tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79092606903015848432024-03-05T02:44:14.845-08:00i n d i a | p h o t o | b l o gIndia Through My Lens . . .Darpan Saxenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139445521786816253noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7909260690301584843.post-54178019620661208392011-08-27T14:33:00.000-07:002011-08-27T14:33:14.894-07:00Bara Imambara, Lucknow: Pictures Of An Architectural Marvel<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"></span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;">This post is dedicated to one of the most beautiful monuments of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucknow">Lucknow</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bara_Imambara">Bara Imambara</a>, also known as Asfi Imambara after the name of its creator Nawab <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asaf-Ud-Dowlah">Asaf-Ud-Daula</a>. Lucknow is called the <a href="http://www.lucknowonline.com/index.php">City of Nawabs</a>, and true to its name, it has been a center for art and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucknow#Culture">culture</a> in North India for centuries. The <a href="http://www.lucknow.org.uk/culture/people.html">people</a> are also royal in true sense - their <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucknow#Language_and_poetry">language</a> is pure, they are lovers of good things in life- art, <a href="http://www.lucknow.org.uk/culture/music-dance.html">music</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucknow#Cuisine">food</a> and are generally a happy bunch; proud of their past, looking into the future. Now how can I say all these things with authority? I can, because I've known many of them very closely. Wonderful and righteous people! But the discussion about living beings some other time, this post is about a <a href="http://india.gov.in/knowindia/imambara.php">227 year old piece</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"> of history that <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>doesn't breathe but is very much alive!</i></span></span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;">I've been to Lucknow many times and have also lived there for short periods but never looked into the history this place has to offer. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>I believe you don't always have the time, priority or maturity to rise over your own petty issues and look at the other side of life. It is with time and experience, that you learn to observe and appreciate the fine nuances of life.</i></span> </span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;">So it happened, that after a long time, I was again in Lucknow. This time for my best friend's marriage. We were a group of friends and had one full day for a tour of city. <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;">Spirits were obviously high!</span></i> We decided to start with Bara Imambara and visit the nearby places like Chawk and Chhota Imambara, however we were so consumed with first place itself that we had to cut short the time for others. Between performing my duties as the official photographer of the group and clicking all sorts of lovely (and awkward!) single and couple pictures, I did manage to sneak in some shots of interest. Here goes...</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;">There are </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;">two magnificent triple-arched gateways to enter the premises. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Move inside and the first impressive structure that you see on your right side is the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>Asfi Mosque</i></span>. This mosque is still is use but only muslims are allowed to enter it. I clicked some shots from distance. Later noticed that there was an interesting <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>reflection in the glass of the lamp.</i></span> </span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Qeh60iwrbs3IcgM0iB2206OsjbnEs9YxQWuAI66wswqN-G7-fGClvtwrJxp94tItsNKUASzhEU0n17SJsERscvTt8nO-j1PNyhi-xotXIwfvZN8TSY3FDqKlLefZafd-3YF5x_dRhpDi/s1600/P1160485_hf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Qeh60iwrbs3IcgM0iB2206OsjbnEs9YxQWuAI66wswqN-G7-fGClvtwrJxp94tItsNKUASzhEU0n17SJsERscvTt8nO-j1PNyhi-xotXIwfvZN8TSY3FDqKlLefZafd-3YF5x_dRhpDi/s640/P1160485_hf.