Unbroken dream
Bus driver made a sharp U-turn waking me up from slumbering. Warm, bright and sunny day; cloudless blue skies and emerald green waters; small fishing village with a temple on the shore and couple of shack shops selling colorful balloons and souvenir statues of the Hindu deities; few stray dogs and non-existing bus stop at the end of the sandy road appeared in the window as I got up.
I have reached another sea. That very sentence stuck in my head the minute this fascinating picture at the shore of the Arabian Sea revealed itself. The tranquility of the place felt magic and hypnotic. I was deeply enthralled by the charm of it and didn't learn the name of the village; later, realizing that, I decided to leave it that way.
Reaching another sea may seem like an ordinary event, however this time it felt different, a dream like. Even now, when I close my eyes, I still see and feel the alchemy of it. Perhaps I was dreaming…
On the bus from Junagadh to Dwarka (Gujarat, India)
November 3rd, 2015
Barber
Barbers' tent was at the edge of the field with no customers at the moment. I greeted him and gladly accepted his friendly offer to sit in the tent and a cup of milk chai, away from the harsh midday sun. After noticing my camera, he proudly showed me a few photographs hanging in the tent, of his young days in a beautiful Indian military uniform. Both of us unable to speak the same language, we just spoke human…
Rajasthan, India (2014)
Fair
Fair in Rajasthan is always an extraordinary and bustling event. With an unimaginable number of cattle in one place, farmers from all over the country set up their camps in the field few weeks before the fair starts. Life and daily activities are simply a pleasure to observe, taking the observer at least a hundred years back. Sales and trade of the cattle doesn't begin right away, it takes a few days for a farmers to observe the animals they are interested in. Hundreds of craftsmen set they shops and the whole field becomes more like a big village, than a fair.
Rajasthan, India (2014)
Shadows of the youth
It was a short and unplanned stop. Several houses were clustered about a hundred yards from the road. Ganesh knew people that lived there. He couldn't pass without stopping and saying hello, since he lived there for a few years himself. Chai was offered and before it was served I decided to look around this harsh environment. Kids and their long early evening shadows were following me. I walked around the houses and suddenly my mood changed once the whole picture came together- the desert full of the wind turbines, village without electricity and these kids, the future of India, that can't write, since they don't go to school.
Jaisalmer Wind Park is India's largest operational onshore wind farm. Electricity produced there is hauled away to the cities far away and people that live under these turbines are forgotten. Investing in renewable energy is great, but...
Rural Rajasthan, India
Changing desert
Walking on the sand is slow, heat makes it even slower. Even though the afternoon sun was not as harsh anymore, it felt more like a footslog than a walk. The only thing that would make it more pleasurable would be the breeze. However, hot air was standing still.
Small campground of somewhat scattered tents, outside the town was in a slightly different location since few years back. From time to time the dwellers have to move a little further away from the expanding town. That’s part of a Bhopa's life.
Joyful laughs of the playing children were heard from afar. Tall and unfamiliar figure was slowly approaching the camp. The second they saw the gora, their excitement doubled and all of them started to run to greet the adrift wanderer first.
Rural Rajasthan, India (2013)
We are all travelers
It was an ordinary summer day. Mercury on the thermometer was hitting 50°C (122°F). I’ve seen him several times that day aimlessly browsing streets of this ancient desert town…, just like me.
Rajasthan, India (2013)
Night sky
It never really cooled down much that night. Room had no A/C and the only ceiling fan was circulating hot air in the room. It is impossible to sleep in that heat. A small couch in the courtyard, just outside the room, seemed to be there for a reason. I didn’t hesitate, walked outside and lay down on it. Warm, but refreshing breeze helped. Dogs were still barking in the alleys, night sky full of stars… I was staring at them and thinking about the day that didn’t go as planned…
Taken in Jodhpur the next morning (2013)
Overnight train
With every stop fewer passengers were left on the train. Sand dust was everywhere; I didn’t mind. Just like the last time! And that made me excited, with every stop getting closer to that magical city in the desert.
