Just got back from a couple of days in Delhi – as usual, happy to be back in Bombay. Just being in Bombay makes me feel that all is well with the world (ok, here I push the Worli image and other such disturbing thoughts from my mind, just for a moment, ok). Good to be back home.
And now this post from Annie about what the Delhi drizzle means to her –
Besides, the weather’s too delicious to allow critiques. Or angst.
All you can do is walk in the monsoon drizzle. All you can feel is the damp edges of your skirt brush your toes. All you can think of is that breeze in the balcony. The morning papers are almost an intrusion into an otherwise harmless world…
….
Delhi rains are. Stilling.
Like you want to be very still. Like the world might stop, and gawk at it’s own reflection in a puddle, and brood about how happy it is.
The weather in Delhi is stilling… This is a picture I got back from Delhi – I cannot think of a better word to describe it..
Annie also says, Funny, how it was never like this in Bombay.
Bombay – the rains are lashing.
They bind you, they confine you, they swamp you, they confront you, they rise up in sheets and walls and are nearly an assault on the skin, but they don’t stop you. Strangely, Bombay rains are not ‘stilling’.
True, the rains in Bombay are not stilling. Or relaxing. To me, they are about life and movement and destruction. All at the same time. Like the huge waves crashing on the rocks at Marine Drive.
Somewhat like Bombay itself…
What does the Bombay monsoon mean to you?
Is it just me, or has everyone switched to only excerpts in their feeds? Please switch back to full feeds.
–gera.
I wanna drink the Nimbupani in the picture 🙂
no, bombay rain is never stilling. bombay is never stilling.
nice post. nice link.
Gera, I am as clueless as you – I haven’t changed anything as far as I know 🙂
kaps, that is soda, nimbu soda – in Madras known as panneer soda. ever had it?
Uma, thanks… true, bombay itself can never be stilling… that;’s what makes the city so special for me…
This is from Delhi perspective, as I live here. For the first time in my life my office is a basement and even though it is raining o
outside, for me it is walls all around! Never had this kind of monsoon ever! Still the job is nice, so I will look at the rain when I reach home.
I miss the Kerala Rain!!!!
It rarely used to drizzle, there were only two conditions in Kerala… either it rains like hell or it does not rain … Now it has changed… maybe because of global warming.
When it used to Rain all the pot-holes on the roads get filled up and we used to have fun riding our bicycles thru them. Once the rain comes it would be like all of us kids would be as dirty as pigs.
That Soda Nimbu Pani … or Soda ‘Naranga Vellum’ is available everywhere in Kerala…it has a special taste I miss that too.
I am feeling Nostalgic to the core… :-((((((
I have tasted Paneer Soda in Chennai. Given the way bottled drinks have made inroads, I doubt whether Paneer Soda still exists in Chennai.
Rain? What rain?? Like brain???
All we know is drain.
Me, from good ol’ Chennai aka Madras.
Pune rain. Rain that laundries the dusty scorching summer air. Rain that turns the Lonavla-Pune belt into a green zone. Rain that irritates everyone, hassles all the two wheeler drivers, causes mud to fly out of bicycle wheels and spoil your school uniform if you are a high-school going kid on a bicycle. Also rain that makes you want to drive to Khadakvasla dam or Sinhagad and eat garmagaram bhujias.
Mridula, I can never get myself to work when it is raining outside… just want to watch the rain and curl up with a book 🙂
Lakshmikanth, I have experienced rain in Kerala. everything just comes alive – there is just no getting away from it when it rains there… my favourite image is that of ain falling off the slanting red tiled roofs
Kaps, I think panneer soda still exists – some things are too good to just die out…
SK, oops, your are from madras? then rainavadu mannavadu – just sit back and enjoy my pictures 🙂
dregg, I know what youj mean – rain and garam garam chai and bhajias and pakoras.. yummm… and a long drive…
The photos are getting better by the day! Nice…
Thanks, Sunil.. I have suddenly discovered this interest in photography!
Delhi rain this year has been lovely, a real gift from above. I wish I could experience Mumbai rain as well. I come from the very rainy west coast of Canada and wouldn’t change a single rainy day of my life for a sunny one.
This is exactly the kind of snaps which I would love to shoot for my blog. But do you know about the laws regarding whether its ok to shoot without the subject’s permission? As far as I know (which is very little) subject cannot be shot without their permission (if he/she is the theme) but there can be people in the frame as long as the photo doesnt concentrate on them. However journalist are exempted from this. But there is a school of thought which believes that its ok as long as it is used for non-commercial reasons. I have not much knowledge about Indian law and I havent found any good website regarding this. So I have stopped taking chances, atleast for now. I would be glad to hear about your take on this.
eye spy, you *must* come to bombay and experience the monsoons – despite the potholes and the general dirt and dampness, it is wonderful being in Bombay at this time – plan a trip? 🙂
Dheepak, honestly I dont know about this – I keep thinking about it much but as far as I know, there are no laws in India regarding this… I am sure in the West, things would be very different…
but there are times when I feel very awkward taking a picture of a stranger…
if you are interested, there are lots of discussions going on about this at flickr – I can point out some of them to you?