Travelling to Hyderabad from November 25th to November December 4th

Hi Friends!!

I am travelling to Hyderabad, the capital city of Andra Pradesh.
I am expecting to do a lot of photography there.

In case, there is something you would like me to capture in particular, please do feel free to email me.

Thank you for visiting
The Indian Photographer

Table Top: 3 Candles

Lac Bangles

Lac beads along with bangles, bracelets and other lac jewelry are produced only in Jaipur (Northwest Region - Rajasthan, India) and some surrounding areas, and normally won't be found at any other dear places. Lac beads are also know as Kashmiri beads, as it was first known to be produced in Kashmir (Northernmost Region - Jammu and Kashmir, India). But actually it should have been called as lac beads only. They are still produced in some parts of Kashmir but Jaipur is the hub for lac products. All the beads on the website are made of Lac.

What is Lac?

Lac is the hardened resin, secreted by the tiny lac insect belonging to a bug family. The widely known Indian lac insect (small in size, need a magnifying glass to see it) is Kerria lac Kerr. Lac insects settle closely on the twigs of certain host trees, suck the plant sap and grow, all the while secreting lac resin from their bodies, in India and the Far East. Lac is safe natural product which is non toxic, hard, tough and brittle but softens with slow heating. To find more information on lac go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lac

Bhutta Wala (Vendor Selling roasted Indian Corn)

“………..The man used to walk around with a little cart filled with hot sand and all the corns buried in it, which is how they were cooked. The Bhutta Wala, or corn man, would pull out a corn, peel off the jacket and rub it with a mixture of fresh lemon juice, salt and chili powder, yummy!”

Known as 'bhutta' or 'Makkaai' in Hindi, corn is a summer time favorite. "Bhuttawallah's" or the corn vendor in India goes around the streets of India with his wooden cart stocked high with fresh bhuttas. He has a coal stove atop the wooden cart.

The smell of the fresh roasted corns is so enticing that people start gathering at his cart picking and choosing the corn that they would like the "bhuttawallah" to roast for them. One has to open the husks and poke a few of the kernels, digging your sharp nails to see how fresh the corn is.


Within 3 to 4 minutes with the perfect roasting technique your corn on the cob is ready. Now comes the "zesty part". With a freshly cut piece of lime, the bhuttawalla will dip the open end of the lime into a mixture of red chili powder and salt and then artfully massaged the length of the cob, leaving trails of hot and sour flavor all over the kernels..


Here is the recipe.

• 4 Corn on the cob
• 3 tablespoons Salt
• 3/4 th teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 Lime cut into halves

Mix the salt and chili powder and set aside on a small plate. On a gas burner or hot grill, turn the heat to high. Take one corn on the cob and hold it an inch above the burner. Roast while turning all the time. Within 3 to 4 minutes you will hear a popping sound. Keep turning the corn on the cob cob over until the kernels acquire a brownish black color.

With a freshly cut piece of lime, dip the open end of the lime into the mixture of red chili powder and salt and then massage the length of the cob with the lime, salt and red chili. This will leave trails of hot and sour flavor all over the kernels. Eat or Serve immediately.


Maize (Zea mays ssp. mays), also known as corn, is a cereal grain that was domesticated in Mesoamerica and then spread throughout the American continents. It spread to the rest of the world after European contact with the Americas in the late 15th century and early 16th century. The term maíze derives from the Spanish form of the Arawak Indian term for the plant. However, it is popularly called corn in the United States, English Canada (in French Canada it is called maïs), New Zealand, and Australia. Corn is a shortened form of "Indian corn", i.e. the Indian grain. The English word "corn" originally referred to a granular particle, most commonly cereal grains. It is called mealies in southern Africa. Hybrid maize is favored by farmers over conventional varieties for its high grain yield, due to heterosis ("hybrid vigor"). Maize is one of the first crops for which genetically modified varieties make up a significant proportion of the total harvest.

While some maize varieties grow 7 m (23 ft) tall at certain locations, commercial maize has been bred for a height of 2.5 m (8 ft). Sweetcorn is usually shorter than field-corn varieties.