Since deep sleep was impossible, a playback from two years ago was going through my mind all night. I had a good amount of photos I took back then and was wondering who I will find…
City was still sleeping, except the Tuk-Tuk drivers that were waiting for the arriving train and those very few travelers that are coming in the hot summer months. Short Tuk-Tuk ride and I was back. Back in the same guesthouse, back in the same room. It was more than gratifying! I was re-living what I was dreaming for the past two years…
It just felt good. Good to be back.
Bikaner- Jaisalmer train, India 2011
Giving back
Call for morning prayer was coming from a minaret of a nearby mosque. It was still early and dark. Change in time zone did its thing and full night sleep was impossible. Clock on the wall was ticking loud and way too slow… There were still few long hours before Tara or Gouri would wake up.
Finding someone in the city with population of over 2 million is not an easy task. There were almost a hundred photographs in my bag taken in the maze of this ancient desert city few years back. With Gouris help, at the end of the day there was a lonely photograph of an elderly man left whom we couldn’t find. Most people were surprised, some even remembered the picture of them being taken. Quite a few invited to sit for a chai, others to share a meal with them. Everyone was happy with their surprise picture, including Gouri and I.
Bikaner, India 2013
“It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving.”
Mother Teresa
Incognito traveler
Airplane landed in New Delhi night time and from the airport I went directly to Sarai Rohilla station. Few hours later I was on the train to Bikaner. Little by little temperature was going up… That was a non A/C train. Open windows and lots of water were the only escape from the heat. Then I realized it’s going to be really hot during the entire trip. Good thing I was preparing myself mentally for this heat for some time before I left from home. I knew where I was going. That was only the beginning of the summer in the Great Indian Desert.
Taken on the Delhi-Bikaner train 2013
Gori and her story
She was about 4 years old when her parents and few other Bhopa families finally settled, abandoning nomadic way of life. Small village of tents slowly erected in an open desert near a small town with the hopes that nobody will tell them to move out.
She never went to school. Since the age of about 12 or 13 she was working… first in the kitchen in a nearby restaurant, later helping build houses and roads… Few years ago a man was chosen by her parents. She married him, a man she didn’t know. He took her to his village about 500 kilometers away; away from her family and the life she knew. Her father passed away soon after the wedding. Everything was foreign and very distant to her, including the new place. Sad to say, but the marriage she was so excited about didn’t last long. Husband was drunk every day and she had ran away from him, back to her village, back to the life and the people she knew…
Almost a month ago she ran away again. This time, she ran away from her family, with a village boy, whom she secretly fell in love with. He is from another caste.
She knew from the beginning, by violating the caste and the family tradition she will not be able to return to her family, nor the village. Their love is stronger than any ban might possibly be.
Taken in 2013, a few months before the wedding
Rural Rajasthan, India
Open door
Small campground at the edge of the city was long awake. Drums by the road indicated that traveling musicians settled here. Not for long- month or two at most, or until government officials make them move out. Then they will go to the next town… then the next…
Friendly gestures inviting me into their temporary homes were coming from quite a few tents. Tea and chapati were offered in every house I walked in.
Saying that “only a poor man’s door is always open” is perfectly true! Not having even the bare minimum and being able to share it without asking anything in return is truly amazing! It touches me every time, deep.
Bikaner, India 2013
Midday observations
Midday sun was at its peak. Shadows falling on the ground were short and it will take a few hours till they start to grow longer. Sitting on the steps in the shade of an old tree by the Ranisar Talab felt just right. Coolness of the lake waters, shadow from the tree and mild breeze was a pleasant refuge from the harsh midday sun. Birds and a few slow moving monkeys, on the wall and an old tree, were the only companions for a while. An old man came to take a dip in the lake. Few people came to the little temple for the midday darshan. All were quite in their thoughts and prayers, only the temple bell echoed above the lake, announcing of their visit. Such an idyllic noon.
Jodhpur, India 2013