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bara Imambara: Asfi Mosque</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;">M<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;">oving ahead, there is huge courtyard, which leads you into Imambara's central hall. Standing here, look back. You can see the side view of the Asfi mosque and marvel at the beautiful golden color of the structure.</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5eDy-WWhgHEAVCLxyGj_YI1ifdAnKZoXWx0IOtLCJ8KnI2E6PF84DI2UKYB8wTiZF1vrfHk4SSuIGDVvwzw5bY7RDg1l83mXeclYDFMtEYPsaLerAuoShyP1l2gz7hyphenhyphenn4nDVMzg4K_6mJ/s1600/P1160489_hf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5eDy-WWhgHEAVCLxyGj_YI1ifdAnKZoXWx0IOtLCJ8KnI2E6PF84DI2UKYB8wTiZF1vrfHk4SSuIGDVvwzw5bY7RDg1l83mXeclYDFMtEYPsaLerAuoShyP1l2gz7hyphenhyphenn4nDVMzg4K_6mJ/s640/P1160489_hf.jpg" width="596" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asfi Masque: Side View</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;">The courtyard allows you to peek through the windows into the halls and you can look at the gateways on the other side. It feels like, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>on one side are you, standing in the present and the other side is the time gone by.</i></span> </span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZgGZ6YyzHKl9Vuy4MrItFwaX9SxooCc9Z9d-dPqpZUqFaKCplL_6vN6gOnjKWjdxToTq1uZTpACn18YLzMoCoekulwMMc1vFWuAp-t_Ypdv7ZYSnsJpy5r4mIQxgMPSCh5hJc1nVeUCXC/s1600/P1160506_hf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZgGZ6YyzHKl9Vuy4MrItFwaX9SxooCc9Z9d-dPqpZUqFaKCplL_6vN6gOnjKWjdxToTq1uZTpACn18YLzMoCoekulwMMc1vFWuAp-t_Ypdv7ZYSnsJpy5r4mIQxgMPSCh5hJc1nVeUCXC/s640/P1160506_hf.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Peek-a-boo with History</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;">The most interesting feature of the structure is <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>Bhul Bhulaiya</i></span> on the upper floor. It is a complex maze or labyrinth of similar looking, dark passages hidden inside the walls of the structure. These passages or corridors are interconnected to each other through 489 identical doorways. Some of these passages have dead-ends, some end at precipitous drops while others lead to entrance or exit points. These were constructed to confuse the visitors and it is a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>real challenge to come out of these passages without being lost.</i></span> One can actually reach to the terrace of the building through these passages. We could try it on own own but given that we all were accompanied by our wives, whatever sense of adventure we had suddenly vanished and we silently hired a guide. We entered Bhul Bhulaiya to witness the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>most amazing display of lights and shadow in the corridors.</i></span> </span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6DdjqAMI-kCuuBGsowT_lIlNyIrh3CbC4xQmvSUT09ETRWjcLWuHiNjbRp7jWpKOg40u6ntTOGK5mgVgIXQPVUd7Q1BP22VYmX7brnCG2oX0qh5QrkzdyMhXVbKP-Wrl5aKZVJTL0vHEO/s1600/P1160510_hf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6DdjqAMI-kCuuBGsowT_lIlNyIrh3CbC4xQmvSUT09ETRWjcLWuHiNjbRp7jWpKOg40u6ntTOGK5mgVgIXQPVUd7Q1BP22VYmX7brnCG2oX0qh5QrkzdyMhXVbKP-Wrl5aKZVJTL0vHEO/s640/P1160510_hf.jpg" width="476" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bhul Bhulaiya Corridors</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;">The corridors of Bhul Bhulaiya are a treat for photographers who find <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>symmetry and pattern</i></span> appealing. In addition to great symmetry and patterns, the rugged texture of walls, when lit by natural light, adds that WOW appeal to the pictures. Sample this shot, which coincidentally, is my <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>most favorite photo of this trip.</i></span> </span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkVqsoHM7AjJpvUv-dcahRjeZKr7rt1Eg-kBJ3U8ISgMSvNVQZhaBBXqLKgDo24ZISj8X2zSFqyTGpiGhyphenhyphenrQBr6ElZE_yjNOQ0IVqAyJV6D-4bkLsUB9Mv6oe_07wquPY5Wt0HlTTBDmK/s1600/P1160511_hf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkVqsoHM7AjJpvUv-dcahRjeZKr7rt1Eg-kBJ3U8ISgMSvNVQZhaBBXqLKgDo24ZISj8X2zSFqyTGpiGhyphenhyphenrQBr6ElZE_yjNOQ0IVqAyJV6D-4bkLsUB9Mv6oe_07wquPY5Wt0HlTTBDmK/s640/P1160511_hf.jpg" width="450" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Light, Shade, History</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;">Following aimlessly the guide through various corridors, you'll suddenly end up in the balcony of this enormous sized hall. This is the central hall. It is one of the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>largest of its kind in the world without any external support of wood, iron, or stone beams.