Moongfali Wala (roadside peanut vendor)

Indian occupies the first position, both with regard to area and production in the world. The oil contents of the seed vary from 44 to 55 percent, depending upon the varieties and agronomic conditions. Its oil finds extensive use as vanaspati ghee. It is also used in manufacturing soap, cosmetics and lubricants. Kernels are also eaten raw, roasted or sweetened. They are rich in proteins and vitamins A and B. Being a legume with root modules, it is capable of fixing atmospheric nitrogen, thereby improving soil fertility.

Groundnut grows where other crops fail. When farmers in a tough terrain select a groundnut variety, they know what is best for their needs.

Groundnut is the 13 th most important food crop of the world. It is the world's 4th most important source of edible oil and 3rd most important source of vegetable protein. Groundnut seeds contain high quality edible oil (˜ 50%), easily digestible protein (˜ 25%) and carbohydrates (˜ 20%).

Groundnut is grown in nearly 100 countries. Major groundnut producers in the world are: China, India, Nigeria, USA, Indonesia and Sudan. Developing countries account for 96% of the global groundnut area and 92% of the global production. Asia accounts for 58% of the global groundnut area and 67% of the groundnut production with an annual growth rate of 1.28% for area, 2.00% for production and 0.71% for productivity.

In India, groundnut is grown on 5.7 million ha with a production of 4.7 million metric tons, with an average productivity of 0.8 metric tons ha -1 during the rainy season and in the post-rainy season it is grown on 0.9 million ha with a production of 1.5 million metric ton, and an average productivity of 1.6 metric tons ha -1 .

In Andhra Pradesh, it is grown on 1.6 million ha during the rainy season with a production of 1.6 million tons, and during the post rainy season it is grown on 0.3 million ha with an production of 0.4 million tons. Anantapur district in the state is the largest producer of groundnut with 0.74 million ha of area under cultivation.
Globally, 50% of groundnut produce is used for oil extraction, 37% for confectionery use and 12 % for seed purpose. In India, 80% of the total produce is used for oil extraction, 11% as seed, 8% for direct food uses and 1% is exported. Groundnut haulms (vegetative plant parts) provide excellent hay for feeding livestock. They are rich in protein and have better palatability and digestibility than other fodder.

Developing countries account for over 96% of world groundnut area (26 m ha) and about 92% of total production (36 m t). Production is concentrated in Asia and Africa, where the crop is grown mostly by smallholder farmers under rain-fed conditions with limited inputs.

Out of a total area of 86.72 lakh hectares under groundnut in India, Rajasthan covers 2.46 lakh hectares. Other groundnut producing states are Andhra Pradesh (24.96 lakh ha.), Gujarat (19.42 lakh ha), Karnataka (13.26 lakh ha) and Tamil Nadu (10.81 lakh ha). Looking to the high production efficiency of groundnut crop, supplemental irrigation is also being provided, particularly to the high yielding strains in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka states. In Rajasthan this crop is grown over 38.95 percent of the area under irrigation in Bikaner, Ganganagar and Jaipur districts where the productivity of this crop is high.

Interview of Jeff Kirlin

Interview of Jeff Kirlin from the “The Thing of the Moment”

If you go through his blog posts, you observe that Jeff has a great sense of humour.

Jeff Kirlin lives alone in a cold water flat and when not taking photos or working on his photoblog, he just sits quietly. :)

On a personal note: Jeff is a terrible typist *wink*

TIP: Please tell us about yourself?
Jeff Kirlin: I'm surprised to find this the most difficult question. I am a 41 year old man living in Bangor, Maine and I work as a speech therapist in the public schools and a hospital.

TIP: Did you go to a school to learn photography?
Jeff Kirlin: No, it has all been trial and error and reading and doing.

TIP: Did your early photographic goals include earning a living from photography, or did it start as a way to express yourself creatively?
Jeff Kirlin: I started taking photos because I had the summer off from work and I thought it would be fun to sneak around and take photos of things I wanted to see again. It gave me an excuse to go places I didn't usually go just to explore

TIP: What is one of your favorite places to travel to take photographs?
Jeff Kirlin: I love taking photos in any large city. Chicago, Las Vegas, Boston. I take more photos of Boston than any other city simply because it is closest to me.

TIP: When did you know you finally "made it" as a professional?
Jeff Kirlin: I have yet to make it as a professional.

TIP: Do you remember your first photography sale?
Jeff Kirlin: I do! The owner of a carnival gave me 200 dollars for some photos of his rides and things. I was delighted. Of course it worked out to about 50 cents per hour. But were still lots of fun.

