Pondicherry

Almost everyone who's visited Pondicherry would have visited the Paradise Beach, Auroville, Rocky Beach, and walked through the French lanes, which have the colourful buildings. I had spotted one such, with an Ambassador car parked next to the building, and clicked it. Decided to make a sketch of it. Here it is:

On a street in Adyar

The streets of Chennai have interesting sights worth clicking. One day, I had gone for a walk through the lanes of Adyar, and saw an old Lamby (Indian Lambretta) lying abandoned outside a shop. Had taken a picture of it. A few weeks ago, I saw that photo and decided to make a sketch from that.

Somwhere in IISc Bangalore

Trees are one of my favourite subjects, when it comes to nature photography. In mid-August, I visited the Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore, India, for a couple of months. It was one of the prettiest campuses I had seen. At one spot over there, I spotted an interesting looking tree, clicked it, and sketched it using a pen. Here it is:

Enjoying the Sea!

Almost every beach in Chennai has a bunch of boats moored at some point at the beach. When not in use they make for great benches for people to sit on to enjoy the evening by the sea.

Charcoal on paper.

If you love your hometown, nothing wrong in talking about it.

   Some people think that I am too "south Indian", and have an issue with my (semi)south Indian-ness (the fact is that I am a Hindi-Telugu person). Yes, I grew up in Hyderabad, and I love that city, as much as any of you loves your hometown. Yes, I have been in Chennai for the last 5 years, and I like that city too (it's my second home). Naturally, I talk quite a bit about them, mostly through photos, but sometimes while talking (those things about the 2 cities which can be talked about with others). Honestly, if you have a problem with it, or if you think I am too "south-ish" (or "madrasi"), then I don't give a damn (apologies (not) for sounding too harsh)! 

  Interestingly, I see these very people brag on and on about Dalhi (oops sorry, Delhi), and Bombay (a word which isn't censored on social media), like how the "national" news channels do. But somehow that's 'legit'. Hail Double Standards, Hail!! See, I have no issues with people talking about Dahli or Bombay (after all those 2 are great cities, one's the "City of Djinns", and the other's the "Maximum City", alright subtle plug over ;)) as that makes me know more about those 2 cities, but let me also talk a little bit about the cities I love. 

  NOTE that the same applies to those (the ones who use the word "northie") who have an issue with north Indian's love for her/his part of the nation.

The Good Ol' Chennai Local!

In the 5 years, I have spent in Madras, I have travelled quite a lot in the cream and dark green local trains of the city. The locals here are an alternate lifeline of the city (the main one being the buses). But the locals have their own charm, especially the MRTS (Mass Rapid Transit System) whose trains run on an elevated track passing through the gigantic stations, like a serpent getting in to a hole in a mound and getting out of its other end. You get a nice view of some of the surroundings (especially on the Eastern side). Below is a sketch of a local at Indira Nagar Station (one of the elevated stations). Used a fountain pen to do the sketching.

The Chennai Local.

The city beyond its malls.

A lot of times, when I have talked with a lot of my friends about the big cities here in India, one of the main topics have been their malls. I had a question, guys, isn't there a lot more about a city, big or small, beyond malls?

Well, there's a lot more to a city than just glass and concrete structures called malls.

Some cities have the delights that are called beaches, both sandy ones and rocky ones, clean ones and dirty ones, teeming with people and vendors, especially corn-sellers whose stoves let out sparks that attract every budding photographer :P .

Some cities simply have amazing weather, and pretty places to see around them, and hang out there.

 Some cities have beautiful monuments, some of whose interiors have the finest works of art inside them, some of which are a result of some good engineering and kickass architecture, and some whose ruins have a tell us the story of a glorious past.

Some cities have most charming dialects, which are a delight to the ears. Arey chicha, ye ek dum kiraak hai.. (Hyderabadi for "Hey dude, this is awesome..").

Some cities have the most kickass or kiraak(as we say in Hyderabadi Urdu) food you can get on the planet, the thought makes me crave for some biryani and kebabs.

Some cities have the good old local trains, which come in several colours, white and violet, red and yellow, green and yellow, blue and white, colourful as they are, and they are delight to travel in, despite the fact that they get quite crowded at peak hours.

Some cities have the prettiest streets ever, with vendors selling things ranging from roasted snacks to plastic toys, and the colourful little edifices, old and new, on either side of the street. Added to that the general hustle and bustle, around the shops, bus stops, stations etc.

Chennai, as I see it.

 I have spent several weekend evenings or full Sundays, going to various places in Chennai for photography. I've been capturing the quirky colourful streets, the local trains, the greens of IIT M, the beaches, and the hustle and bustle in general of the city. A part of me loves this city.

Crowds at Marina

The popular Schmidt Memorial in Besant Nagar beach.

Kalikundram Road

4th Cross CIT Campus on Bhogi morning

Covelong Beach, Kovalam

Besant Nagar Bus Stop.

A scene from Tharamani Bus stop.

 After all, there is a lot, a lot more to any city than just those big glass and concrete structures which we call malls.

At Mylapore

Hustle and bustle at Marina

Napier Bridge.

The Velachery local.

Remembering Rohith Vemula

"The value of a man was reduced to his immediate identity and nearest possibility. To a vote. To a number. To a thing. Never was a man treated as a mind. As a glorious thing made up of star dust." - Rohith Vemula

 Truer words have never been said.

 Dear Rohith Vemula,

   You would've turned 27 today. It's saddening that a bright mind like you has left us to due to a cruel system that only thinks of identity, votes and numbers.

   You have woken a lot of us up to realizing that some harsh realities exist, and it's us and only us who need to wake up a dormant system, to bring a much needed change for a better society, where people are, as you have said, treated as a mind, as glorious things made of stardust. We will fight, struggle, get beaten, but will bring about the change.

  You are in a far far far better world, wherever you are right now.