</i></span> The roof, which is said to be 16 feet thick, with a weight of nearly 20,000 tons, has been put together with interlocking bricks without using a beam or a girder. Astonishing!!! No wonder that it is considered to be a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>unique achievement in the field of architecture.</i></span> Another very famous and interesting fact associated with the hall - the acoustics of the hall are such that <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;">you can even hear the strike of a matchstick across the length of the hall.</span></i> This hall houses the graves of both the creator, Asaf-ud-Daula, and the designer, Kifayat-ullah, of this monument. Another interesting and unique fact!</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_KxfML_unXp1ysmRfRHUOxzW_8POPBPSObhaugVRQlR-RH5rqB3qkUPNZakFvy8-cPXxLWlC5mAOcGgVVpbG4UUZSJn3Cv56BCd2chQg-tUZ7p4HfoXVCtNghfcIpcwZ8MKXnK3sHTRG/s1600/P1160521_hf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV_KxfML_unXp1ysmRfRHUOxzW_8POPBPSObhaugVRQlR-RH5rqB3qkUPNZakFvy8-cPXxLWlC5mAOcGgVVpbG4UUZSJn3Cv56BCd2chQg-tUZ7p4HfoXVCtNghfcIpcwZ8MKXnK3sHTRG/s640/P1160521_hf.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bara Imambara: The Central Hall</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;">Leaving the hall, you enter another doorway following the guide and are once again lost in the darkness and confusion of passages. At some places in corridors, it is complete dark and you move ahead only by <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>feeling the walls on your sides.</i></span> </span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcf0J7TaZT-2U-3tGdO9F3nolwu2hAmx4HWvNcWLYc9R4zvs3QS3QyNr-2oTHAwDmuuerQJYVM_JD-AB9CjQUwSBsUcRbwxAxohbsGUCsp32pkL7uZDJ85AVpvx39DVo665upPZOj3G5dD/s1600/P1160533_hf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcf0J7TaZT-2U-3tGdO9F3nolwu2hAmx4HWvNcWLYc9R4zvs3QS3QyNr-2oTHAwDmuuerQJYVM_JD-AB9CjQUwSBsUcRbwxAxohbsGUCsp32pkL7uZDJ85AVpvx39DVo665upPZOj3G5dD/s640/P1160533_hf.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Interesting Corridors of Bhul Bhulaiya</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;">While at some other places, you find <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>beautifully lit junctures</i></span> like the one below. In the shot, don't miss the Indian way of graffiti on the walls- few of us don't ever miss leaving our personalized expressions on the places we visit! </span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Tqg8amXYZyaxLSEG53X3X8qtJap2KPr-4I7fWepFQav81HHnoUAqOccqPwpaGtaWnGtI3_rcb7MErHSzizCrdrLriS8ragGGjofHIP9htxTWX5bEbF9kvZ2Fso3RjGgBagWJxwmfx_II/s1600/P1160524_hf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Tqg8amXYZyaxLSEG53X3X8qtJap2KPr-4I7fWepFQav81HHnoUAqOccqPwpaGtaWnGtI3_rcb7MErHSzizCrdrLriS8ragGGjofHIP9htxTWX5bEbF9kvZ2Fso3RjGgBagWJxwmfx_II/s640/P1160524_hf.jpg" width="480" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Beautiful Descent of Sunlight</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;">While passing through the corridors, you get to see the Asfi Mosque in all its splendor. I particularly liked this frame from where the tombs of mosque were visible.</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpALTyb0U7lmb7EQYpaIiNvDwA06zZq5CAiYg3mRolM8Yqipt1OTuUQ23rlw3mu4bXTknoy5kQAK1miwZSIlFe4MSjW9z_a5f1-jZNura5YLMkmvY2jk0kideCcntee8vaLtRqf0snVqhw/s1600/P1160538_hf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpALTyb0U7lmb7EQYpaIiNvDwA06zZq5CAiYg3mRolM8Yqipt1OTuUQ23rlw3mu4bXTknoy5kQAK1miwZSIlFe4MSjW9z_a5f1-jZNura5YLMkmvY2jk0kideCcntee8vaLtRqf0snVqhw/s640/P1160538_hf.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Asfi Mosque Tombs</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;">Finally, through many narrow allys and staircases, you emerge on the terrace and get to see the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-style: italic;">breathtaking view of the Lucknow city. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;">After another long photo session on the terrace, we moved down and proceeded to another attraction in the complex - the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>baoli.</i></span> Baoli is five-storied step-well, with the first two stories being above water and the rest being under water. The one thing that stroked me most about it was the beautiful color of the walls.