Picturejockey http://www.picturejockey.com/ Life through the eyes of my camera. Updated daily, this site has the images that try to see ordinary things in a little extraordinary way en-us navinh@gmail.com 2005-07-12T11:59:23+05:30 hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Yellow Fever http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/5/laburnum_02.html <img src="http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/5/t/laburnum_02.jpg">I have a total of three images that I want to post of the Laburnum trees, this is the second one.

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]]> http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/5/laburnum_02.html gallery 2008-05-15T11:41:00+05:30 Laburnum trees on the way to Kanheri Caves http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/5/laburnum.html <img src="http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/5/t/laburnum.jpg">This time of the year the flowers bloom on the Laburnum and Gulmohur trees. The Laburnum trees shed flowers faster than rabbits breed which results in flowers piling on the below the trees. There were quite a few Laburnum trees on the road to Kanheri Caves. And looking the flowers on the ground you can see I am not exaggerating about the breeding rabbits comparison.

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]]> http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/5/laburnum.html gallery 2008-05-13T11:41:00+05:30 A fake tiger http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/5/white_tiger.html <img src="http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/5/t/white_tiger.jpg">A white Tiger at the Lion and Tiger Safari at Borivalli National Park in Mumbai, India. At the ticket stall of the safari, there was a small exhibition that had information about the animals along with some stautes of the tigers and lions. When Manu saw this Tiger, he said it is was a fake one. He was convinced that this is actually a tiger when he saw on of them moving. "If he is real one, why is not speaking" He was expecting him to roar.

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]]> http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/5/white_tiger.html gallery 2008-05-13T11:41:00+05:30 Arabian Sea http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/5/arabian_sea_aksa_beach.html <img src="http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/5/t/arabian_sea_aksa_beach.jpg">This is the Arabian sea. This shot was taken during our recent visit to Aksa beach. There is no post processing involved and the camera was not on any "scene" mode to get this sort of effect.

Went to Hyderabad on Friday. The new airport they have is simply fantastic. What is not fantastic is the entry. The CISF cops check the ticket as well as the photo ID of every person who enters the airport. One of them was slower than a slug and was looking at the ticket of every traveler as if trying to understand the Pythagoras theorem. Needless to say he created a jam at the gate by spending about 5 minutes on the every traveler. Once inside, your photo ID was again checked by the airlines staff at the check in counter. Strangely enough, no one bothered to check our luggage at the airport. There was no X-Ray machine to scan it as you see on all airports and no one checked it manually either.

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]]> http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/5/arabian_sea_aksa_beach.html gallery 2008-05-08T11:41:00+05:30 Bharat Harish http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/5/bharat_harish.html <img src="http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/5/t/bharat_harish.jpg">It seems like yesterday only that I went to the nursing home after his birth. In the evening I had gone to Ashutosh's birthday with Nitesh on his green Bajaj Chetak where a rickshaw puller was agitatted by a wise comment I made. It seems like yesterday but it was 16 years ago. Much has changed in those 16 years, and yet nothing seems to have changed.

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]]> http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/5/bharat_harish.html gallery 2008-05-08T11:41:00+05:30 There is lot of money to be made. So who is in? http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/5/water_milk_03.html <img src="http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/5/t/water_milk_03.jpg">“The question is not what I will do for a million dollars. The Question is what I won't do for a million dollars...and it scares me that there are not many things in that list” is what Steven—my boss in Australia said when “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” was launched in Australia. Money indeed makes you do a lot of things. Till a few months ago a lot of cricketers were complaining that there is a lot of cricket and the schedule is almost inhuman and they need to rest. Some players have decided to quit one form of the game to concentrate on the other. Today you see all of those players—the ones who were complaining and the ones who gave up cricket playing in the Indian Premier League. No one is tired; no one is thinking the schedule is inhuman even when they play two games in two days (GPS data collected by Cricket Australia reveals that in a Twenty20 match a player runs around 70-80% of what he does in a one day international).

While talking about money, has anyone seen Mandira Bedi picking her nose in a promo on Pogo?

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]]> http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/5/water_milk_03.html gallery 2008-05-07T11:41:00+05:30 Manu and agarbatti http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/5/manu_agarbatti_01.html <img src="http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/5/t/manu_agarbatti_01.jpg">The images taken with auto setting came out good but the smoke was not looking good due to shutter speed. I took this shot at manual settings. The smoke is still blurred but I guess I the image overall is looking fine. Looking carefully you will see the end of agarbatti or the incense stick is shoved inside a small potato.

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]]> http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/5/manu_agarbatti_01.html gallery 2008-05-05T13:46:00+05:30 Doodh ka doodh, pani ka pani http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/5/water_milk_02.html <img src="http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/5/t/water_milk_02.jpg">Hans or Hands is the icon of R K SWAMY and other Hansa group of companies. It has the power to separate milk from water and signifies the core values of the Hansa and R K SWAMY which is the ability to:

  • separate the core from the mass,
  • the essential from the irrelevant.