TIP: How did you get your first book deal?
Jeff Kirlin: I've never had a book deal but I did have an image published in a magazine that I didn't get paid for. :)

TIP: What advice do you have for someone who simply wants to improve their photography skills?
Jeff Kirlin: Take lots of photos, always. You can't take too many photos. Also, find someone you admire, study them, try to copy them and learn how they do what they do.

TIP: Was photography always a passion for you, or did come into it as a way to express yourself, or to pay the bills?
Jeff Kirlin: It started out as a way to pass the time, and then became a passion. I find that I can use my photos to express myself once I have taken them but I usually don't think that when I am taking the photo and I don't know why. I'm not very artistic, I think. I have only made enough money to pay for my first camera which was 4 cameras ago. :)

TIP: Did you have a mentor or someone who helped guide you as you were getting started?
Jeff Kirlin: No. I dislike taking photos with other photographers around. I've had it suggested sometimes that I take photos with someone but have yet to do it. I find photography, for me, is a solitary pursuit.

TIP: What do you like most about being a photographer?
Jeff Kirlin: I enjoy seeing things in a way that will allow me to see it forever. I have a terrible memory and only have a vague recollection of places I have been and things I have done before I started taking photos. I also enjoy that I tend to do MORE for the sake of taking the photos than I would otherwise.

TIP: What do you dislike about being a photographer?
Jeff Kirlin: I dislike the attention drawn to you, or the perceived attention, when it sometimes seems to be an odd interest. And in the US there are so many concerns about security and privacy, that sometimes it can be difficult to take photos.

TIP: What is one of your favorite places to travel to find beautiful landscape photography?
Jeff Kirlin: I like taking photos at Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island in Maine because the images are lovely and easy. it's hard to take a bad photo there.

TIP: Much of your work focuses on landscape and scenic photography. Do you think it is important to specialize in one area of photography?
Jeff Kirlin: I know this question doesn't pertain to me but I'll answer it anyway because I think a photographer should try to take all types of photos. Frank of Photoschau once listed me as an experimental photographer and I took that as a huge compliment. I think photographers will fall into a type of photo that they prefer taking but why limit yourself? On the other hand, no one think of landscapes when they think of Annie Liebovitz or portraits when they think of Ansel Adams.

TIP: What sort of equipment do you use?
Jeff Kirlin: I use point and shoot digital cameras only. I'd like to get a DSLR but every time I look deeper into it, more than the cost, I find that what I like about taking the photos is being able to frame it in the LCD, and having a very small camera you can always have with you. I'm currently using a Canon Powershot S2 IS and a Panasonic FX01.

TIP: What was the equipment in which you started out?
Jeff Kirlin: My first digital camera was a Samsung Digimax 130 then I upgraded to a Fujifilm A210 and though I found the last camera I'd ever need. Prior to that I used film snapshot cameras. Horrid photos every one.

TIP: Who inspires you?
Jeff Kirlin: All my photo-blogging colleagues, of course. Also Susan Adcock at Cliffhanger and Amy Toensing who is an occasional National Geographic photographer.

TIP: What are your favorite subjects of Photography?
Jeff Kirlin: I enjoy taking photos of people at work very much. I enjoy portraits and taking photos of people and for some reason they seem to mind it less when you are photographing them working. I have thousands of photos of carnival workers and hundreds of photos of other out-of-the-mainstream occupations.

TIP: In your general opinion, do you think photography schools are a good idea or a waste of time.
Jeff Kirlin: I thought they were a waste of time, and then I learned how much I didn't know.

TIP: What's coming up? Exhibits? Shows? Photo shoots?
Jeff Kirlin: What. I have been taking photos of my friends and I have some photos exhibited at a local hospital but that is about it. When I am asked about having photos published and how I ought to try to get into a magazine, I answer that they are already published. On my blog, which I am terribly proud of! I call it a photo-blog but I'm not sure exactly what it is. I will post images just because I have something funny to say with them which, if you do too many times, makes you seem like a clown rather than a photographer. However, some of my most loyal Gentle Viewers are other bloggers rather than other photographers. I know my audience and what they like. (I hope!)