</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAd246N6UbgzLobAXPMrDZPK2Xq3nLmD3MqDHleiq47S6ZL6UAjUn5RDLUMDI5yq6ZtKLApG1nnEc0azfchNVt1qiuSvLJEQlyybKeKcpQl78Bggano6H9wn9pl4sVjUxNbC9vPHUJrZ-Q/s1600/P1160584.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAd246N6UbgzLobAXPMrDZPK2Xq3nLmD3MqDHleiq47S6ZL6UAjUn5RDLUMDI5yq6ZtKLApG1nnEc0azfchNVt1qiuSvLJEQlyybKeKcpQl78Bggano6H9wn9pl4sVjUxNbC9vPHUJrZ-Q/s640/P1160584.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another attraction: Five Storied Baoli</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;">The source of water for this baoli is said to be the Gomti river. The maintenance of the water was poor as I could see an entire ladder lying in it!</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfgikbqq9ghzVprtLzB_rmMT5K2b9UKDcKdIDDCojUn0wmvDT3CWD04mIDfWTnDEnj6wA2Hvo9h5qsVB9iZkhzAiaoeEMy3FV0vgpz3QgUfqwTln0dy2grmcKeVdOQ4Apeey2c1_Qfn71n/s1600/P1160583_hf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfgikbqq9ghzVprtLzB_rmMT5K2b9UKDcKdIDDCojUn0wmvDT3CWD04mIDfWTnDEnj6wA2Hvo9h5qsVB9iZkhzAiaoeEMy3FV0vgpz3QgUfqwTln0dy2grmcKeVdOQ4Apeey2c1_Qfn71n/s640/P1160583_hf.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baoli: Another View</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;">While I was busy clicking pictures, I overheard a guide telling a group of visitors about this <i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;">special spot in baoli.</span></i> He revealed that the gate of the baoli and one window were so perfectly aligned that by standing behind that particular window, a person could see anyone entering into the baoli. This was used to monitor the gate of baoli. I didn't waste time and clicked one shot as souvenir!</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD9OCETUpv9-WK2rdZhgEqlTUpznHhd6tGiaGOshYUujRWRiVqbNUSy0TGHYRIUCB7KhzZePULde9Go2JJogsgULTnTUGpcDaBqrb4p49uXzj6GTqGp6tPHbHZpjKxFoKdNXM7dasBXvH2/s1600/P1160589_hf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD9OCETUpv9-WK2rdZhgEqlTUpznHhd6tGiaGOshYUujRWRiVqbNUSy0TGHYRIUCB7KhzZePULde9Go2JJogsgULTnTUGpcDaBqrb4p49uXzj6GTqGp6tPHbHZpjKxFoKdNXM7dasBXvH2/s640/P1160589_hf.jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baoli: The window from where one can monitor the entrance</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;">When we left Imambara, it left a wealth of memories for me. Some of them in form of pictures.</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;">Historic cities have a lot of character imbibed in them, which can, to a certain extent, be felt through pictures. However, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>one has to be there to '</i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>truly' experience it</i></span>. I hope these pictures will encourage the traveller in you to get up and visit this wonderful city. And mind you, I've only touched the tip of the iceberg, there is much more to see and do in Lucknow.</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="LEFT" lang="zxx" style="margin-bottom: 0in; orphans: 2; widows: 2;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'trebuchet ms', verdana, arial, sans-serif;">Ok then, bye for now and if you liked the post, don't forget to leave your comments. I'm waiting...</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: white; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 16px;"><br />
</span></span></div></div>Darpan Saxenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139445521786816253noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7909260690301584843.post-16141937532067943772011-08-14T12:26:00.000-07:002011-08-14T12:26:08.368-07:00Red Fort (Lal Quila), Old Delhi : 12 Visuals You Wouldn't Have Noticed Yourself<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">While roaming through the lanes of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chandni_Chowk"><i>Chandni Chowk</i></a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chawri_Bazaar"><i>Chawri Bazaar</i></a>, strolling in the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daryaganj"><i>Sunday book market at Daryaganj</i></a>, eating out Mughlayi non vegetarian delicacies at the famous Karim's opposite <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jama_Masjid,_Delhi"><i>Jama Masjid</i></a>, one can't help but surrender to the fact that <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Delhi"><i>Old Delhi</i></a> is another world in itself – it has its own pace, energy, vibrancy and yes- charm. I've visited and photographed most of these places but somehow one gentle giant has always been elusive for my lens. Ok, no points for guessing. I would be seriously offending your wits by asking this question, given that I know you've already read the title of the post. Yes, I'm talking about our very own, Dilli ki shan, the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Fort"><i>Red Fort</i></a><i>!</i></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><br />