In a nutshell this signifies my life at the moment too. The work and leisure has been separated and it is now all work and no leisure. Due to the tight deadlines I didn't have any time to think about anyhing else. No blogging, no visiting other blogs, 300 unread messages in the inbox, no speaking to friends. Nothing but work.

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]]> http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/5/water_milk_02.html gallery 2008-05-05T13:46:00+05:30 Chocolate faced Sambar http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/sambar.html <img src="http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/t/sambar.jpg">Sambar is a south Indian dish and it also happens to be the name of this species of deer. If this association with food was not enough, Manu feels that his mouth is covered in chocolate “Iski bubbi pe chocolate lagi hai” he said thinking what happy life this deer has. I guess they reminded Salman Khan of food too, that is why he killed a few. The Leopard whose image I posted yesterday in locked up in the enclusure that is behind this Sambar. I guess this is what is called living on the edge.

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]]> http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/sambar.html gallery 2008-04-29T13:41:00+05:30 Another day, another time http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/leopard.html <img src="http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/t/leopard.jpg">“Today I am in a cage and behind a wire mesh, that is why you have the courage to stand there with your camera in your hand and taking my picture. On my day, I would be free and then I will see if you have what it takes to stand in front of me like this.” I could almost hear this leopard say that so I decided to leave him alone with his well deserved privacy. For all of you who have not seen Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Bombay, it is more like a zoo than another park like Jim Corbette or Kanha.

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]]> http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/leopard.html gallery 2008-04-25T14:29:00+05:30 Bare tree at Kanheri Caves http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/bare_tree.html <img src="http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/t/bare_tree.jpg">Reminds me of life, it all starts very simply and straight but very quicky gets all tangled and complex.

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]]> http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/bare_tree.html gallery 2008-04-28T14:29:00+05:30 Floor of a cave http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/floor.html <img src="http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/t/floor.jpg">They made sure no one slipped even when wet

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]]> http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/floor.html gallery 2008-04-28T14:29:00+05:30 The quick and the dead http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/ashish_sidapara.html <img src="http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/t/ashish_sidapara.jpg">Some days ago Ashish posted a picture of mine and Dhiraj. In the comments someone expressed the desire to see the shot taken by either me or Dhiraj so here it-Ashish taking our picture while we were shooting him. I don't know who drew first and who took the first shot.

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]]> http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/ashish_sidapara.html gallery 2008-04-28T14:29:00+05:30 Beach soccer http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/beach_soccer.html <img src="http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/t/beach_soccer.jpg">I like how this guy in yellow T-shirt is covering the boy with the football. He is not the goal keeper and I don't know why he has spread out his hands like he will catch the ball. The only equipment they had was a ball and they were using shoes as the goal posts. It reminded me of my childhood when we used to play cricket and the only equipment we used to have was a bat and a ball. For wickets used to keep two bricks. There used to a lot of arguments because of it and took some time to decide if the ball had game above the imaginary height of bricks or if it had missed the off or the leg stump. The run outs used to be the most difficult decisions so we started using the “contact” out—a rule like baseball where a player can stand with his foot on the brick and if he catches the ball before the batsmen gets there, he is out.

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]]> http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/beach_soccer.html gallery 2008-04-24T13:29:00+05:30 Sunset at Aksa beach http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/aksa_sunset.html <img src="http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/t/aksa_sunset.jpg">Yesterday my brother called to inform me of the auto-rickshaw strike. Here are some facts related to it

  1. To run a rickshaw you need a permit issued by RTO for three years
  2. The RTO has stopped issuing new permits to as there are too many rickshaws on the road
  3. Since a permit is issued through RTO, it is bound to be corrupt. People who have no intentions to run a rickshaw get that permit and lease it to people who want to for a fee of Rs. 800000 for three years
  4. The rickshaws are supposed to get a new electronic meter that costs Rs. 10000 (the old mechanical meter costs Rs. 4000)

In a nutshell, it is getting more and more expensive to run a rickshaw in Bombay and it is very obvious that the price for that is paid by the people using them. How? You just need to make the fare meter run a little faster. With electronic meters, they will have to find out new ways of doing it that is why they are facing so much resistance.

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]]> http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/aksa_sunset.html gallery 2008-04-23T10:26:00+05:30 Brothers at Aksa beach http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/brothers.html <img src="http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/t/brothers.jpg">After our first visit to Aksa Beach a month ago, it was short listed as a spot we would be visiting again once Bharat and my sister-in-law are visiting us. On Sunday we went there and Manu enjoyed this visit a lot more than the last time. Last time we didn't go too far in the water because we had heard it is quite a dangerous beach. This time due to the presence of other people, we could figure out which are the safer areas and we let Manu do what he wanted. He kept splashing around and had the time of his life. The way he enjoys himself in water, I thing I should take him for swimming classes. Standing next to Manu is my nephew Bharat.

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]]> http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/brothers.html gallery 2008-04-22T13:11:00+05:30 Woman and Sun http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/woman_sun.html <img src="http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/t/woman_sun.jpg">After seeing this picture of the blog of Ashish, I wanted to post it on Friday but I was way too bsy on Friday to post anything so here it is today.