Jantar Mantar - The Magic Observatories of India

Mankind has been interested in the mysteries of fate since the beginning of consciousness and when he learnt astrology and astronomy, his interest resulted in the creation of instruments that would help in making accurate predictions based on the positions of the stars and the planets. Every ruler ancient and modern had an official astrologer associated with the royal family apart from their courts. Many also ventured to create more awareness among the general public about these sciences. Sawai Jai Singh II was one of them. The ruler of Jaipur (1699-1743), he ascended the throne when he was barely eleven years old, and the name Sawai was given as a token of respect by Emperor Aurangazeb – though short in height, he was equal to Sawai (one-and-a-half times more than any individual). Jai Singh had twin passions - the arts and the sciences, chiefly astronomy.

He was a keen astronomer and a noble in the Mughal court. Dissatisfied by the errors of brass and metal astronomical instruments, he set about correcting the existing astronomical tables and updating the almanac with more reliable instruments. He built five Jantar Mantars, located at Delhi, Jaipur, Varanasi, Ujjain and Mathura. All were built between 1724-1730 AD considered the dark age of Indian history. All these huge instruments were made in masonry.

An incident finds specific mention in history books. Muhammad Shah wanted to travel and needed an auspicious moment to do so. This resulted in a standoff between the Hindu and the Muslim astrologers. He tried to get accurate readings from brass instruments but all of them inherent flaws – they were too small and their axes were unstable; so their centres got displaced. Frustrated, he sent his mission to Samarkand, where Arab astronomer Prince Ulugh Beg had built an observatory in the 15th century housing massive stone instruments. In 1730, he also sent a mission to Lisbon, to gather all the latest information on astronomy. The mission came back with a telescope -- and the famous astronomer Xavier de Silva.

This resulted in the building of Jantar Mantar at Delhi, an observatory where the movements of the Sun, Moon and all other planets would be observed by practising astronomers and the importance of this science would be introduced to the general public. It was built at Dar-al-Khilafat, Shahjahanabad and was well away from the inhabited area of the city. Development brought it right into the heart of the city.

After its erection in 1724, it remained functional only for seven years. Observations were made each day and noted down. Later, a chart was created and was called Zij Muhammad Shahi and was dedicated to the reigning monarch.

The original name Yantra (instrument) mantra (formula) has been corrupted over the ages to Jantar Mantar. The Sun dial dominates the par and is also known as the Samrat Yantra or Brihat Samrat yantra – the huge sundial. It is an imposing structure in yellow on the far right and has a 27m high arm set at an angle of 27 degrees. The other yantras in this observatory tracked the various stars and planets. The Mishra Yantra helped to determine the longest and shortest days in the year In December, one pillar overshadowed the other and in June, it did not cast any shadow at all.

This observatory is the largest and the best preserved today, compared to the four others that he built in Jaipur, Varanasi, Ujjain and Mathura. The one in Ujjain is in complete ruins and the one in Varanasi is in a state of decay. Jaipur is the well-preserved as Raja Ram Singh in 1901 refurbished this observatory with the help of a British engineer and lined the gradations on the instrument with marble, so they would not get worn out. The Jaipur observatory was meant to collect data on a daily basis and did. Raja Jai Singh consulted his guru Pandit Jaganath. This observatory was in use in the 1940s too. Time was read, important moments were announced with the firing of a canon and less important moments announced via a drummer form the Nahargarh fort.

But many experts in this field mention that these observatories fell into disuse because of lack of thought on the part of the king – he used the old method of Ptolemy; for better results, he could have made use of the changes made by Copernicus and that his political leaning (working for Muhammad Shah) affected the building of this scientific astronomy, for Muhammad Shah withdrew his patronage.

The dream of making astronomy more accessible to the general public to make it easy for them to understand never took off. But these observatories are an important part of our scientific heritage. It will always remain an intrigue and a puzzle to all observers from the modern generation. Astronomy or astrology, everyone is intrigued and want to know what the future holds for them, but few make the effort to create a path that would make it easy and very scientific to check it out.

Hawa Mahal

Built in 1799, by Maharaja Sawai Pratap Singh the 'Hawa Mahal', Palace of the Wind, is one of the major landmarks of Jaipur. It is an integral part of the City Palace, an extension of the Zenana (women's chambers) standing away from the main complex. This five storey building of unusual architecture designed by Lal Chand Usta, is a stunning example of Rajput artistry made of red and pink sand stone, beautifully outlined with white borders and motif's painted with quick lime. The monument with a spectacular view of Jaipur city with road avenues, intersections and colourful crowds in the market, was originally conceived with the aim of enabling ladies of the royal household to watch the everyday life and royal processions in the city without being seen by others.

