. These are some portraits of tribal women of Rajasthan, who would have had varied experiences which made them bold and strong. Adorned themselves with lot of

Peace Prevail!

May Peace prevail on Earth! Merry Christmas! Clicked at Christ the King’s Cathedral, Nha Trang, Vietnam

Hosanna!

Rose on a Cross… Start of the holy week. On Palm Sunday at Notre-Dame Basilica, Ho Chi Minh City

Tết is here!

Saigon wears her yellow garb during Tết (Tết Nguyên Đán) or the Vietnamese lunar new year. Every nook and cranny is filled with pots and planters full of Chrysanthemums, sunflowers, Hoa Mai ( Ochna integerrima/ yellow apricot flowers) and marigolds. The colour of prosperity and cheer fills the town. Local markets and flower markets are

The Moon festival,moon cakes and the man in the moon

Tet Trung Thu or Mid Autumn Festival or Moon Festival is a significant festival among the many festivals in Vietnam. It is a harvest festival and also a festival for children. 15th day of the 8th lunar month is celebrated as the Moon festival. Worshipping the god of Earth for bountiful harvest and increase in

Neelathamara, The Blue Lotus

  Lotus that rises pure and fragrant above the muddy waters has always been a symbol of purity and spirituality. In Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism and Sikhism the flower is highly regarded and has a very prominent position. In Buddhist art and literature lotus motifs are highly symbolic. . A fully bloomed flower symbolises enlightenment where as

The Dancing Gods of Valluvanad…glimpses of village festivals

Here they come! The energetic, electrifying dancing gods of our Valluvanad or South Malabar. With the accompaniment of the pulsating ‘chenda’ or the booming drums and the loud cling clang of the cymbals they shake the earth with their frenzied steps. Our culturally rich and vibrant Valluvanad resonates with festival tunes during the Malayalam months

Over the Moon…again

  Here comes another full moon; the first full moon of the year 2017. The full moon of January is called the Full Wolf Moon, Hunger Moon or the Cold Moon… It is said that wolves howled out of hunger in the cold winter month and hence the name wolf moon. As usual I set