Genesis - soumya.org

Eid Mubarak

On the evenings of the holy month of Ramzan, the streets and bazaars around Jama Masjid in Old Delhi come alive after sunset. Families pour into the streets partaking food from the myriad hotels and food stalls, glances from behind veils reveal faces of women in excited animation, children scamper through the streets in wondrous fascination and vendors beckon you to inspect their colorful wares. As the world celebrates Eid today, here are some visuals of these joyous moods...

Visions Of Vaishno Devi

A trip to the famous shrine of Vaishnodevi near Jammu  was nowhere on the plan of our three week long roadtrip, but as they say, when the call comes one cannot ignore it. A few hundred kilometer detour from the Tibetan settlement of Bir through Palampur, Kangra and Pathankot brought us to the town of Katra which is the base for a well organised process and a very well maintained path to the temple complex perched on top the sacred Trikati Hills.We started walking at 4am and 12 hours later we were back in Katra tired but exhilarated.  What is it that enables human beings from all walks of life to walk over 12 kilometers one way on a steep uphill road and then back on the same day (a task that would challenge most athletes!)? We were not alone in our quest for the answer to this question...

A Multitalented Man

Sign outside the small government office in Kalpa. Who says that the Indian government is a bloated organisation?

Guns And Roses

A hard nosed and armed policeman admires the softer side of life...

Targeted Marketing

This is either (a) a brilliant marketing strategy (b) the shopkeeper is a die hard fan of sanju and sallu (c) there is some other clientele in mind...

Do You Feel Lucky?

Sign outside a restaurant in Shimla. You decide if you would eat there or not...

Serene Sarahan

A seventeen kilometer uphill winding road from Jeori on the Hindustan Tibet Road leads one to the hamlet of Sarahan, home of the centuries old Bhimakali Temple. The 800 year plus wooden temple with its slate roofs, golden towers and elaborate carvings has a unique architectural style reminiscent of oriental pagodas and is the site of  many religious ceremonies. Blessed with wonderful weather, Sarahan also commands an incredible view of the Shrikhand Range, a fact which led the Maharajah of the Kingdom of Bushahr to create a palace overlooking the peak. One can easily spend a couple of days soaking in the atmosphere and experiencing a living culture which takes one back many years into traditions built around the Mother Goddess Bhimakali, whose watchful gaze presides over this little temple town...

Tso Pema

Nestled in the green hills of Himachal Pradesh, Tso Pema with its unique stature of a holy spot for Buddhists, Hindus and Sikhs, is a truly special place which captures your heart. As the legend goes, the lake is a creation of Guru Padmasambhava (Rinpoche), who, when he was ordered to be burnt by the king of Mandi, turned the raging fire into a lake and reappeared on a lotus, hence the name Tso Pema which means "Lotus Lake". Steeped in spirituality, the lake has three monasteries, some ancient temples and a gurudwara which was built to commemorate visits by the Sikh Spiritual Leader, Guru Gobind Singh. Here are some wonderful memories of early morning walks, trips to the mountains above the lake, meeting varied travelers in the local cafes and watching life go by in the single lane around the lake...

Surreal Spiti

Spiti! The name conjures visions of high mountain passes, stark lunar landscapes, thousand year old gompas, picturesque villages and special people blessed by inaccessibility from the world by six months of snow and treacherous roads. We were fortunate to spend a week in this remote region, staying at Tabo, Kaza and Losar, driving to Langza, Komik and Kibber (some of the highest villages in the world) during the harvest season, observing life in the Tabo, Kee and Dankhar monasteries and reflecting on a simple and uncomplicated way of which is quite surreal in todays world...

Kaleidoscopic Kinnaur

The Kinnaur Valley in Himachal Pradesh is arranged like a colorful kaleidoscope which changes its shape and form every few tens of kilometers. The verdant valleys of Sangla and Rakcham, the 360 degree view in the tiny hamlet of Chitkul, the views of Kinner Kailash from Kalpa and the rocky outcrops of the Hindustan Tibet Road leading to Spiti are a visual feast which never fail to delight. The people also change with the surroundings and as one progresses towards Spiti, the Aryan faces blend into more oriental features. The one consistent feature were the apple orchards overflowing with a bumper crop and the intricate system of cables and pulleys which brought the apple cartons whizzing down from high mountaintops. So take a peek through the kaleidoscope lens to see the vibrant patterns of Kinnaur...