Its facade from the road side makes Hawa Mahal look more like a delicate screen than a palace. This five-story, pyramid-shaped structure has tier after tier of 953 small casements, each with tiny lattice worked (Jali) pink windows, small balconies and arched roofs with hanging cornices, exquisitely modeled and carved. These small windows circulate cool air (Hawa) even in hot months. The pyramidal outline is even throughout by cramming and multiplying casements; and uses repetition of motifs to enhance its beauty.

The entrance to Hawa Mahal is from the City Palace side, through a stately door which opens into a spacious courtyard. The courtyard has a double storeyed building on three sides. There is a small archeological museum here. Only the eastern wing has three more storeys above, which are just a single room thick. The building, standing on a high podium, is a fifty-foot high thin shield, less than a foot in thickness, with small intimate chambers , which give this palace its unique facade. There are no regular stairs to reach the upper floors, but only ramps.

Hawa Mahal which is currently under the supervision of the State archeological department provides the visitor with excellent views of the city. The best time to view Hawa Mahal is sunrise when sunlight through the latticed windows gives it a wonderful glow.

Jaivana: The largest wheel mounted cannon in the world

The Jaigarh fort in Jaipur, Rajasthan is home to largest cannon in Asia — Jaivana.

It was cast in 1720 during the reign of Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II (1699-1743) at the foundry at Jaigarh. Its 20 ft long barrel weighs 50 tons with a diameter of 11 inches.

Its range is 22 miles and 100 Kg gun powder was used for one fire. Though a destructive weapon, it is beautifully decorated with carving sorrow tress and an elephant on the mouth scroll on the body and a pair of birds at the end. This is a unique art piece made by skilled craftsmen of Amber.

The work to place this barrel was done during the reign of Maharaja Ram Singh II (1835-1880). He also got this cover area prepared for this unusually large cannon.

Its 9ft high wheel has an 11inch think axis. It needed four elephants to swivel it around on its axis. Its main characteristic is that it can be turned in all directions for firing with the help of tow back wheels and rolling pin fixed near them.

It’s so heavy that its construction was done entirely at the same place. And it’s never brought down. Since there were no wars fought in that area, it was never used, except once for test firing. At the village of Chaksu, nearly 30 miles south of here, you are shown a spring of water which is said to have gushed out of the earth on the impact of one of Jaivana's mighty cannonballs!

Jaigarh fort also has a museum of weapons, as Jaipur was a weapon producing centre of ancient times.

Bioscope: An early movie projector

Snake Charmers

Snake charming is the practice of apparently hypnotising a snake by simply playing an instrument. A typical performance may also include handling the snakes or performing other seemingly dangerous acts, as well as other street performance staples, like juggling and sleight of hand. The practice is most common in India, though other Asian nations such as Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Malaysia are also home to performers, as are the North African countries of Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia.

Ancient Egypt was home to one form of snake charming, though the practice as it exists today likely arose in India. It eventually spread throughout Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. Despite a sort of golden age in the 20th century, snake charming is today in danger of dying out. This is due to a variety of factors, chief among them the recent enforcement of a 1972 law in India banning ownership of serpents. In retaliation, snake charmers have organised in recent years, protesting the loss of their only means of livelihood, and the government has made some overtures to them.

Many snake charmers live a wandering existence, visiting towns and villages on market days and during festivals. With a few rare exceptions, however, they typically make every effort to keep themselves from harm's way. For one, the charmer typically sits out of biting range, and his animal is sluggish and reluctant to attack anyway. More drastic means of protection include removing the creature's fangs or venom glands, or even sewing the snake's mouth shut. The most popular species are those native to the snake charmer's home region, typically various kinds of cobra, though vipers and other types are also used.

Too Late

Last week , I was in Jaipur doing some sight seeing.
In the Amber Palace complex, the walls were completely scribbled with names (especially the lovebirds)..

On one such wall, I saw this notice.
English transalation: "It is forbidden to write your name, to spit and dirty the walls"

Woops.. I guess they put the notice .. too late..