</i></b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">I've now lost count of how many times I've left Red Fort on the side walk while going to or coming from the Old Dehi Railway Station – It has always been that red old building I wanted to visit but couldn't as you could say </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;">"<i>the stars were not right</i>"</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">. So, one fine day, which was in no ways special than my other days - other than the fact that my hands were etching to hold the camera - I decided that yes, today I'm going to Red Fort and shoot. And as it happens, once you make up your mind for something, there is no looking back. So I got ready, took the next bus to Old Delhi, which dropped me right outside the fort. The first feeling when I looked at the fort was </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>AHA, here I come!</i></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><br />
</i></b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">The weather was all good and this being a weekend, there was a huge rush. Well, good for me, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>the more the people, the more the photo ops</i>!</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> I bought the tickets (one for entry to the fort and the other for the museum inside), deposited my bag pack in cloak room (they don't permit these inside), got in the long line and got busy with my camera right away. And I think I should shut up for now and </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;">let the photos do the talking.</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> Immerse yourself...</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><br />
</i></b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Moving towards the fort, I spotted these beautiful purple colored wild flowers. Clicked a coupled of shots but somehow the concept was not clicking. Then thought of clicking them against the towering backdrop of the tombs. Tombs added the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>much needed perspective.</i></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvn6rM8_B5pYHWmNS8jIF6LLPRyQBhkeYSiaXHu2iOrH9h6McPlboYZctzj54ZFKKUYAI1ZW7QlknDYH32CCaejVkZmeZTeii_xKOezcHCNipkVDEcMlZx5DqKXuC1IOdZ2TpkSUrPHswE/s1600/P1250707.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvn6rM8_B5pYHWmNS8jIF6LLPRyQBhkeYSiaXHu2iOrH9h6McPlboYZctzj54ZFKKUYAI1ZW7QlknDYH32CCaejVkZmeZTeii_xKOezcHCNipkVDEcMlZx5DqKXuC1IOdZ2TpkSUrPHswE/s640/P1250707.jpg" width="640" /></i></b></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Red Fort: Wild Flowers</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><br />
</i></b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">For me, nude monuments are dull and boring, its the presence of the living that makes them colorful and attractive. And </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>what's it with historic monuments and pigeons, eh?</i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> They get along like house on fire ;-)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR_SLLaGyLYmGzK3v-YFNH7pQLNSqug3_e7nf2MtrbfDjZ8kjBlQ54zWCKZpVeal1jARDiSxPP43-R9qNZotvfDzyZqUUirdDkAAveY8WGyknFV2X4E51KQsNwUHoIHDs6P8aI2RTsBpiM/s1600/P1250719.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR_SLLaGyLYmGzK3v-YFNH7pQLNSqug3_e7nf2MtrbfDjZ8kjBlQ54zWCKZpVeal1jARDiSxPP43-R9qNZotvfDzyZqUUirdDkAAveY8WGyknFV2X4E51KQsNwUHoIHDs6P8aI2RTsBpiM/s640/P1250719.jpg" width="640" /></i></b></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Who Flew!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><br />