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]]> http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/woman_sun.html gallery 2008-04-21T12:40:00+05:30 Let me check your pockets http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/strepsils.html <img src="http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/t/strepsils.jpg">Andrew Gilbert is a friend of mine who was my classmate in VUT in Melbourne. One day I went to his home and found an empty bubble pack of strepsils scattered all over the carpet. His voice was normal so I asked him if his flat mate had a sore throat. He laughed and told me that it was done by his dog. He found a strip of strepsils and ate all of them. He then told me another interesting incident. He once had a chocolate cookie wrapped in a tissue paper in his leather jacket. His dog could smell it so when Andy went for a shower, the dog ate the cookie. Till today Andy can't figure out how his dog managed to open the zipper of the pocket. I guess this is why they say “Necessity is the mother of invention.”

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]]> http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/strepsils.html gallery 2008-04-17T11:06:00+05:30 What's on the menu? http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/handle_leaves.html <img src="http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/t/handle_leaves.jpg">You are on your way back home. Your wife has fixed the dinner but still as you pass by the restaurant, you can't help but check out the “today's special” on the menu and if it is something you like, you may even try to take a deep breath to for it's aroma or you may just gulp the water that got in your mouth thinking about the dish. Yesterday while going to work, I was sitting in the first class compartment of the train that is next to the women's compartment. There is about a 4 feet tall metal sheet and a mesh above that till the ceiling that separates the two compartments. As the train reached the VT station, the people who were sitting on the seats closest to the ladies' compartment got up and before moving towards the door, without an exception everyone looked at the ladies' compartment to see what was “today's special”.

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]]> http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/handle_leaves.html gallery 2008-04-16T10:48:00+05:30 The optimist in me http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/three_photographers.html <img src="http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/t/three_photographers.jpg">On 26th January I went to Banganga with Ashist and Dhiraj. Recently Ashish posted this pic on his blog so I thought I should too. Standing from left to right are Dhiraj, Ashish and yours truly. One reason I like this shot is because it makes me feel slim.

On Sunday we went to the market. Among other things we bought a water bottle for Manu and a pouch for Mira's mobile phone. After that I bought a couple of beer mugs. While making the payment for the same, I was distracted by a red pressure cooker and I asked the shop keeper if the colour would stay of it would come off with time. In that time another girl who was buying something also made a payment for it. I picked my bags and we went for a snack and eventually home.

When I reached home, I opened the bag I had and realised I had a cup which I hadn't bought. After opening the rest of the stuff we realised the bottle and the pouch we bought are missing. Apparently the girl picked up the wrong bag and left. On Monday I went to the shop again and returned the cup I had and the shopkeeper gave me the bag that had my stuff.

There are a few things in life that happen not because you made them happen but just because. Things that sometimes make you happy and feel lucky and sometimes miserable and curse your life. I guess that is what is meant by a divine intervention. The message on the cup was “The road to success if always under construction.”

I can't help but feel that at this point of life I was supposed to get this message and this was the divine intervention to deliver it.

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]]> http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/three_photographers.html gallery 2008-04-15T10:52:00+05:30 Something fresh http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/fresh.html <img src="http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/t/fresh.jpg">In the morning you wait for your lunch break, in the afternoon you wait for going home. All week you wait for the weekend and all month you wait for the payday. An ideal life would be when you are not waiting for any such thing but life never is ideal and more often than not you are in one or more of the waits mentioned above and sometimes when things are bad, you are waiting for all of the above and maybe more. So what are you waiting for today?

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]]> http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/fresh.html gallery 2008-04-12T13:41:00+05:30 Mama leaf with kids http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/leaf_on_leaf.html <img src="http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/t/leaf_on_leaf.jpg">I hated the concept of being a weekend father but that is all I could manage last week due to work pressure. Had been quite busy so didn't get a chance to post an image yesterday. Today I am posting three images including this advance post for Sunday.

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]]> http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/leaf_on_leaf.html gallery 2008-04-12T13:41:00+05:30 Painting the town red...literally http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/sewer_plant.html <img src="http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/t/sewer_plant.jpg">Indians have taken the phrase painting the town red quite literally and a big part of the population is providing a significant contribution towards it. You can see the proof of that in this image as well. When some kind man saw the spirit and determination to survive in this plant that has managed to grow on the most difficult of places, he has blessed it with a mouthful of paan spit. My brother has been to Varanasi recently and told me the citizens of that city are even more active in their contribution towards the cause of painting the town red. To reward the initiative of citizens, the government is planning to provide a subsidy on paans. It is also considerng to allow selling of paans and other products like gutkha to minors as well so they can also make a contribution.

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]]> http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/sewer_plant.html gallery 2008-04-12T13:41:00+05:30 Watch your step http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/small_red_flower_02.html <img src="http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/t/small_red_flower_02.jpg">Another of image of flowers that look like banana peels to Manu. I think I need to once again venture out with my camera in the parking of our society to get some more shots.

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]]> http://www.picturejockey.com/pblog/2008/4/small_red_flower_02.html gallery 2008-04-12T13:41:00+05:30