</i></b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">The main entrance of the fort looks awesome – the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>Lahori Gate</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">, named so since it faces Lahore, Pakistan. Standing outside the massive gate, looked up and saw the Indian Tricolor furling well, it was an awesome feeling. In this pic, I wanted to cover the gate as well but didn't have the right wide angle lens to do it. Still tried to capture as much as I could...</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYbMG8Jik2OG6DSrGEE7AajD4YkxoQ-0IjKRDwIyPitABNWVaHWO6pR20Q1krPpEWOi8H1pfdJgo709eHf70N5bMAezTL25uk7uDd6uVfsDVg0oUiSO_2qLOFu88Cln-ISM-KbQZ207C9W/s1600/P1250775.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYbMG8Jik2OG6DSrGEE7AajD4YkxoQ-0IjKRDwIyPitABNWVaHWO6pR20Q1krPpEWOi8H1pfdJgo709eHf70N5bMAezTL25uk7uDd6uVfsDVg0oUiSO_2qLOFu88Cln-ISM-KbQZ207C9W/s640/P1250775.jpg" width="640" /></i></b></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Red Fort: Lahori Gate</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><br />
</i></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Move inside and you are right into the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>'Meena Bazaar'</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, also known as </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>'Chhatta Chowk Bazaar'</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> meaning covered market. It was buzzing with activity. There was some painting work going on. The guy at the far end of the picture, up the ladder, was busy in his own work, irrespective of the sea of people below.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_7hdyofcpPYPBvGC-zwvK02_Pc9Q_THkxwqAZDWxW_RoV0TsHjYyX83mr54FVISAOWJjrK8QrOivp180VE0QgbCk7HGEYUvc7IO1a3BFvxMQtB0PsSZYxSgLT-phhb8dytT_RX_BnW7t/s1600/P1250789.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs_7hdyofcpPYPBvGC-zwvK02_Pc9Q_THkxwqAZDWxW_RoV0TsHjYyX83mr54FVISAOWJjrK8QrOivp180VE0QgbCk7HGEYUvc7IO1a3BFvxMQtB0PsSZYxSgLT-phhb8dytT_RX_BnW7t/s640/P1250789.jpg" width="640" /></i></b></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Red Fort: Meena Bazaar</span></td></tr>
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</i></b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">How many times you have seen </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>chilies and lemon, sewn in a thread</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">, hanging on the entrances of shops, on the bumpers of cars or other vehicles? Have you ever counted the chilies ;-) Well, I guess not. There are seven of them. Now why are they used? I found two explanations for this. First (and the more logical one) is to </span><i style="color: #ffe599;">ward off evil spirits or jealous glances </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3;">from your article of possession.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> Second (and the funnier one) is to</span> <i style="color: #ffe599;">keep one's business 'Hara Bhara' </i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3;">(growing and prosperous)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">, chilies being 'Hara' (Green) and lemon 'Bhara' (full) ;-)</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><br />
</i></b></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiirvn4FdtzB_87Eez0p_aPny5TAe2qMwxzoegwB_sYP1yrkoAy54P5EjE4XsOKeFjVneJeCNFuwROpUW08ydkmo_Ma4oCMef4TxRftHK3yHaf13yi-LHMOSg8fr_X532GBt4t_bm2dZFca/s1600/P1250800.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiirvn4FdtzB_87Eez0p_aPny5TAe2qMwxzoegwB_sYP1yrkoAy54P5EjE4XsOKeFjVneJeCNFuwROpUW08ydkmo_Ma4oCMef4TxRftHK3yHaf13yi-LHMOSg8fr_X532GBt4t_bm2dZFca/s640/P1250800.jpg" width="640" /></i></b></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Seven Chilies and One Lemon: Keep the Evil off</span></td></tr>
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</i></b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">From the point where I was standing, the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #ffe599; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>long lasting chain of electric bulbs</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> was looking very interesting. So here goes the only vertical frame of this post. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><br />
</i></b></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq0qPjdfPo7D9b2COmIy9so-eXpIZp0wzwOdoTpJ0CSk64wtivg8bxP0IimkPHX6AXYDFbplaYhbt9L8tk2zeFUY0vtX_S2q1mteMZyNA-GBQGBFmAk9pHNJ5OcqPCBVE6mbhspwIM_K2Y/s640/P1250805_hf.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="480" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Bulb Chain</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhq0qPjdfPo7D9b2COmIy9so-eXpIZp0wzwOdoTpJ0CSk64wtivg8bxP0IimkPHX6AXYDFbplaYhbt9L8tk2zeFUY0vtX_S2q1mteMZyNA-GBQGBFmAk9pHNJ5OcqPCBVE6mbhspwIM_K2Y/s1600/P1250805_hf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: black;"><i></i></b></span></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><br />
</i></b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">At such a crowded place, people usually don't spot a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>lone photographer.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> Actually, there are so many tourists, poking there cameras in each and every possible direction that separating one out is quite difficult. As I was clicking frames of my interest and suddenly caught this guy staring at my lens. </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;">Some faces really catch you attention.</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> And in a flash of second, another click!</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCxCUgw6HNgii6_ehAlkPvt7d-zSfvhdQTN3Cfsxuf50vYIwBhh5-C4BN-Hdo3Po2DyKJDgRpeBd5BQu9pbZvq8oyXh_zbmVTE5eLkrq7vmttMfqia4Ycif_moJgpzg05WaFJNXvYHVtu/s1600/P1250806.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNCxCUgw6HNgii6_ehAlkPvt7d-zSfvhdQTN3Cfsxuf50vYIwBhh5-C4BN-Hdo3Po2DyKJDgRpeBd5BQu9pbZvq8oyXh_zbmVTE5eLkrq7vmttMfqia4Ycif_moJgpzg05WaFJNXvYHVtu/s640/P1250806.jpg" width="640" /></i></b></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Not Another Face in the Crowd</span></td></tr>
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</i></b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">The museum in the fort, the <a href="http://asi.nic.in/asi_museums_delhi_indianwar.asp"><i>Indian War Memorial Museum</i></a> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">to be precise, has all sorts of old and world war time weaponry. The </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;">Naubat Khana</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> or </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>Naqqar Khana</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> (Musical house) of the Fort houses the museum in its first and second floors. Making interesting pictures here is bit difficult. So I tried this – created this frame and waited for someone to be caught in the trap. Finally clicked :)</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><br />
</i></b></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUsNZaeuk97JMZc2hg6t_1AV51zzFBlixRmwRejRchHeGgMSYdTRTh0N_7sVVGXIBX5JntxF1-fBdH48mLYmotu5TplNidzl2jzrDE3bcNx1ywvPKRwONNf4VbjurGnsa294otCAj6o8gp/s640/P1250851.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">The Man and the Machine</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUsNZaeuk97JMZc2hg6t_1AV51zzFBlixRmwRejRchHeGgMSYdTRTh0N_7sVVGXIBX5JntxF1-fBdH48mLYmotu5TplNidzl2jzrDE3bcNx1ywvPKRwONNf4VbjurGnsa294otCAj6o8gp/s1600/P1250851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: black;"><i></i></b></span></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"><br />
</span></i></b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">What impressed me with the floral drawings on the walls of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Fort#Diwan-i-Khas"><i>Diwan-i-Khas</i></a> are their natural looking colors. Tried one macro on it...</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQlSMky_X_9o-cYrnu5tD3TonAfBK87Dlu9igvdPSOWPKS0U1aaCfmRb-AKB4Tqcf2UcLzA6XvsUJPIlytNreMuZLoI-0fpaVc6eFLDp_k0aUf0Rha24PM4NPRME2rSpYrFPoalNcdGSIR/s1600/P1250917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQlSMky_X_9o-cYrnu5tD3TonAfBK87Dlu9igvdPSOWPKS0U1aaCfmRb-AKB4Tqcf2UcLzA6XvsUJPIlytNreMuZLoI-0fpaVc6eFLDp_k0aUf0Rha24PM4NPRME2rSpYrFPoalNcdGSIR/s640/P1250917.jpg" width="640" /></i></b></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Beautiful Flower Drawings</span></td></tr>
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</i></b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Standing below the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Fort#Diwan-i-Aam"><i>Diwan-i-Aam</i></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> platform, I clicked many moving feet. Sharing these ones. Those who saw this shot, found it kind of symbolic - the </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;">older generation moving into oblivion</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> after the work has been done.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrP54Q2Rnosq0qbdLEyyEcAXSw6g2W4wkY46ZRrewBRZ9-TjUgLGU0KgLOOiBFkhIv539mM23oHyXR9Ot38mceVjMowChS6W36fqtS-M2S7UcNq6jXEVQ2hd-cAASw9VX8yFXI0alkKZ7U/s1600/P1250954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrP54Q2Rnosq0qbdLEyyEcAXSw6g2W4wkY46ZRrewBRZ9-TjUgLGU0KgLOOiBFkhIv539mM23oHyXR9Ot38mceVjMowChS6W36fqtS-M2S7UcNq6jXEVQ2hd-cAASw9VX8yFXI0alkKZ7U/s640/P1250954.jpg" width="640" /></i></b></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">I Leave...</span></td></tr>
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</i></b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Now comes the </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;">most cherished shot</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> of this visit. I love </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;">photographing people</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> but the problem is the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>most interesting faces in the crowd are strangers</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">. Now how to proceed strangers for a shot? I've been following good photographers who suggest that its easy. One needs to politely ask for the permission, make them comfortable and shoot. Sure, its easy to read, but tough to execute. It was basically a mental block on my side. That day, I saw these two friends spending a good time chatting to each other. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>Both looked interesting characters.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> I gathered courage, approached them and asked them that I wanted to photograph them. They readily agreed but became conscious of camera and ended up posing, which was not what I intended. Still </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #f3f3f3;">love these guys</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> and yes, I'm going to be careful in future :)</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjjuenHdInf2BD5pbWxhHNECWVAkgrShLhry8XeM0BG1GI8sWImjjps3_Ff5TY2tOWdmn9KP6zc0O2yr3oAVBcvZtFdAbC8uMNpOjlFH9t9LsfEmEqumRkbKz8LP2g9Pmb51hUcVTE9ZW/s1600/P1250960_hf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdjjuenHdInf2BD5pbWxhHNECWVAkgrShLhry8XeM0BG1GI8sWImjjps3_Ff5TY2tOWdmn9KP6zc0O2yr3oAVBcvZtFdAbC8uMNpOjlFH9t9LsfEmEqumRkbKz8LP2g9Pmb51hUcVTE9ZW/s640/P1250960_hf.jpg" width="640" /></i></b></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Friends, Always and Forever!</span></td></tr>
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</i></b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">Finally, the last shot of this post. Leaving the fort, I went to collect my bag pack and on my way back, saw the shadows of the police men. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>Shadows always provide exciting visuals.</i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Here goes...</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEide3R-iNQBzlavhytcY11OPuXgrvIsJqzXsRtFel5-EqRiNx4Prv-CQVRPPWUFbTI0Isrw674fVUndp7A9D_PJZk0DaVo_k8PrTd6HUl_ribMBPpXXL2itGuvXYhkPlDQn6DIt1BF6AHLl/s640/P1250996.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" width="640" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #f3f3f3; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small;">Shadows on the Wall</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEide3R-iNQBzlavhytcY11OPuXgrvIsJqzXsRtFel5-EqRiNx4Prv-CQVRPPWUFbTI0Isrw674fVUndp7A9D_PJZk0DaVo_k8PrTd6HUl_ribMBPpXXL2itGuvXYhkPlDQn6DIt1BF6AHLl/s1600/P1250996.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"></i></b></span></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b><i style="background-color: black;"><br />
</i></b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;">All in all, a good trip. Loads of shots and one satisfactory realization – </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>I might not have an army with me, but I conquered Red fort with my camera!</i></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Hope you liked the post. If you did, there are a lot of options on this page for you to acknowledge that. On top of that, I would absolutely </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;"><i>love your comments and feedback.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> Do wait for the next post. Till then, ciao and a very </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #ffe599;">Happy Independence Day</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #cccccc;"> to all of you.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: black; color: #cccccc; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">PS: Its purely a coincidence that this post and Independence day are coinciding. Believe it if you can ;-)</span></div><br />
</div>Darpan Saxenahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17139445521786816253noreply@blogger.com31